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| Here at Ozark Airfield Artworks we offer a large selection art prints. These prints mainly depict modern and historic aviation along with military, civil and space flight. We also deal with naval subjects and military armor and infantry works. These prints are from all the top national and international artists along with some local artists. Many of our prints are signed by the artist and by famous pilots and veterans. If you are looking for a specific plane, pilot, artist or subject please contact us. |
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See our great selection of
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Domenic DeNardo!
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Domenic DeNardo!
Thousands of Civil and
Military Aviation Art
prints.
Military Aviation Art
prints.
Click here to see one the most
popular aviation artist in the
country, Sam Lyons. We offer
one of the largest selections of
Sam Lyons aviation art.
popular aviation artist in the
country, Sam Lyons. We offer
one of the largest selections of
Sam Lyons aviation art.
Click Here to see some of the
world's best World War II Aviation
Art! John Shaw pays tribute to
the men who fought for the
American Freedom during World
War II.
world's best World War II Aviation
Art! John Shaw pays tribute to
the men who fought for the
American Freedom during World
War II.
| Click On The Image To Enlarge |
"Satoru Anabuki Ki-84 Kamikaze Escort"
| 50 hand-autographed signed and numbered limited edition Anabuki print! Price is for a limited time only. |
| Ki-84 "Frank" escorts two Special Attack Ki-79's through stormy weather towards their target during the final weeks of WW2. Autographed by Japanese Army pilot ace Satoru Anabuki in both English and Japanese. Anabuki scored 51 victories in WW2 - five while flying the Ki-84, and flew Kamikaze escort missions late in the war. Very rare signature. Print size: 13" x 19" Series limited to 50 prints. |
Super close-up to reveal the super detail - web resolution permitting
Aviation Artist
Ron Cole
Ron Cole
The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayat was a single-seat fighter used by the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II. It was the last in
Nakajima's line of classic fighters and considered one of the best-performing craft from any country. The Allied
codename was "Frank"; the Army designation "Type 4 Fighter"
Design of the Ki-84 commenced in early 1942 to meet a Imperial Japanese Army Air Service requirement for a
replacement for the Ki-43 "Hayabusa" ("peregrine falcon") fighter, which had just entered service. The specification
recognised the need to combine the manouverability of the Ki-43 with performance to match the best western fighters
and heavy firepower. The Ki-84 first flew in March 1943. Although the design itself was solid, the shortage of fuel and
construction materials, poor production quality, and lack of skilled pilots prevented the fighter from reaching its
potential. A total of 3,514 were produced.
The Ki-84 addressed two of the most common complaints about Nakajima's previous Japanese Imperial Army fighter,
the popular and highly maneuverable Ki-43 "Hayabusa" ("peregrine falcon"): it tackled issues of insufficient firepower,
poor defensive armor and a lack of climbing power. The Ki-84 was introduced with two 12.7mm (50-caliber) machine
guns and two 20mm cannons, a considerable improvement over the single 7mm and single 12.7mm machine gun
equipped on the Hayabusa. Defensive armor offered Hayate pilots better protection than the unsealed wing tanks and
light-alloy airframe of the Ki-43. In addition, the Ki-84 used a 65mm armor-glass canopy, 13mm of head and back armor,
and multiple bulkheads in the fuselage, which protected both the methanol-water tank (used to increase the
effectiveness of the supercharger) and also the centrally located fuel tank.
But it was the powerplant that gave the Hayate its high speed and prowess in combat. Derived from the Homare engine
common to many Japanaese aircraft, the Hayate used a direct-injection version of the engine, using water-methanol
injection to aid the supercharger in giving the Ki-84 a rated 2000 hp at takeoff. This combination—in theory, at least—
gave it a climb rate and top speed roughly competitive with the top Allied fighters of the late Pacific theater, the P-51
Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt (with top speeds of 433 and 426 mph, respectively). The Hayate's initial testing at
Tachikawa in early summer 1943 saw test pilot Lt. Funabashi reach a maximum level speed of 634 km/h (394 mph) in the
second prototype, but after the war a captured example was tested by the U.S. Army using high-octane fuel and
achieved a speed of 690 km/h (430 mph).
However, the complicated direct-injection engine required a great deal of care in construction and maintenance, and as
the Allies advanced toward the Japanese homeland, it became increasingly difficult to support the Hayate's designed
performance. Compounding reliability issues was the Allied submarine blockade, which prevented delivery of crucial
components such as the landing gear. Consequently, many Hayates suffered collapse of the struts on landing.
Nakajima's line of classic fighters and considered one of the best-performing craft from any country. The Allied
codename was "Frank"; the Army designation "Type 4 Fighter"
Design of the Ki-84 commenced in early 1942 to meet a Imperial Japanese Army Air Service requirement for a
replacement for the Ki-43 "Hayabusa" ("peregrine falcon") fighter, which had just entered service. The specification
recognised the need to combine the manouverability of the Ki-43 with performance to match the best western fighters
and heavy firepower. The Ki-84 first flew in March 1943. Although the design itself was solid, the shortage of fuel and
construction materials, poor production quality, and lack of skilled pilots prevented the fighter from reaching its
potential. A total of 3,514 were produced.
The Ki-84 addressed two of the most common complaints about Nakajima's previous Japanese Imperial Army fighter,
the popular and highly maneuverable Ki-43 "Hayabusa" ("peregrine falcon"): it tackled issues of insufficient firepower,
poor defensive armor and a lack of climbing power. The Ki-84 was introduced with two 12.7mm (50-caliber) machine
guns and two 20mm cannons, a considerable improvement over the single 7mm and single 12.7mm machine gun
equipped on the Hayabusa. Defensive armor offered Hayate pilots better protection than the unsealed wing tanks and
light-alloy airframe of the Ki-43. In addition, the Ki-84 used a 65mm armor-glass canopy, 13mm of head and back armor,
and multiple bulkheads in the fuselage, which protected both the methanol-water tank (used to increase the
effectiveness of the supercharger) and also the centrally located fuel tank.
But it was the powerplant that gave the Hayate its high speed and prowess in combat. Derived from the Homare engine
common to many Japanaese aircraft, the Hayate used a direct-injection version of the engine, using water-methanol
injection to aid the supercharger in giving the Ki-84 a rated 2000 hp at takeoff. This combination—in theory, at least—
gave it a climb rate and top speed roughly competitive with the top Allied fighters of the late Pacific theater, the P-51
Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt (with top speeds of 433 and 426 mph, respectively). The Hayate's initial testing at
Tachikawa in early summer 1943 saw test pilot Lt. Funabashi reach a maximum level speed of 634 km/h (394 mph) in the
second prototype, but after the war a captured example was tested by the U.S. Army using high-octane fuel and
achieved a speed of 690 km/h (430 mph).
However, the complicated direct-injection engine required a great deal of care in construction and maintenance, and as
the Allies advanced toward the Japanese homeland, it became increasingly difficult to support the Hayate's designed
performance. Compounding reliability issues was the Allied submarine blockade, which prevented delivery of crucial
components such as the landing gear. Consequently, many Hayates suffered collapse of the struts on landing.