Hello!

I didn't manage to find what Ki meant. I mean, it's extremely logic that means "army aircraft" or something very similar.

Please, anyone can provide me with the meaning of it?

I have a book that says it is an abbreviation which comes from the Japanese word Hikoki (airplane).

Hi guys - I had always understood that "Ki" was short for "kitai" (airframe). It was only used by IJAAF a/c - not the Navy. Here is what it says in a Wiki (List of Military Aircraft of Japan) "The prefix "ki" in this list is an abbreviation of "kitai", meaning airframe, and was only used by the Japanese AAF. Ki should be read as as one word, pronounced "kee".
S1 - Gooner

Always thought it was an abbreviation for Kawasaki.

I notice the A6M doesn't use it, nor does the N1K1.

Those are both Japanese Navy aircraft not Army.

The Japanese navy used a system not unlike the US Navy.

A = Carrier Borne Fighter
6 = 6th design to go into Navy Service
M = manufactured by Mitsubishi

The N1K1 was originally a floatplane design:

N = Fighter Floatplane
1 = 1st design
K = manufactured by Kawanishi

Cool, good to know.

What does the J in J2M stand for?

According to my book J = Land based fighter.

Hah! I found an article on wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...dentification_System