MILITARY CLASSICS (ミリタリー・クラシックス) Vol.89 (2025 SPRING) There are some folded pages in the cover and inside. It's old, but there's no problem with reading it. No supplements are included. Feature Article Type 2 Twin-Engine Fighter "Toryu" Around 1935, the Japanese Army Air Force began to envision the need for a long-range escort fighter to protect long-range bombers that would attack Soviet air bases in the Far Eastern Maritime Province in the event of hostilities with the Soviet Union. In 1937, Kawasaki, Nakajima, and Mitsubishi were instructed to prototype a twin-seat fighter capable of long-range operations. In response, Kawasaki designed the small twin-engine twin-seat fighter Ki-45. After going through various twists and turns, such as improving aerodynamic characteristics and selecting engines, it was put into practical use by incorporating the designs of the Type 99 Twin-Engine Light Bomber and the Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft, and was officially adopted as the "Type 2 Twin-Engine Fighter" in August 1942. The Type 2 twin-engine fighter had average speed for a twin-engine fighter at the time, and excellent maneuverability, but in the early stages of the Pacific War, it was no match for single-engine fighters such as the P-40, and it soon became clear that it was not suitable for its original long-range bomber escort mission. However, the Type A, with one 20mm cannon and two 12.7mm machine guns, had powerful firepower for a Japanese Army fighter at the time, and was expected to be a trump card against heavily armored American heavy bombers. Subsequently, the Type B was equipped with a 37mm tank gun, the Type C with a 37mm cannon, and the Type D with two 20mm upward-firing cannons, and was gradually strengthened, playing an active role in the battles against B-24s in the South and B-29s in the air defense of the mainland. Many aces who shot down numerous four-engine heavy bombers also emerged, and it was nicknamed "Toryu" (Dragon Slayer). In addition, it was also active in escorting convoys, taking advantage of its long range, and in ground bombing, utilizing its large payload capacity. It came to be highly valued as the Army's premier multi-role fighter. In this feature, we will approach the "Dragon Slayer," which showed considerable brilliance despite its understated nature, from various perspectives such as its mechanism, development history, combat record, various types, paint schemes, operation, and personnel.