The Kawanishi N1K is an Imperial Japanese Navy fighter aircraft which was developed in two forms: the N1K Kyōfū (強風, "Strong Wind", Allied reporting name Rex), a floatplane designed to support forward offensive operations where no airstrips were available, and the N1K-J Shiden (紫電, "Violet Lightning", reporting name George), a land-based version of the N1K.

The N1K-J was considered by both its pilots and opponents to be one of the finest land-based fighters flown by the Japanese during World War II.

The Shiden Kai possessed heavy armament, as well as surprisingly good maneuverability, due to a mercury switch that automatically extended the flaps during turns.

Unlike the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Shiden Kai could compete against the best late-war Allied fighters, such as the F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, and P-51 Mustang.

The aircraft retained the mid-mounted wing of the floatplane; combined with the large propeller, this necessitated a long, stalky main landing gear.

The production of the entire aircraft was simplified: over a third of the parts used in the previous Shiden could still be used in its successor, while construction used fewer critical materials.

The N1K1-J and the N1K2 Shiden-Kai released later that year were among the rare Japanese aircraft that offered pilots an even chance against late-war American designs, such as the F6F Hellcat and the F4U Corsair,[10] and could be a formidable weapon in the hands of an ace.

[11] After the action, Japanese propagandists fabricated a story in which Muto was the sole airman facing twelve enemy aircraft.

[12] (A leading Japanese ace, Saburō Sakai, later asserted in his autobiography that Muto had done this feat at an earlier stage of the war – albeit at the controls of a Zero fighter.

Along with high speed, the Shiden-Kai offered pilots an agile aircraft with a roll rate of 82°/sec at 386 km/h (240 mph), backing four powerful 20 mm cannons in the wings.

As a bomber interceptor, the N1K2-J fared less well, hampered by a poor rate of climb and reduced engine performance at high altitude.

The new Kōkūtai included some of Japan's most experienced fighter pilots, such as Naoshi Kanno and Saburo Sakai.

The unit received the best available naval equipment, such as the Nakajima C6N Saiun, codenamed "Myrt" long-range reconnaissance aircraft.

A second encounter took place when pilots flying Shidens initially mistook Corsairs from Marine Fighter Squadron 123 (VMF-123) for Hellcats and attacked.

At the same time, many more Shidens were destroyed by American fighters over another airfield where low on fuel, their pilots tried to land.

In every encounter with enemy fighters, the Shiden, especially the Kai version, proved to be a capable dogfighter with a potent combination of firepower, agility, and rugged structure.

This aircraft was displayed outside for many years in a children's playground in San Diego, suffering considerable corrosion, and had become seriously deteriorated.

[25] This aircraft is known to be from the 343rd Kōkūtai, as the unit flew sorties in the area, but the tail code is unknown as it was partially restored from a corroded wreck recovered from the sea.