The Kawanishi N1K was an Imperial Japanese Navy fighter aircraft which was developed in two variants. The N1K Kyōfū (強風, Strong Wind) (Allied reporting name Rex), a floatplane designed to support forward offensive operations where no airstrips were available. The N1K-J Shiden (紫電, Violet Lightning) (reporting name George), a land-based version of the N1K. Contemporary pilots and Allied reports praised the N1K-J’s performance, noting its high speed and maneuverability compared with other Japanese fighters of the period