Ryoichi Nakagawa

Ryoichi Nakagawa (中川 良一, Nakagawa Ryōichi, 1913–1998) was a Japanese aircraft/automotive engineer. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1936 and joined Nakajima Aircraft Company in the same year.

Ryoichi Nakagawa
中川 良一
Ryoichi Nakagawa at the age of 26 in 1939 or 1940
Born(1913-04-27)27 April 1913
Tokyo, Japan
Died30 July 1998(1998-07-30) (aged 85)
NationalityJapanese
EducationTokyo Imperial University
OccupationEngineer
Engineering career
DisciplineMechanical engineering
Significant designNakajima Homare engine (Ha-45)
Significant advanceNakajima Sakae engine
AwardsJapan Automotive Hall of Fame (2018) [1]

Career

He improved Nakajima Sakae engine for Mitsubishi A6M Zero, Nakajima Ki-43 and other planes. He was the chief designer of Nakajima Homare engine for Nakajima Ki-84, Nakajima C6N, Kawanishi N1K and others.[2][3][4]

After World War II, Nakajima Aircraft Company was disbanded and was banned from producing aircraft by the GHQ. It was divided into 12 companies. Two of them were Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) and Fuji Precision Industries (Prince Motors). Nakagawa was appointed the senior engineering manager of Prince and led its engineers.[5] He supervised all the Prince vehicles projects including Skyline, Gloria, R380, S390P-1 Royal limousine and others.[2][5]

He received a Doctorate of Engineering from his old school Tokyo University in 1961.[1]

After the merger of Prince and Nissan in August 1966, he was promoted to the senior executive director of Nissan in 1969.[5]

Later he became the chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. (JSAE). He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1990.[6]

He died on July 30, 1998.[7]

See also

References
  1. JAHFA press release on November 8, 2018 (Japanese)
  2. Zero inspired today's innovations - Warplane's engineers later excelled in auto, rocket sectors The Japan Times, Jan 14, 2004
  3. "From Aircraft To Automobile ―Memoirs of an Engine Designer―" by Ryoichi NAKAGAWA, The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) Feb. 5, 1982 (Japanese) doi:10.1299/jsmemag.85.759_214
  4. MAEMA, Takanori (2007), "Homare, the Engine of Tragedy – the Anguish of a Genius Engine Designer, Ryoichi Nakagawa", Soshisha Publishing Co., Ltd., (Japanese) ISBN 978-4-7942-1513-0
  5. KATSURAGI, Yoji (2003), "The Beam of Light of Prince Motor Company", Grand Prix Book Publishing Co., Ltd., (Japanese) ISBN 4-87687-251-1
  6. NAE Member Dr. Ryoichi Nakagawa NAE Website
  7. UEDA, Masaaki, HIRAYAMA, Ikuo, NISHIZAWA, Junichi and MIURA, Shumon "Japanese Biographical Dictionary" Kodansha Ltd., Dec. 6, 2001, (Japanese) ISBN 4-06-210800-3
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