Author Topic: The Ki-61 Hien  (Read 700 times)

Offline Squire

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The Ki-61 Hien
« on: March 11, 2004, 05:00:40 PM »
I wanted to ask this from all the posts over the past months.

Why does this fighter seem to get no respect? You know I remember when the Ki-61 was introduced in Warbirds, it was highly thought of for a 1943 era fighter, and the main complaint was that it came with 4 x 12.7mm aramament (thats right, no cannon). The AH model has the 2 x 20mm in the nose and 2 x 12.7mm, and as far as I can tell, performs about as well...but all I ever heard was "give us the Ki-84".

Is it the paintjob? why is it denigraded? does it have to be a 1945 superfighter or its a POS? Too many used to the LA-7?
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Offline Soulyss

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2004, 05:35:14 PM »
It's a good question I've never really understood why the Ki-61 has never gotten a lot of attention.  It IS a great little fighter if a tad slow.  I love it, yet at the same time I rarely fly it anywhere except in the CT, I dunno why.  Maybe because it doesn't have what I consider the 2 things that seem to make a plane popular in the MA.  Historic fame and/or performance.
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Offline Shane

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2004, 05:44:23 PM »
because it's IJA and can turn (altho plenty of allied planes can hand it it's lunch).

people ridicule what they don't understand.
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Offline Jester

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2004, 08:42:45 PM »
Prefer it much better than the Zero's and George's.

If your used to flying German A/C it is easy to switch over to. Just squint and pretend it is a 190F with a better bomb load.

Same Bomb load as the George.
Good Armament Package.
Can take a little damage and still fly.
Turns better at high speed than the Zero/Mower/Lighter.
Bit slow but if you plan right they will come to you.
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Offline Sakai

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Re: The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2004, 08:18:02 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Squire
I wanted to ask this from all the posts over the past months.

Why does this fighter seem to get no respect? You know I remember when the Ki-61 was introduced in Warbirds, it was highly thought of for a 1943 era fighter, and the main complaint was that it came with 4 x 12.7mm aramament (thats right, no cannon). The AH model has the 2 x 20mm in the nose and 2 x 12.7mm, and as far as I can tell, performs about as well...but all I ever heard was "give us the Ki-84".

Is it the paintjob? why is it denigraded? does it have to be a 1945 superfighter or its a POS? Too many used to the LA-7?


I don't know but it's a swell plane with plenty to recommend it.

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Offline Löwe

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2004, 08:23:53 AM »
One of the things I disliked from my 27th Sentai days was it's poor climb. However I do remember the dang thing would glide the length of the map from 10K. I spend a lot of time with shot out engines.:rolleyes:

If you got it in a fight where the enemy didnt have an alt advantage, I always thought it was  a prety good airplane.

Offline brady

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2004, 10:59:48 AM »
I have flown this plane quiet a bit from time to time and my observations of it are:

 Guns: Lethal, but very fast rof, you nead to be carefull or you will be out of ammo before you realise it, for most this gives the impreshion it has a small ammo load, when realy if used corectly their is enough for plenty of kills, balisticaly the guns fall between the Type 99's and the 50 cal, they are prety flat out to around 400 but drop bad beyond that range, shoting should be done close 300 or less imo, fire the cannons seperatly they are the killers not the 12.7mm. So in short the guns take a bit of getting used to, in order to be effective with.

Spead: It's slow, prety much all the Allied Pac fighters other than the P40, and the Wildcate are Faster than it is, the closeist of the faster ones the Hellcat can easly disengage and run if it wants.

Exceleration: unremarkable, its a bit of a slug.

Handeling: Poor by Japanese standards, Better than the F4U, and on a par with the Hellcat, dont dog fight a Wildcat.


 In short it is a capable plane but it requires more atention than the other Japanese planes to be suxcessfull in, it is the worst handeling Japnese fighter, and it's gun package gives the impreshion that even the A6M5 has more ammo to use. The Zero's and the George do many things better. These traits make it the least disreable Japanese Fighter to fly in general.

Offline Oldman731

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2004, 11:41:55 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by brady
These traits make it the least disreable Japanese Fighter to fly in general.

hmmmm....it's my favorite Asian plane.  It's the only Japanese plane that can follow most US iron in a dive.  Guns are great, just don't shoot from more than 250 yards.  Keep the speed between 200 and 300 and it can outmaneuver nearly any Allied plane (P-38s are tricky, though, as we found the other week).  I think it has pretty good energy retention, gets good mileage from a gallon of gas, AND it has the famous Clown Tail that can be seen flashing like a neon sign from miles away, so that you don't have to go looking for a fight.

Brady's comment, though, sparked a recollection of reading an American pilot's assessment of the Tony.  He thought it was a lousy plane, mainly because it wasn't as fast as the US planes and lacked the maneuverability of the Zeke.  Certainly that isn't true in AH, though.

- oldman

Offline Jester

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2004, 01:18:34 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by storch
it was armed with 4 x 12.7mm, not cannon.


This is not correct. The KI-61 had a mind bogeling array of armament packages for each production version. This doesn't even take into account the "Field Modifications" done to the aircraft.

KI-61 ARMAMENT PACKAGES:
Prototype: Wings: 2x Mauser MG151 20mm, Fuselage: 2x 12.7mm

KI-61: Wings: 2x Type 89 7.7mm, Fuselage: 2x Type Ho-103 12.7mm

KI-61-Otsu: Wings: 2x Type Ho-103 12.7mm,  Fuselage: same.

KI-61-Ko: Wings: 2x Type 89 7.7mm,  Fuselage: same.

KI-61-I-KAI-hei: Wings: 2x Type Ho-103 12.7mm, Fuselage: 2x Mauser MG151 20mm

KI-61-Ia-KAI: Wings: 2x Mauser MG151 20mm, Fuselage:  2x Type 89 7.7mm

KI-61-Id-KAI: Wings: 2x Type Ho-105 30mm, Fuselage:  2x Type 89 7.7mm

KI-61-I-KAI-Tei: Wings: 2x Type Ho-105 30mm, Fuselage: 2x Type Ho-103 12.7mm

KI-61-II-KAI: Wings: 2x Type Ho-103 12.7mm, Fuselage: 2x Type Ho-5 20mm
(Also Produced with): Wings: 2x Type Ho-103 12.7mm. Fuselage: same

KI-61-IIb-KAI: Wings: 4x Type Ho-5 20mm
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Offline bj229r

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2004, 12:42:38 PM »
it's roll rate cant suck enough--i think jug outrolls this thing. But if ya stick Niki into CT, it ruins the whole map--only La7 would could make it worse. Would be nice if another IJN fighter was added to AH to give lil more variety-43..Frank..mebbe (Frank was 58?)
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Offline Arlo

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The Tony rocks
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2004, 04:11:09 PM »

takes a lil over a minute on 56k - patience

This is a one pass kill on an F4U. I used all of 10 cannon rounds and 50 or so mg rounds. The F4U lost it's left wingtip, left elevator .... and it's entire tail.

The rollrate is nominal and I've had no problem reversing with F6Fs, f4Us or P40s (of course ... it's all in who's flying, I suppose - I haven't fought Shane yet in this setup :D). The weaponry is lethal if:

1: You close in.

2: You know how to hit a moving target.

If your opponent uses speed to get away. Let him. It's not like you have another option anyhow. Turn to find another target.

BUT

Expect the guy you chased to turn around. That is probably one of the two most important elements of SA. That and always expect someone to crawl up your six if you're taking to long to kill someone.

I see no real reason to complain about the Tony at all. As in most CT combinations. It's not the plane ... it's you (aimed at nobody in particular).

And before we get into overwhelming odds or anything like that. That's not really the plane's fault either. :D
« Last Edit: March 13, 2004, 04:58:56 PM by Arlo »

Offline Squire

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2004, 06:05:53 PM »
Downing F4U-1s in Ki-61s is not hard at all, I have done it plenty of times. You might need to think ahead a bit, and be a bit more cognitive of the SA situation.
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Offline Kweassa

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2004, 10:40:35 PM »
Different planes would sure make things interesting.

 Ki-43, Ki-44, Ki-45s would be nice.

 I especially would like to see how the Ki-45 would fare - I've heard this bird quoted "the most agile two engined fighter of WW2".. probably slow though..

Offline Squire

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The Ki-61 Hien
« Reply #13 on: March 14, 2004, 10:49:19 PM »
Absolutely.
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