Kweassa nice post about the stats
but think why do those people fly those niks and spits not because there fast thats for sure
so why would alot of them move to the KI84
It's for empirical reasons.
In the combat flight simming world, since the days of its first appearance on personal computers, there always have existed essentially two different types of preference factors in choosing one's plane.
The first tendency is the 'orthodox' or 'historic', quite in junction with the real-life historic outcome of evolution of fighter craft.
Essentially the faster plane, which preferrably would handle bette at high speeds, is a historic/orthodox choice for many people. The more sophisticated and accurate a portrayal of air combat is in a certain game, the more people choose faster late-war planes - as speed ensures survival, and dominance of fight. When one flies it right, one may not necessarily win, but at least one never loses in those planes.
The other tendency is the 'unorthodox' or 'ahistoric'. In a critical way of thinking, it sort of can be viewed as a exploitation of the limits of a game as opposed to reality.
In a real air combat two hostile forces are both organized in a military fashion, and operate with certain decorum and procedures as a team. In this environment, the side equipped with slower planes are usually always the ones in deep trouble.
However, in a game, there are far more diverse and unrealistic situations where slower but more nimble planes may actually be more advantageous. As far as the pilots of those types of planes have the patience and self-control of limiting one's own engagements to best exploit the situation, the slower but more maneuverable planes have distinct qualities - especially in the offensive role.
When a Spit9 or a N1K2 finds a plane lower and/or slower than him, he latches on and usually does not let it get away. He drives and forces his opponent to harsh maneuvering which in turn, might mean the demise of the Spit9/N1K2 pilot himself -
IF there are other enemies nearby.... which means, if the pilot of the Spit9 or N1K2 can avoid that situation, and only seek out those he can easily claim, then getting a kill in a Spit9 or a N1K2 is almost ridiculously easier than doing the same in a Fw190D-9 or a P-51D or a La-7.
In other words, if the Spit9 or the N1K2 is employed as a purely offensive plane in limited situations where one side
ALREADY has dominance over the other(vulches, hordes, local airsuperiority, low-alt brawls, huge alt advantage, etc etc..), then it may actually provide better results than faster planes.
Ofcourse, the speed in uninspiring - which means in a situation where it has to work to gain dominance, it sucks, and has low survivability. That's why the Spit9 and the N1K2 has low K/D, and considered as a 'grunt' plane. That's why some of the most notorious(but hardly respected) Spit9/N1K2 'professionals' are only seen inside huge hordes or vulches.
The Hurricane or the A6M possess simular possibilities, but these are too much slow to be of combat-worthy in most situations, in an arena infested by '44, '45 planes. The Spit9 and the N1K2 would probably be the lowest limit one can go down to, to expect at least some kind of potency in the MA.
...
Now, add in the Ki-84 into the equation. If it performs anything like expected, it would do 340~360 mph at deck. This, is noticeably faster than both the Spit9 or the N1K2, but still much slower than the La-7 or the P-51D. However, it would most probably become the best maneuvering plane for that speed range, and also better maneuvering than a lot of even slower planes.
In that case, it is natural to assume that people who fly the P-51D or the La-7 in the MA(barring the few who fly those planes for the reasons that it REALLY is the plane of his special interest - such as the 13th TAS or the 412th, or the 9th GIAP...) fly it for its speed.
These people have no reason to fly the Ki-84 at all. It's still not fast enough.
However, those who fly the Spit9 or the N1K2 have a significant alternative which might hugely improve their survival rate, as well as provide better chance of catching faster enemy planes running away.
In a simple analogy of cause and effect, the people who would most benefit from the Ki-84, is the people who would fly the Spit9 and the N1K2.
Almost certainly the Japanese pilots would all at once, turn to the Ki-84.
All the rest of the MA who flies Spit9s or N1K2s (except the people who fly the Spit9 because he REALLY is a RAF fan.. or he REALLY likes the N1K2 as it is..).. those who choose the Spit9/N1K2 would also definately turn to the Ki-84.
People don't fly the N1K2 or the Spit9 for its speed, that's for sure.
But they fly it because it offers best K/T(kill-time ratio) - easy planes to fight and kill in.
Now, if there's a plane that's very simular or slightly worse in maneuverability(which, is the main source of its high K/T), but is significantly faster... ?
There you have it. Reasons why former Spit9/N1K2 pilots would be the ones who turn to the Ki-84-Ia.
