Karnak! The Ki84 is not dead yet!

[Grits]

OK, after doing some back to back testing offline (after the patch) I think the Ki84 might not be so bad afterall. Here is what I found:

At SL the F6F is 5 MPH faster than the Ki84 with WEP, 5 slower without WEP, but at 5K the Ki is +/- 5 MPH faster even with the F6F using WEP. Speed is not great, but its not bad either.

BUT.....

Speed is not the only thing...the Ki84 outclimbs the F6F (even when the F6F is using WEP) by 5-600 FPM from SL to 5K, and it outclimbs the F4U-1D (even on WEP) by 800+ FPM. That is a SERIOUS advantage in climbing ability considering it is basically on par with the F6F speedwise, and it outclimbs the F4U-1D by a wide margin.

It has (to me) very nice handling below 325 MPH, above then it gets mushy and it starts creaking well before 400 MPH (probably about 375 MPH).

So is it what I expected it to be? No. But more importantly, can I work with it as it is and hope for improvements or an additional model? Yup.

[Karnak]

So?

The N1K2-J did all those things too, plus has better firepower, better manuverability and better high speed handling.

Why the Ki-84 is the same speed as the N1K2 at sea leval and faster up high makes no sense.  It is using the same engine at a lower power rating.

The Ki-84 will not do anything at all to help deal with the F4U.  They will still be absolutely immune to the Japanese and that is an unfortunate fact.

We got a  early 1943 prototype Ki-84 to fight the 1944 and 1945 USN and USMC with.

I'll not waste my time playing target drone for the over modeled US aircraft.  Sorry.

[Grits]

I hear ya Karnak, I am a bit dissapointed with it too, I'm just saying its not the end of the world. Remember, the C-hog was accidently modeled incorrectly at first and they fixed it and made it heavier. I'm sure they will tweek it or add a later version sometime down the road.

On positive note, since we have the '43 prototype version, I see no reason why it should be left out of any late '43 setups.

[storch]

Originally posted by Karnak
So?

The N1K2-J did all those things too, plus has better firepower, better manuverability and better high speed handling.

Why the Ki-84 is the same speed as the N1K2 at sea leval and faster up high makes no sense.  It is using the same engine at a lower power rating.

The Ki-84 will not do anything at all to help deal with the F4U.  They will still be absolutely immune to the Japanese and that is an unfortunate fact.

We got a  early 1943 prototype Ki-84 to fight the 1944 and 1945 USN and USMC with.

I'll not waste my time playing target drone for the over modeled US aircraft.  Sorry.

Sadly I agree with you.  Shame on pyro and HTC the modelling is bogus.

[Jester]

Does seem to be a big let down.

IMO that was the "whole point" of everyone crying for the FRANK was to have a Japanese Late War fighter platform. Why AH in it's infanite wisdom gave us the 43 prototype version just defies reason.  

Have to say the same for the B-24J Model bomber. We already had late war model bombers with the B-17G & Lancaster. The B-24 should really have been the D model or even better the Japanese BETTY or perhaps a Russian Model bomber.

I hate to say it but it does seem that AH favors giving the Allies a bit of an edge when they put out models of planes. Still, hopefully with AH2 out now in it's new format we can see more conversions of the models of aircraft we have now changed to early or late models.

One can only hope...  

[Bear76]

Jester are you flying again?

[Slash27]

Been flying under the handle "Storch" I believe.

[Jester]

What did I do to deserve THAT Slash???  

Hey Bear, yea downloaded the new version when I heard about the KI-84 coming out. Shame it is such a DOG - the old Warbirds FRANK would eat this one's lunch. Think any of the old 27th Sentai guys (Best pilots of Japanese Iron I ever saw) would tell you the same.

Am trying to get me account started again under my old name - going to fly a bit between classes but won't be doing any squad flying for awhile.

! Guys!

[thrila]

Originally posted by Jester
What did I do to deserve THAT Slash???  
! Guys!

I'm guessing this -  I hate to say it but it does seem that AH favors giving the Allies a bit of an edge when they put out models of planes.

[TequilaChaser]

with the tweak of the Ki-84 in this last patch, I have found the Ki-84 to be a very formidable opponent or even more a great ride.  With the knowledge of using proper trim ( read as turn combat trim off ) I have had no problems flying it against others...I have not flown it  a whole bunch ( I do not like japanese planes ) but when I did fly it I won my fights........

sometimes I think alot of the negatism has to do with the pilot not knowing what to do with the plane, and expects the plane to fly itself ( read that as do all the work for the pile-it )

It can dive, it can accelerate considerably fast  and hit some rather high speeds all with out structural damage( think near 500 )  if you do not yank and bank it or fly it hamfisted.....and when it is under 200 it becomes very manuever friendly ..........

it might be a sick pup according to the data everyone refers too, but data is not always something to go by..just a thought......

[Grits]

The Ki84 has the speed of an A-5, turns like a SpitV rolls as good as a 190 and has a climb rate of 4200 FPS, better than any other non perk prop ride. The Ki84 is easily a match for any plane in the US inventory.

[Charon]

The Ki84 has the speed of an A-5, turns like a SpitV rolls as good as a 190 and has a climb rate of 4200 FPS, better than any other non perk prop ride. The Ki84 is easily a match for any plane in the US inventory.

It's actually quite a bit slower than the A-5 at all altitudes. It's speed is pretty comprable to the spit 9 up to about 10K, where it really starts to drop off. It's climb is about even with the MC-205 on wep. As for turn, the Spit 9 seems to be pretty close, but the spit 5 is a bit of a reach (unless you get real slow and get the flaps out, but the flaps don't deploy until you are really really slow). Basically, a slower but better climbing low altitude only Spit 9, with similar but less potent guns. IMO.

Hammer has some good Java applets for speed and climb comparisons here.

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=135708&referrerid=5405

Charon

[Karnak]

The Ki-84 is no faster than the N1K2-J is.  It is more than 15mph slower than the Fw190A-5 at sea level.  It is 30mph slower than the F4U-1s at sea level.  It is 44mph slower than the P-51D at sea level.

Until HTC posts charts for it I have to go off of published engine data to test critical alts, and right now the Ki-84 doesn't seem to be capable of hitting 388mph at it's best altitude.  The best I could get out of it was 384mph.  Not only did HTC use the slowest data there is, the AH Ki-84 can't even hit those speeds being 1mph slow at sea level and 4mph slow at 21,000ft.

It did absolutely nothing to reduce the speed gap and that is why I will not fly it in the CT.  I find getting bored and zoomed to death by massively faster aircraft to be tedius and unenjoyable.

[Grits]

Karnak, the Ki84 is ruling the late PAC set right now. It easily owns all the late war US stuff.

Speed is not everything.

[Shane]

it is when that's all you know...