Ki-61

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
You can probably compare it to the C.202 and the bf109E in terms of performance.  

It's quite a bit better than that, ack-ack.  Takes a bit of time to learn to fly well, but if you keep its speed in the 200s, it's quite a capable plane, even with late-war aircraft.  Ask some of the people who were flying Hellcats, Corsairs and Thunderbolts in the CT this past week if you don't believe me.

- oldman

[OOZ662]

The key to the KI61 is to drain the wing fuel tanks. If you don't, it flys horribly.

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by Oldman731
It's quite a bit better than that, ack-ack.  Takes a bit of time to learn to fly well, but if you keep its speed in the 200s, it's quite a capable plane, even with late-war aircraft.  Ask some of the people who were flying Hellcats, Corsairs and Thunderbolts in the CT this past week if you don't believe me.

- oldman

Didn't say it wasn't a capable plane, just said it's real life performance was close to that of the C.202 and bf109E.  So much so, that when the Ki-61 started appearing in the PTO, some USAAF pilots that had rotated from the ETO to the PTO had reported the Ki-61 as a C.202 and in other reports as a bf109E painted in Japanese colors.


ack-ack

[StarOfAfrica2]

Well, yeah it basically was a slightly more aerodynamic 109E, with Japanese guns instead of German.  Thats where the design of the plane came from after all.

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by Ack-Ack
Didn't say it wasn't a capable plane, just said it's real life performance was close to that of the C.202 and bf109E.  So much so, that when the Ki-61 started appearing in the PTO, some USAAF pilots that had rotated from the ETO to the PTO had reported the Ki-61 as a C.202 and in other reports as a bf109E painted in Japanese colors.

I've read similar reports - to the effect that Americans preferred fighting the Tony to the Zeke, because the Tony lacked the Zeke's maneuverability and didn't have the speed or climb of the US planes.  As occasionally happens, the computer simulation doesn't seem to match the historical record.

- oldman

[Ack-Ack]

You're right.  One of the most common evasives USAAF pilots used against the Ki-61 was a high speed dive to the right.  The torque was so bad in the Ki-61 at high speeds that it couldn't turn to the right very well.  Something the Ki-61 really doesn't suffer from all that much in AH.



ack-ack

[humble]

Originally posted by OOZ662
The key to the KI61 is to drain the wing fuel tanks. If you don't, it flys horribly.

Thats much truer in the 202/205...the Ki-61 flies ok with the wing tanks full....it does fly a bit better with them empty....but alot of the fuel is in the wings so you cant burn em down like the 205's.....

[elc7367b]

I for the most part dedicated a large portion of this tour to fly the Ki61 and have come to like it very well.  I have accumulated 123 kills in it so far and have flown it in a variety of different environments.  I started flying it due to be assigned to fly it in Friday Night Squad Ops and hadnt really used it much prior.  

As I practiced using it, it became more and more fun for me to fly.  I plan on using it quite often in the future, may even stick with it as primary aircraft to fight in.   I have thought about targeting other aircraft to fly for a tour and learn.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to other "obsurer" aircraft to try.  I havent done the 205 much and was toying with that idea for next tour.

Muttman
Sick Puppies

[OOZ662]

Believe me, any performance you can get out of a nondweeb plane is welcome.

And that's the thing I like about it. It has the ability to perform, but I don't have that lame feeling on my shoulders like if I fly an LgAy or a Niki.