Ki-100

[TheThang]

Now This is the kind of plane we need. For those of you who don't know, The ki-100 is pretty much a ki-61 with an awsome engine. Thus making for a darn good airplane. This is the kind of plane we need if we are getting some more added. (or a mig)

[tedrbr]

Japanese could use a couple additions to their planeset for sure.

Ki-100 would be 1 choice.  Wikipedia has a nice write up on them.

Mitsubishi J2M Raiden ("Jack") interceptor might be another. (4 - 20mm in the wings with 200 rpg, 500 rpm, 750 m/s.....)


And Soviets could use the Yak-3 as a full little scrapper.  Very fun little scrapper.


Soviets and Axis could use a new bomber.

[Sikboy]

I believe the Ki-100 wouldn't be as competitive in the MA as the contemporary IJA and IJN fighters we have. I would endorse the J2M and Ki-44 before the Ki-100. And who can forget the Ki-43 and Ki-45 which might find a nitch in the MA community, and would be very appreciated in Pacific based events.

Though the D4Y is the most needed Japanese plane in my opinion.

I know that comes as a surprise to most people.

Judy Judy Judy.

-Sik

[Krusty]

Ki100 (as has been said here on the forums 100 times now ) would perform worse than the Ki61 at most altitiudes, being slower at most as well. It was the same plane. The engine change was because they were out of inline engines. The frontal drag makes it a bit slower across the board. It would have *slightly* increased acceleration, some claim, and *slightly* better acceleration, but it wasn't uber by any means.

[EagleDNY]

I have to agree with Krusty on this one - the Ki-100 wouldn't be all that in the MA.  Remember a lot of the late-war japanese aircraft development was geared towards stopping high altitude bombing - the Ki-100 is really a 61 with a 375hp boost from a higher-drag radial engine.  Even with this boost, it doesn't have the power of a Ki-84 (1,900hp HA-45 engine), so I don't see how it would perform much better than that.

There are better variants of the Ki-61 that I'd like to see - the -Ia is about the worst Ki-61 there was - the Kawasaki 1,175hp HA-40 (DB-601 clone) engine leaves the Ki-61 in with the 109E as underpowered and pretty much meat in the MA.  

The Ki-61-II series used a HA-140 engine, with 1,450 hp (nearer the DB605 in the 109G), and had better armament packages (4 x 20mm HO5 Cannons).  I think I'd rather give that a try and see if it will compete down low where the action is.

I don't know if it is easier for HT to re-engineer an existing aircraft for a powerplant and armament change than it is to create an entirely new one.  I know we are unlikely to see any new AC until after the Combat Tour stuff comes out, but maybe we could wish for some tweaks and different variants on existing planes.  

EagleDNY
$.02

PS: HT, wouldn't mind seeing some of the various Ki-84 weapons packages either, especially that 2x30mm + 2x20mm one