Ki-61 tips

[Mako15]

Hey guys <>...I've developed a liking for the ki-61, and I was wondering if you could give me some tips?

[Krusty]

Turn it. It's no speed demon.

Just because the cannon are in the nose, don't fire them outside of "kill range".

After the 20mm are gone you can still finish a kill off with the 2x 50cals.

DTs are nice but it's got pretty nice internal tankage as well.

Check the speed chart. It does not do well over 15k. Do not take it over 12k (ideally).

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by Mako15
Hey guys <>...I've developed a liking for the ki-61, and I was wondering if you could give me some tips?

The Tony is a great plane, but it often takes some practice to feel out its best envelope.  In combat, keep its speed in the 200s (which is a pretty wide range, when you think about it).  You can exceed this when you dive after someone - people usually don't expect a Japanese plane to be able to do that.  Do not make the mistake of trying to outclimb people, or perform verticle moves in the UP direction, against most other types; the Tony doesn't climb well.  Go down instead.  When you get slow you can use flaps; my best luck has always been to pump them, rather than leaving them down as you would with a Frank.  The plane has very good guns (don't waste the ammo, though), gets excellent mileage from a tank of gas, and sports the famous Pulsing Clown Tail (the default paint job), which proclaims to others that you seek, not avoid, mortal combat.

- oldman

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Mako15
Hey guys <>...I've developed a liking for the ki-61, and I was wondering if you could give me some tips?

Adding to what others have stated..

Never attempt to stall-fight in the Ki-61. Despite popular myth, it displays terrible handling at low speeds with or without flaps out.

Some may disagree, but there's always my standing invitation to come to the TA any weeknight and give it try. There's no better place to explore a plane's limits than in the TA. You don't have to re-plane if you make an error. Remember, every aircraft changed to some degree with the revised drag model, so some rides people think they knew probably perform differently now.

As oldman says, keep in the 200s and avoid following better climbers in prolonged climbs. A Ki-61 with some altitude (and potential E) is very dangerous. A low and slow Ki-61 is usually very dead. Exceptional pilots can get away with this to a limited degree. The average guy will not.

My regards,

Widewing

[OOZ662]

Use the shift-f combo to drain the wing fuel tanks; it makes the plane perform better in every right.

[VooWho]

Which Japanese plane company made the Ki-61? I want to find it in my book.

[OOZ662]

Kawasaki

[Wmaker]

Widewing is correct,

All I have is my subjective view...but after almost 6 years of AH changes of this magnitude are very easy to notice. Right or wrong KI-61 suffered terribly in the flight model chance which came with AH2. It was a totally different plane in AH1..not overly great by any standard but the difference is still strickingly obvious.

[icemaw]

ki61 is a roller coaster. climb to 10 12k fight downhill when you get to the bottom extend to saftey and climb back up. drain your wind tanks first. get real close and use short burst cannon rate of fire is very fast. one short burst at close range will kill anything short of a buff. it dives well and has good speed untill you get to the bottom of the hill. if you havent caught that runner by then break off. change the paint from default helps dull the bullzeye this thing carrys. one of my favorite perk farmers.

[Iron_Cross]

As stated above, fight this pupy downhill.  Unlike most other Japanese planes DO NOT STALLFIGHT WITH THIS PLANE!!!   If you are transitioning from German Iron, the best analog would be the 109G-6.  Try to maintain an E advantage, any hint that you are loosing that advantage extend away and return when you have built up the advantage again.

[OOZ662]

I guess it's all in the preference. I ONLY stallfight with this plane. I also make sure the wing fuel tanks are empty.

[Iron_Cross]

Originally posted by OOZ662
I guess it's all in the preference. I ONLY stallfight with this plane. I also make sure the wing fuel tanks are empty.

The Ki-61 can not stallfight efectively.  I have killed more Ki-61's that tried to stallfight than I care to name.  The Ki-61 came about with German technology transfer IMHO.  Japanease enginers got ahold of 109 plans and made their own modifications, and adapted the design to suit their purposes.  You will note that it is the only  Japanese fighter to mount an inline engine.  The wing loading is to high for it to be an efective stallfighter.  The Ki-61 is an E fighter PERIOD.

Try geting into a horizontal scissors fight on the deck with a 109-F, you will get your arse handed to you on a silver platter.

[OOZ662]

Well, duh. That's like saying if you're flying a spit14 you should go turnfight with a Zero.

What I'm saying is, if you're not up against a purebred turnfighter, the Ki-61 can hold its own.

[Ack-Ack]

Ki-61s make good fodder for the P-38.  I know I've got an easy kill if a Tony pilot tries to stall fight or turn with me below 200mph IAS and as for the dive...its easy to escape from.   The most recommended tactic of the USAAF in the PTO was to dive to the right because the Tony couldn't turn right at high speeds due to the torque.  Same tactic works in here.


ack-ack

[Widewing]

Originally posted by OOZ662

What I'm saying is, if you're not up against a purebred turnfighter, the Ki-61 can hold its own.

Not if the fight gets slow... Our Ki-61 is one of the worst low-speed dogfighters in the game. It's completely unstable with flaps out at moderate angles of attack.

No other fighter, save the 190s, requires greater attention to managing E. It's turn radius is in the lower 1/3 of the plane set (that means it's worse than average) and its turn rate is in the lower 15% (that's not good either). Inasmuch as the Ki-61 has exceptionally poor acceleration, and below par climb, it is a sitting duck if E is not carefully managed.

Now, keep it fast and it is quite lethal.... The problem is that once you run out of altitude, keeping it fast is impossible.

You have to know the Ki-61's weaknesses to be successful flying it. Either that, or hope the enemy is completely incompetent.

My regards,

Widewing