Author Topic: KI-44-IIIb (Read 606 times)

CHECKERS · « **on:** December 21, 2007, 02:59:38 PM »

Ki-44-IIIb:
Two 37mm Cannons
Two 20mm Cannons

Bino · « **Reply #1 on:** December 21, 2007, 04:27:48 PM »

Yup, definitely among the heaviest-armed IJAAF fighters, with 2 x 20mm Ho-5 in the nose and 2 x 37mm Ho-203 in the wings. But I've read that the -III version was one of the rarer variants:

"First flown in June 1943, relatively few Ki-44-IIIs were built as the aircraft was rendered obsolete by the Ki-84-I..." - Rene Francillon

Probably the the most common version was the Ki-44-IIb with 2 x 12.7mm in the nose and 2 x 12.7mm in the wings.

The -IIc version would work: 2 x 20mm in the nose and 2 x 20mm in the wings.

As is usual for IJAAF planes, documentation of actual production numbers is sketchy.

But any version of the Ki-44 would certainly be fun!

Gowan · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2007, 02:07:53 AM »

i want teh' 37mm spuddies

BigPlay · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2008, 11:06:55 AM »

Ki-44 IIc
(Mark 2c) first version with heavy armament - four 20 mm Ho-3 cannons or two 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns and two 40 mm Ho-301 cannon.

The four Ho-3 cannons were the most effective against B-29s. The 20x125 Ho-3 round gave the 144 g ave. (127/140/164) shell (7% HE ave.) a range of 900 m and a muzzle velocity of 820 m/s. The rate of fire for the wing-guns was 400 rpm, while the synchronized cowl-mounted pair were much slower (perhaps under 272 rpm each). This equals 23 rounds per second for the four cannon against approximately 52 rps for the standard four machine gun version), but the firepower advantage (around 2.5x per second stronger punch - including blast, for the same number of guns and only about half the ammo per second) more than compensated against bombers.

Against small fighters at speed, the sparse firing pattern density would be less than ideal. Double magazines could hold 100 rpg of 20 mm (20x125) ammunition - not to be confused with the rapid fire Ho-5 20 mm (20x94) ammunition - which was better for dog fights. No 20 mm cannon in World War II had a higher rate of fire than the new Ho-5, but its punch per hit was less than that of the high velocity Ho-3.

According to this link the plane wasn't armed with both types of cannons at the same time. Since I like the Japanese planes I would love to see this type be included but the Ki45 (2 engine fighter) armed with 2- 20mm and 1 -37mm would be a better choice offering a better ground attack . Probably would fly much like the 110.

Helm · « **Reply #4 on:** January 06, 2008, 09:59:03 AM »

Fat chance us getting any Japanese planes .....all the players of this game want is USA/GB/German rides

......I've been pleading for Ki-44's Ki-43's and Mig-3's for years ....Japanese and Russian plane sets get no love

.....ACES players want 5 versions of the P51 ....hey how about 4 more spit versions? ....BOOOOOO .....

enuff with the USA GB German Planes....gee whiz

BaDkaRmA158Th · « **Reply #5 on:** January 06, 2008, 09:22:04 PM »

Didnt it fire caseless ammo that would often times set off other rounds if the guns were fired for too long, hence why they had such a low rate of fire?

I imagine something like a naval ships guns, but in a much smaller size, would be interesting to see how they worked.