If I Like Japanese Aircraft

[Ghosth]

Great choices Karnak!

Been waiting for a IJN flying boat since I first started flying online.

The fighters would all be great to have both for the main furball & scenario's.

[SpyHawk]

EMILY! EMILY! EMILY!

[Spritle]

Ki-84, Ki-84, Ki-84.  My vote goes for the Frank.

   

[ICEWIND]

Some info on the J2M Raiden taken from this Site http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_other/j2m.html#RTFToC2

In February of 1945, an American technical intelligence team discovered a single Raiden abandoned among the trees alongside the Dewey Boulevard on the outskirts of Manila. It was disassembled and transferred to Clark Field, where it was repaired by the Technical Air Intelligence Command (TAIC) and test flown. A senior test pilot attached to TAIC rated the Raiden as being the best Japanese fighter he had flown, offering a good performance, good stability, good stalling characteristics, and good takeoff and landing qualities. It had a steep climbing angle and a rapid climb rate. Handling and control were good, but the ailerons became rather heavy at speeds above 325 mph. Stalling characteristics were exceptional. Even though there was relatively little stall warning, the recovery from the stall was extremely rapid, with very little altitude being lost. There was no tendency to spin, the aircraft being exceptionally stable. The maneuvering flaps were rated as being very effective. On the negative side, the brakes and rudder brake action were poor, the ailerons were heavy which made the maneuverability fall off at high speeds, the mechanical reliability was poor, and the range was short.

The Raiden was available too late and in insufficient numbers to affect the outcome of the war. It is indeed fortunate for the B-29 crews that more of these capable interceptors were not deployed by the Japanese in the last year of the war.

[fire_ant]

 

Originally posted by ICEWIND:
Some info on the J2M Raiden taken from this Site

Another plane similar to the navy's J2M to consider might be the Army's Nakajima Ki44 'Shoki' (demon) (US: "Tojo") which was built as a successor to the Ki43 (and in some numbers too -1255 were built), appeared in 1942, and couldn't have been more different.  

Like the Raiden the Tojo was a climbing and diving (read: BnZ) plane which lacked the extreme manueverability of the Ki43 or the Zero, but had greater flexibility when engaging in combat.  Though top level speed was only about 375mph, according to the sources I have this small plane could dive with the best US fighters, and it could outclimb most.

Ki-44-IIC
Powerplant: Nakajima Ha 109 1,520 hp 14 cylinder radial engine  
Dimensions: Span 31', Length 28' 8
1/2"
Performance: Speed 375 mph at 17,060'; Climb rate: 4,000' per minnute, time to 16,000' 4.3 minutes;  Celing 36,745'; Range 560 miles
Armament: 2 x 12.7mm MG in nose, 2 x 40mm cannon in wings, or 2 x 20mm Cannon in nose and 2 x 20mm Cannon in wings.

The 40mm guns were fitted for B29 interceptions.  This plane might be one of the best prop engined climbers of the war...

DB

[Karnak]

Pyro recently expressed his interest in the H8K "Emily".  He called it the "ultimate seaplane".  I agree.

<punt>

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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Spitfire F.MkXIVc to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[Major Tom]

Fighters
1) Ki84
2) Ki61
3) J2M3a
4) Ki44
5) Ki43

Twin Engine
1) Ki102
2) Ki45
3) G4M4
4) P1Y

They'd all make nice additions to Aces High.  Japanese aircraft are very aesthetically pleasing, but I'd rather have a nice rugged A-20G or Me-410.  The Jack had a good initial climb rate for a japanese fighter, 3800ft per minute, but P-47's and P-51's ate it alive in combat.

Sakai praised the Jack against B-29's, but found out "all too late" that it couldn't hold its own with American fighters at bomber altitudes and quickly became a deathtrap.  30k P-51D/P-47D bait    ...now if we had a Axis vs. Allies setup in the MA the Raiden would be a great boon to the Japanese.  However, I think the Ki.84 and Ki.61 would be much better rides in the MA.

The Ki.44 is more of the same.  The 40mm's had a remarkably low muzzel velocity, 245 m/s.  You'd have to get even closer than with a german 30mm cannon, 150m effective range!

[This message has been edited by Major Tom (edited 04-06-2001).]

[brady]

 The little boy in me kneels down every night before his bed and asks God,Please ask Pyro to make me Randy.......

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[This message has been edited by brady (edited 04-06-2001).]

[Major Tom]

MAKE ME RANDY BABY!!!  YEAH!!!

[juzz]

 

Originally posted by Karnak:
Pyro recently expressed his interest in the H8K "Emily".  He called it the "ultimate seaplane".  I agree.

<punt>

Except that it's a flying ark, err boat.

[-=Silo=-]

 

Originally posted by Major Tom:


Sakai praised the Jack against B-29's, but found out "all too late" that it couldn't hold its own with American fighters at bomber altitudes and quickly became a deathtrap.  30k P-51D/P-47D bait      ...now if we had a Axis vs. Allies setup in the MA the Raiden would be a great boon to the Japanese.  However, I think the Ki.84 and Ki.61 would be much better rides in the MA.

[This message has been edited by Major Tom (edited 04-06-2001).]

You would have to wonder if Jacks being eaten alive by P51s wasnt a by product of grossly declining pilot standards by the end of the war. Interestingly enough, Sakai spoke of a well trained pilot being able to kill P-51s in the Jack   . Anecdotes are strange things.

I would agree though that the Ki-61 line is the way to go. You have a series of nice planes to be had from the Tony, as well fairly varied assortment of gun packages.

Ki61 -> Ki61 KAI -> Ki-61 II -> Ki-100

I would say the Ki-61 KAI and Ki-100 would make the best additions for Tony variants.



[This message has been edited by -=Silo=- (edited 04-09-2001).]

[Major Tom]

From what I read in his glossed over sci-fi novel style "biography?" Sakai said the Jack simply wasn't able to maneuver with the P-51's at altitude.  I imagine that the situation might get a little better down low where the Jack could take the fight vertical.

The Japanese interceptor pilots where given much better training than the bare minimum the kamikaze cannon fodder received.  At least as good as the US pilots.  It's funny that the US regarded the Jack as a dangerous opponent and the Japanese believed it to be a death trap after their encounters with the venerable P-51D and P-47N.

The main problems with the Jack was its sluggishness at speeds over 300mph and overall lack of maneuverability.  The P-51D and P-47 really don’t have those problems.

Most pilots in AH aren't experten.  Even the zero can kill a P-51 if the P-51 is cruising at 200mph and has low SA    Hell a good portion of my kills in the 190A5 are of unaware spitfires and misc. other allied aircraft.  Lord knows you can’t dogfight most of those allied planes.

The Ki.61/100 is definitely a ride the Japanese aircraft enthusiasts would appreciate.  Putting any version of the Ki.84 into AH might even be a better choice as it can out turn and out climb nearly all allied fighters, but it does start to have problems passed 300mph like the Jack.  The Ki.61 and 100 don’t have very good high altitude performance and have semi-unremarkable turning performance and those are their main drawbacks.  I’d imagine they would be very capable fighters below 20,000 ft though.