Four Japanese aircraft that would make great additions to AH

[Karnak]

I posted this in the CT Forum, but it'll get more traffic here:

Ki-44-IIb Shoki "Tojo":

Engine: one Nakajima Ha-109 at 1,520hp.
Speed: 378 mph
Ceiling: 36,745 ft
Initial Climb: 3,828 fpm
Range: 1,050 miles.
Armament: two 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns above the engine and two more in the wings.
Ordanance: two 100kg bombs.
Number Built: 1,233 of all versions.  The Ki-44-IIb was the major version.

The Ki-44-IIb would give the Japanese a fast climbing interceptor with good speed and acceptable armament.  This fighter could be used in the CT with no restrictions other than launching from land bases.

Ki-84-Ia Hayate "Frank"

Engine: one Nakajima Ha-45 at 1,900hp.
Speed: 392 mph
Ceiling: 36,090 ft
Initail Climb: 3,600 fpm
Range: 1,347 miles.
Armament: two 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns above engine and two 20mm Ho-5 cannon in wings.
Ordanance: two 250kg bombs.
Number Built: 3,514 of all versions.  The Ki-84-Ia was the major version.

The Ki-84-Ia would give the Japanese a fighter that, unlike the N1K2-J, saw widespread use and can challenge the best American and British fighters.  Due to its production total it would be justified in enabling it at all Japanese held land bases.  This fighter alone would make a huge difference in the effectiveness of the Japanese defenses.

H8K2 "Emily"

Engines: four Mitsubishi MK4Q Kasei 22 at 1,850hp.
Speed: 290mph
Ceiling: 29,000ft
Climb: 10 minutes, 12 seconds to 16,400ft.  Average climb of 1,600ft per minute.
Range: 4,450 miles.
Armament: five 20mm Type 99 Model 1 cannon, one each  in bow, dorsal, tail turrets and two beam hatches, and four 7.7mm Type 92 machine-guns, one each in ventral, port and starboard fuselage sides and cockpit hatches.
Ordanance: eight 250kg bombs or two 800kg torpedoes.
Number Built: 167 of all versions.  The H8K2 was the major version with 112 built.

This is quite probably the most capable bomber the Japanese used in WWII.  Quite frankly, compared to the Allies, the Japanese are screwed when it comes to attacking things.  The H8K2 can at least carry 8 550lb bombs, that is enough to inflict some damage and is twice as much as any other Japanese bomber that I have seen.  The H8K2 also has the destinction of being extremely durable, quite possibly the most durable aircraft feilded by any nation in WWII.  Because the H8K2 is a flying boat it would have to be enabled only at ports and coastal bases (where it would spawn in the water like a PT Boat).

B6N2 Tenzan "Jill"

Engine: One Mitsubishi MK4T Kasei  at 1,850hp.
Speed: 301mph
Ceiling: 29,670ft
Climb: 10 minutes, 24 seconds to 16,400ft.  Average climb of 1,575ft per minute.
Range: 1,085 miles.
Armament: one flexible rear-firing 7.7mm Type 97 machine-gun and one flexible 7.7mm Type 97 machine-gun firing through a ventral tunnel.
Ordanance: one 800kg torpedo or similar weight of bombs.
Number Built: 1,268 of all versions.  The B6N2 was the major version with 1,133 built.

The B6N2 would be a semi usable Japanese carrier based stirke plane.  While its defensive armament, like the B5N that it replaced, remains effectively useless the B6N is armored and has self sealing fuel tanks.  It saw wide use fron 1943 on and unlke the much more powerful B7A2, there can be no argument about using it from carriers.


Here is an image of the H8K 2 in version .31 of "Target: Rabaul":


Let's get this bird in AH before Target: Rabaul is released.

[ra]

These should all be 4 of the next 5 Japanese planes, with the Ki-43 as the 5th.

ra

[brady]

I like the list howeaver the Jill should not be added in place of the Grace IMO. The Grace is a far more capable aircraft, and one that would most likely be used, why fly a Jill when you could take a TBM insted? Seriously the only place the Jill would find use is in the CT or an event, the Grace on the other hand would be usefull everywher. With it's 13mm defensive MG to it 2 20mm type 99 model 2's firing forward, 800kg bombload, and excelent handeling (preportadly as good as a zero) and 360mph speed, Who would not want to use it?

[brady]

See this:

 http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49988

                                             

[Mathman]

Seeing as many people (though I am not sure about you in particular Brady) seem to care how many planes were built as a guage as to whether a plane should be in AH, I would think that the 114 B7A's that were built would preclude its inclusion in AH (at least not unless it is perked).  Some would also get into a hissy fit since there is no evidence that the Grace ever operated from a CV operationally.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see it in here eventually, but I would rather see a complete set of IJN CV planes versus a can do aircraft like the Grace that saw limited service.

Whether it is added or not, I would welcome the addition of an IJN carrier bomber.

-math

[Karnak]

brady,

I do agree that the Grace would be much more suitable, but....   It simply isn't representative of Japanese attack aircraft.  I think the headaches involved with "Gracedweeb" types of statements simply aren't fun to deal with.

All 114 B7A2s were fully equipped for carrier ops, there just weren't any Japanese carriers left for them to do ops off of.  Maybe if we hadn't gotten lucky and sunk Shinano when we did the B7A2 would have seen carrier ops off of Shinano.  That is water under the bridge though.

[brady]

That is all well and true but when it comes right down to it, numbers produced are not a deciding factor in wheather or not a unit is added to the game, numbers are only revelent it seams on the BBS as a pont of departure for a point of conjecture. I do see the point on the historical aspect's sighted above and I agree that the Jill is more historicaly signistudmuffinent than the Grace.

 However this is a game and from a gaming aspect the Japanese are at a disavantage in the atack aircraft catagory, wheather or not that plane flys from a CV or a land base is not important, what is, is that we hope for ,and hopefully get the best plane to fill that void.


The Jill has no forward firing gun, non, zero, zip, nota...

The Juddy as two 7.7mm type 97mg's firing forward.

The Grace has two 20mm type 99 model 2 cannons firing
forward.

What do you plan on doing after you drop your bombs? Die,go home, or kill somthing?

Jill=die

Juddy=go home (might as well cant kill with those guns)

Grace=Kill somthing

[Mitsu]

I like to fly Grace in the "Virtual Sky".
If you don't want to see "Gracedweeb" messages, just perk it with 5 - 20 perk points.
and it will be treated like Ta152, isn't it?

-Mitsu

[pimpjoe]

the J2M Raiden would be a great addition as well:)

[SELECTOR]

I agree that the Fleet air arm of AH could do with a little padding out..especialy if the maps are gonna be bigger in the future(rumour i heard)..there are a lot of aircraft that deserve discussing
before we start saying this is the best or that wont last 5 mins..
ive seen post about bringing bi-wing aircraft to the game..now they would bring a hisorical value but nothing else.

What i would like to see is aircraft that work well at the jobs they were designed for, with at least a chance of success in the MA..

one to think about

[oboe]

Holy Hijack, batman!

[brady]

Back to reality....

   How about a Ki 102? Another Excelent choice.


  Two 20mm Ho-5 cannons and one 57mm cannon plus two 500 pound bombs:)

[Mitsu]

brady, I bet SUPERFLY will post "Really, really, really need Ki-102 interior pics!" topic.

p.s
Of course, I like it. 57mm cannon would be happy for buff hunting.

------------
Mitsu
Stab./JG1 "Oesau"
"Let me fly Ki-102, it's an Axis plane!"

[brady]

Their have got be some picks of it somwhere, They had one on the way to the US for evaulation at the end of the war, think it was lost at see in a typhoone though,They must of taken pictures of it in Japan before they shiped it out......

   Somewhere, in some box, in some wherehouse....

[Mitsu]

I heard Frenchy has, in his garden.
he also has P-40!

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50407

(j/k)