Now, let me start off by saying that I know we don't have any control over that and it is entirely HTC's choice. I'm not thinking I'm part of making that decision, and I'm happy with that.
I just want to have a player discusion about this as I've seen many players stated that the Ki.84 would need to be a perk plane.
Is that really true?
Please respond with the specific reasons that you think it should, or should not, be perked. Don't just say "Yes" or "No", as that won't add to the discussion or give any new insights into the performance of the Ki.84.
Another point is that we need to assume that it will use Japanese data and Japanese fuel as do the Japanese aircraft already in AH.
As I understand the Ki.84-I-Ko's performance to be, it should look something like this:
Ki.84-I-Ko as Karnak understands it:
Deck Speed: 350-360mph
Max Speed: 392mph
Turn capability: About like a Spitfire Mk IX
Roll Rate: About middle of the road
Initial Climb Rate: 3,600 feet per minute
Acceleration: Better than the Spitfire Mk IX, worse than the La-7 in general
Stall Behavior: The Ki.84 is supposed to have a nasty and abrupt stall
Fuel Range: 1,050 miles
Armament: Two Ho-5 20mm cannon in the wings with 150 rounds each and two Ho-103 12.7mm machine guns in the fuselage with 350 rounds each. Essentially the same gun package as the Ki.61-I-KAIc that we already have in AH, except for more ammo and reversed cannon and machine gun mounting positions.
Ordinace: Two 250kg bombs
Based on that understanding of the Ki.84's performance, and the fact that 3,514 were built and it entered service before the P-51D, I just don't see it as needing to be perked. It also wasn't the most common aircraft in WarBirds back when I flew in WarBirds, and that was also Pyro's flight model.
I do think that it will be a very common fighter in AH, probably in the top five, if not the top three, but I don't think it needs perking anymore than the P-51D, Spitfire Mk IX, La-7, N1K2-J or Typhoon Mk Ib do.
What do the rest of you think? Why should it be perked or free? If you think it should be perked, how much should it be perked?