A follow up to my Ki84 post

[Rider]

This is a little more specific.  My biggest problem in the arena is the fact that I don't know my enemy as well as I should.  My question is what does the Ki84 do better than the following aircraft?  Hog, Niki, Yak, Typhoon, P38, 109...ah hell, any aircraft really.

Example:  The Ki84 will outclimb a... or it's faster than the...or even don't get stuck in a low slow turn against a...

I know, the best way to learn an aircraft's weaknesses is to fly them.  I've done that but I never know if an aircraft is showing me a weakness or if it's just my inability to fly it properly.  It's taken me months of flying the Ki to truely learn it and it's limits.  I know how fast I can go without losing parts, I know how quickly I can climb, I know when I can use my flaps, I know what speed I'm going to fall out of the sky.  I know all of these things but don't know them about my enemy (unless he's in a Ki also).  I don't have the 15 years it would take to learn all of the aircraft like that.  So you hog drivers out there tell me "I really wish that Ki wouldn't..."

Again, thanks in advance.

SKRider

[Lusche]

For a valuable first comparison between your Ki-84 and other fighters you can either go here http://gonzoville.com/ahcharts/index.php

or you can  download Spatula's plane comparison tool:



available at: http://www.major.geek.nz/AKUAG/Resources.aspx


Of course knowing those few stats is only half the deal. Nothing beats the experience of having flown all the various fighters in combat to get knowledge about their handling.

[boomerlu]

Lusche you beat me to posting the comparison site.

OP: this is precisely why I fly the 109G14 and K4. I KNOW that I outclimb everybody (except other 109s, the Spits8 and 16, and the Tempest). Keeps my list shorter. It means I can simply use energy fighting doctrine against everybody else.

[Saxman]

As far as the F4Us:

The 1-series Hogs are matched VERY closely with the Ki-84, to the point where I believe a well-flown Frank may be their most dangerous opponent.

The Ki-84 is marginally faster and climbs better, although you don't want to try to dive with a Hog. They have you beat in roll rate and maneuverability at mid to high speeds, and are about equal in nose-high maneuvering. However if you can get above them you can control the fight. Otherwise you want to try to draw them in close where the Frank turns better at low speeds.

The F4U-4 is a different beast, as she takes away any edge the Frank has in top speed and rate of climb, and is superior in the vertical to boot. You have to fly like a Zeke and drag him in close where the Frank still maintains an advantage in low-speed turning contests.

[Eagleclaw]

Well, for one, i really wish that ki-84 wouldn't ho 
Second, The Ki can do things that make me fly them... regularly. I have gotten a feel for the plane and know that you can turn pretty well in them. But as for being a pilot against the ki...

1) Wish they didn't have so much E. With E, the plane can turn, loop, figure 8, climb and roll like no ones business, although not as much as other planes but has a very balanced arsenal which makes me wish I wasn't flying the P47 at that exact moment.

2) Wish they didn't immelman, roll, and reverse when they are 800 away.

3) Wish my plane could outrun them, yes, this isn't the quickest plane in the game, but it is not slow either. Sometimes I just go off to find another target because they have put it on WEP and are otw back to base. Although I will admit the slow moving f4f was not the best of choices.

The best part of the game is learning IMO, words of others is helpful (perhaps not my words, as shown in the past), but nothing beats practice, anyone will agree with that.

[Big Rat]

The trick to fighting a hog with a Ki-84 is keep the hog fighting nose up and be patient.  Wear the hog down and then control the fight from above.  You accelerate and climb better, meaning you can build E more quickly then the hog.  If you let the hog get nose down he will build E back quickly, so fight to avoid this.  Think of fighting a hog in the verticle like racing up a slide against a fat guy.  If the fat guy has enough speed, inertia will get him pretty far up that slide pretty quick, and if he slides back down the inertia will build quickly as well.  So long as you can sustain the fight up, eventually the fat guy will get tired   If it's a -4 hog it's got you beat in most aspects and you'll simply have to be a better pilot to win.

 
BigRat

[Anaxogoras]

In my experience, the Ki-84 has a little too much engine power when fighting the F4U.  You're going to have to get the flaps out to finish off a good F4U pilot, and that's almost impossible at 100% throttle.  A good rule of thumb in the Ki, while fighting almost anything, is to throttle back when the nose is below the horizon.

Hope that helps.

[Ardy123]

Snailman,

I know in terms of stats the ki is slower than the 109 but frequently Kis are able to keep up with my g14 and climb with it. Most of the time when I get shot down by a ki its when either I think I can rope it and fail or I'm running away due to low fuel/ammo.