The CW-21B had a phenomenal climb rate for an early war fighter, being able to outclimb both Ki.43 and A6M2. In its early combats over East Java it proved to be extremely vulnerable to the A6M2's 20mm guns because of its light construction and the survivors of those early engagements were withdrawn to West Java with strict orders to avoid any further combat with Japanese fighters. It was not until the wreck of a Ki.43 which had been shot down over West Java had been examined that it was realized that there were TWO Japanese fighters, not one, and the above-mentioned order was cancelled as the Ki.43 was much more lightly armed than the A6M2, which appeared exclusively over East Java.
Against the Ki.43, the Interceptor proved every bit as manoeuverable as the Ki.43, though results were few and far between- not surprising when ML fighters were usually outnumbered 2 or 3 to 1.
Gibbage did indeed model the Interceptor, though Jeronimo (from memory) did the cockpit- as modelled with ring sight. However, by the time the Japanese assault on Java started, the survivors had been re-equipped with US-made reflector sights.
