20.12.2008, 19:21
Most Ki-44 were IIb, armed with 4 x12,7mm machine-guns (1175 units) or IIc (2x 12,7 + 2x20, 40 or 37mm) (between 400 and 800 units). Only 3 operational units of III built.
They were fast, but at high, the air is more thin, and the Ki-44 had very small wings. It means it was fast, but hard to maneouver at high (more or less as an F-104 Starfighter)
At more low heights it was as nimble as any allied fighter, but not at the same league of Ki-43 and A6M, so "not maneuverable enough to Japanese standards"
It was a feared plane in CBI, far better than P-40s and Hurricanes and holding its own against P-38s, Spitfires, P-47s and Mustangs. I love it. It's the "poor man's Fw-190"
They were fast, but at high, the air is more thin, and the Ki-44 had very small wings. It means it was fast, but hard to maneouver at high (more or less as an F-104 Starfighter)
At more low heights it was as nimble as any allied fighter, but not at the same league of Ki-43 and A6M, so "not maneuverable enough to Japanese standards"
It was a feared plane in CBI, far better than P-40s and Hurricanes and holding its own against P-38s, Spitfires, P-47s and Mustangs. I love it. It's the "poor man's Fw-190"