30.01.2009, 07:48
ojcar Wrote:From the book "Profile Aircraft 255 Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo)" it seems that the under cowling oil cooler was from Ki-44 Ib. But on Aircam 25 "Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki Ia, Ib, Ic/IIa, b, c in Japanese Army Air Force service" says (in a photo note): "Oil scoop was an identification feature of Model 2". So, this is not very clear, but there are other differences between I and II: The II had a streghtened landing gears and retractable tail wheel.
In Aircam isn't specyfied the presence of the oil cooler in model I but is specified at the end of the book the production quantity of those model:
Ki44 - Prototype - 4 (one of them with countra-rotating spinner)
Ki44KAI - Prototypes - 6
Ki44Ia - 9 - (by modification of the previous prototype , I think without the one with contra-rotating spinner)
Ki44Ib and Ic - 40 - no distinction from the type
I haven't find photo evidence about prototype or first butch in China but I continue the research!!!
Cheers
walter
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