Kawasaki Ki-61
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| Kawasaki Ki-61 "Hien" | ||
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| Description | ||
| Role | Land-based fighter | |
| Crew | 1 | |
| First Flight | ||
| Entered Service | 1942 | |
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 8.75 m | 28 ft 8 in |
| Wingspan | 12.00 m | 39 ft 4 in |
| Height | 3.9 m | 12 ft 10 in |
| Wing area | 20.0 m² | 215 ft² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 2,238 kg | 4,934 lb |
| Loaded | 2,950 kg | 6,500 lb |
| Maximum takeoff | kg | lb |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | Kawasaki Ha-40 | |
| Power | 875 kW | 1175 hp |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 591 km/h | 367 mi/h |
| Combat range | 1,100 km | 680 mi |
| Ferry range | km | mi |
| Service ceiling | 11,600 m | 38,100 ft |
| Rate of climb | m/s | ft/min |
| Wing loading | kg/m² | lb/ft² |
| Power/Mass | kW/kg | hp/lb |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 4 × 12.7 mm machine guns | |
| Bombs | 2 × 250 kg bombs | |
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (飛燕, "flying swallow") was a World War II fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. The allied code name was "Tony", given by Allied pilots who initially thought it was a derivative of an Italian Macchi. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 3 Fighter" (三式戦闘機).
Influenced by the design of the Messerschmitt Me 109 and Heinkel He 100, the Ki-61 was the only Japanese fighter powered by a liquid-cooled engine. The engine was a development of the Daimler-Benz DB 601, and early versions were armed with German MG 151 machine guns.
History
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien are the unique Japanese operative fighter with Engine In-Line. It entered combat for first time in spring 1943 in New Guinea campaign. The first versions were armed with machine guns and the last fabricated had cannons in the wings (GermanMauser MG 151/ of 20mm, later replaced with a cannon of local design: Type Ho-5 of 20mm). The aircraft was utilized in South and Southwest Pacific, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Okinawa, China, Manchuria and Japanese Metropolitan defense against USAAF B-29s. Some were also used in Kamikaze missions toward the end of the conflict. debt at your well qualities in weapon,armor protection,engine,the Ki-61 are one temible opponent why equipped ones fifteen Sentais,State Major Chutais and other operative training units in Army Japanese Air Force.
The next version was the Ki-61 II. It was specifically designed as a high altitude interceptor with more armor and more powerful. engine,no having to materialize in operative plane debt at more tecnical troubles in presurized system,engines adquates and one B-29 air strike against Kawasaki Main Factories in Akashi, were stay stopped ones 374 cells without engine and other 30 operative planes list for use are destroyed in land,for all only ones 60 aircrafts why no poses any engine trouble,can to enter in action during metropolitan defense of Japan,during spring and summer 1945. in cases why engine no confront problems,this are serious opponent to USAAF B-29s.
Over the 374 or 275 cells of Ki-61 incomplete, theirs served when installing radial engine for transformed in other descendant,the Kawasaki Ki-100 some examples of Kawasaki Ki-61 I captured are used for China during Chinese civil war against communist managed for Japanese and Chinese pilots.
Versions
(excluding versions of Kawasaki Ki-100)
- Ki-61 (prototype)
- Ki-61 Ia Hien Figter Type 3 of Army,(mark I)
- Ki-61 Ib revised Armament
- Ki-61 I KAIc modified version - major length,posiblities of transport bombs of 500 Kg or extenal tanks,two cannons Ho-5 of 20mm and two machine guns of 12,7 or 7,7mm.
- Ki-61 I KAId Modified version - two machine gun Ho-103 of 12,7mm and two cannons Ho-105 of 30mm.
- Ki-61 II Prototype - New engine,major length and modified pilot cabin.
- Ki-61 II KAI Operative prototype and Preserie - standard wings tail of major longitude
- Ki-61 II KAIa Figther Type 3 of Army (Mark 2a).- armed with four cannons Ho-5 of 20mm
- Ki-61 III (Mark 3) only project- unique prototype obtained for convert one standard Ki-61 II KAI
Total production: 3,078 examples.
Towards the end of the war, the engines were in short supply due to unreliable manufacture, and assembled airframes were fitted with Ha-112 radial engines, significantly improving performance. The resulting aircraft was designated Ki-100.
External links
- [1] (http://www.vectorsite.net/avhien.html) Vectorsite article (public domain)
- http://www.j-aircraft.com/captured/testedby/me109/me109.htm
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