posted 10-28- 11:20 PM
Nice work , Razer.The beauty of your Ki-61 when it is finally finished is that the work necessary 2 convert your existing model 2 a Ki-100 "shouldn't" (famous last words) be major.Especially if u create the Ki-100-Ia - the original 'razorback' model created from Ki-61-II airframes.The Ki-100-Ib, the 'bubble-top' model, would take more significant remodelling and could perhaps be worked on in the future.IMHO, the -Ia would be the best bet if u ever got around 2 making it as it would require far less work, besides which of the relatively small number of Ki-100's built (we r talking of only a few hundred airframes - certainly less than 500), over 75% were Ki-100-Ia's & not -Ib's.
I noticed another thread earlier that referred 2 the Ki-84 Hayate and Kawanishi N1K George.Someone mentioned there were at least 2 Franks.By far, most Franks produced (if I remember off the top of my head, roughly 3,500 were produced between early 1944 til the end of WW2) were the original model Frank, the Ki-84-Ia. This 'standard' model had an armament of 2 x 12.7mm cowl mounted heavy MG's (I'll check 2 see the ammo load used) and 2 x wing mounted 20mm cannon with 150rpg.The vast majority used a 1,900hp Homare powerplant and (though most ppl don't seem 2 realise this), water-methanol injection power boosting system 4 increased power at low 2 medium alts.
U will find most literature on the Frank states that the -Ia's top speed was 392mph.This is correct, yet, paradoxically incorrect.The number is a rough approximation, because aircraft/powerplant & engine production quality were so poor from early 1944 onwards, that many pilots did not know whether the new Hayate they were strapping themselves in2 was a potential war-winner, or a lemon.As with the N1K1-J & -2J Shiden/Shiden Kai, undercarriages would abruptly snap off on landing, and the closely cowled, and highly advanced direct injection engine often gave terrible trouble, and many Homares did not even supply the rated output, yet a minority actually produced in excess of 1,900 horses!
To add 2 these problems, as the Japanese lost access 2 their vital oil fields in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) and other S/E Asian locations, the quality of their fuel dipped markedly.This meant that the majority of Franks were flown with low octane, and often highly contaminated avgas.
However, since poor quality fuel and shoddy workmanship isn't modelled in flight-sims (thank goodness), we should model a/c 2 their full potential.In fact, as many of u know, in 1946 the US tested a Ki84-Ia which had been restored 2 what was WW2 US operational 'serviceable' condition (many Japanese pilots flew a/c late in WW2 that would've been deemed 'unserviceable' by Allied air forces like the USN, RAAF, RAF etc).This Ki-84-Ia used a standard 1,900 hp Homare and just as importantly, used hi-octane American avgas, the very same stuff that had been used by US fighters in the Pacific.
The result of the tests were astonishing.The Ki-84-Ia was clocked persistently at an average top speed of 427 mph TAS!! (I can't remember the alt at which this was achieved, but it was around 20-22k if I remember rightly).It was tested against a P-51D and a P-47N (though some sources state it was a late model P-47D), and it easily outclimbed and outmaneuvered both American fighters up to 25,000 feet.It was significantly faster than both US a/c at 20,000 feet (especially the P-47), and this climb/speed advantage was maintained to 25,000 feet against the Mustang, and even higher against the Thunderbolt.
As mentioned earlier, the captured Hayate easily outmaneuvered both US fighters up to 25k alt, in no small part thanks 2 its combat maneuvering flaps.However, they had 2 be manually deployed by the pilot, unlike the George's revolutionary automatic combat flap system activated by a manometer which measured AoA and automatically adjusted the combat flaps accordingly, giving the Shiden/Shiden Kai what was described by Allied pilots who flew her after the war (and against her during WW2) as an "ubelievable" turn rate, both horizontally and vertically.
A number of other Ki-84 variants were built including the -Ib & -Ic and -II. Some had slightly more powerful engines (around 2,000 hp, if I remember rightly) 2 offset the heavier armament carried by some of these Hayates, including 4 x 20mm cannons ( 2 x cowl and 2 x wing mounted), and even some carrying 2 x 20mm & 2 x 30mm cannons ( 2 x 20mm cowl mounted & 2 x 30mm wing mounted).There were also some Franks that were built from mainly wood as well as some built mainly from steel, both 2 try and save precious , & by then very scarce 4 the Japs, aluminium stocks needed 2 create duralumin 4 the production of a/c.However, the vast majority of Franks built during WW2 were the standard Ki-84-Ia, built from standard advanced aluminium (or aluminum 4 u Yanks who have changed the original spelling ;-D )alloys, carrying the standard armament of 2 x 12.7mm MG & 2 x 20mm cannon, and powered bya 1,900 hp Homare.
To finish off (finally), what I believe is that we should model what the Hayate would've been like (what it was *meant* 2 be like) had not workmanship and fuel been so poor during most of its production.After all, we don't model the fact that, 4 instance, the Browning 0.50 in/12.7mm heavy MG used by the Allies had a propensity 2 jam, and pilots would often fly home with multiple jammed guns (in fact it was not entirely uncommon 2 fly home with *all* 0.50's jammed).We also don't model the fact that after heavy use, different a/c built and delivered at the same time would often have vastly different climb/top speed preformances because of varying engine wear (every plane was flown differently during combat, & some pilots were more likely 2 wear out the a/c's engine rapidly).In the sim world, we model a/c & guns etc. in their "optimal" state.Anyway, that's my 2c worth ;-D.
Btw, I have a detailed cut-away of the Ki-84-Ia that I could scan 4 whoever is building the Hayate.It shows the exact position of fuel tanks, water-methanol tank, guns etc as well as giving a great view of the Hayate "bare-boned & de-fleshed".I can scan that if that will help at all.
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posted 10-27- 11:37 AM
posted 10-27- 11:58 AM
What other suggestions/reports do you need on her? 
posted 10-27- 12:25 PM
i need to make the wings longer and remap. well, i'll do that later..
posted 10-29- 04:53 AM
posted 10-29- 02:36 PM
