Main page

Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki

 

In December 1937, the Nakajima Aircraft Company were tasked with designing a replacement for the Ki-27. That plane became the Ki-43 Hayabusa. They also received a rough specification for a Air Defence Fighter, the Ki-44. In August 1940 the first prototype was completed, ironically, 2 months after Boeing had started work on the B29.

 

Where high maneuverability, at the cost of armour protection for either the pilot or plane, was seen as the traditional Japanese way. The Ki-44 was unique in Japanese fighter design at the time. Small, fast, with a high climb rate. The fuselage was designed to provide a very stable gun platform. The Ki-44 saw heavy action in China, the East Indies, Burma, and the Philippines, as well as back in Japan. Around 1200 were produced during WW2.

 

If you look at the current Japanese Army (Ki) tech tree, you can see the progression from the Ki-27, up to the Ki-94-II (I haven't played the tier 9/10 yet). So you can see why the Ki-44 was not included. The flight characteristics just don't fit.

 

But which tier could it be at? That would depend on which version was provided.

 

Ki-44-1 – 580 km/h, 1250hp engine, 2 x 7.7mm & 2 x 12.7mm. Performance wise, this sits between the Spitfire 1 & the 109-E. The guns are good enough. This could fit at tier 5. The Ki-44-IIa has the more powerful 1450hp engine, but with the same guns. I think that engine could prove to be too much at tier 5.

 

Ki-44-IIc – 605 km/h, 1450hp engine, 4 x 12.7mm. This version would sit quite nicely at tier 6. Once again the performance is somewhere between the 109F & the Spitfire V. But, we currently have the Ki-88 premium sitting at tier 6. Although the Ki-88 didn't make it beyond one unfinished mock up, its a fine plane. I have one. I doubt the Ki-44 could sit at tier 6 because of the 88.

 

Ki-44-IIIb – 2000hp engine, 2 x 20mm & 2 x 37mm. As this was a proposed prototype there are no performance figures. But the raw engine power is inline with tier 7. The Mig 220 has 2000hp and the Ki-84 almost 2000hp. As for the guns. The 37mm are the same that the tier 6 Ki-88 has. The raw dpm of this gun is the same as the Ki-84's 30mm but a slower rate of fire.

 

Out of the three above? Although I would love to try out the Ki-44-IIIb, I think the Ki-44-1 at tier 5 would be more in the spirit of its original concept.

 

The Ki-44 was significant enough historically, and personally I think it would provide a different experience for the line, for it to be considered as a premium plane at some point.

 

EDIT

 

I did not include the Ki-44-IIb which had the same engine as the IIc, but carried 2 x 12.7mm & 2 x 40mm. That was purely due to the 40mm being jacketless rounds with a slow velocity and rate of fire. They had an effective range of less than 140m. Plus the majority (not all) of the IIb's had their 40mm removed.

Edited by atlasapl, 19 September 2018 - 02:06 PM.

I asked why Ki-44 isn't in Japan army line, and the answer was that they put Ki-61 to not break playstyle, as Ki-44 was more like BnZ plane, while line was meant as TnB planes.

I can fully understand the logic in that.

Still, there is no reason why it should not make it into the game as a premium one day. Hopefully.