Best Japanese fighter against USN planes
- Thread starter Vraciu
- Start date
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Conslaw
Senior Airman
I saw that claim on Wikipedia that the Ki-43 shot down more Allied planes than any other Japanese plane, but it didn't have any attribution listed. Unless the Ki-43 shot down a bunch of Chinese aircraft, I would be surprised if the claim is true if only because there were far more A6M Zeros produced. Just under 6,000 Ki-43 were produced versus almost 11,000 A6M.
parsifal
Colonel
Depends on the target. Few Japanese aircraft, including the Ki84 could reach the operating altitude of the B-29s. Lightly built aircraft had a hard time against heavily armed and armoured aircraft like the B-24. Certain other fighters, like the zeke were the queen of the battlefield, whilst ever allied fighters tried to mix it in a turning fight.
The best fighter against USN planes is probably the George I think
The best fighter against USN planes is probably the George I think
Shortround6
Major General
I don't believe there were thousands (or even high hundreds) of Chinese planes to shoot down. And the Americans, British commonwealth and Dutch also didn't have several thousand aircraft in theater in 1941/42. While numbers certainly went up near the end of 1942 the quality of the Allied planes and pilots was also going up.
what bothers me about this whole "success" story is that the production of the Ki 43 seems to be as follows.
1941..........157 planes
1942..........616 planes
1943........1546 planes
1944........2801planes
1945.........748 planes
given the quality of the Japanese pilots in 1944/45 and the quality of the Allied pilots in 1944/45 one would assume (with all the risk that entails) that most of these thousands of victories scored by the Ki 43 were in 1942-43 or about 40% of the production. I am sure that the Ki 43 did shoot down some allied planes in 1944-45 but is glory days were over.
CommanderBounds
Airman 1st Class
Unfortunately it is not the most well documented or proven aircraft but I imagine the Japanese A7M Reppu "Sam" would've been a one of the best fighters against US aircraft if it had been fully realized before the end of the war. It appears it suffered from the lack of a good powerplant to push the design along as intended and would also have suffered in it's effectiveness at the hands of Japans extreme pilot losses towards the end of the war. I am also partial to it because I share it's allied codename. What are your opinions on it?
Nothing the Japanese were developing had a hope. Everything was last year's model in penny packets.
It's kind of forgotten the US was building thousands of jet fighters in 1945.
Equipment Orders Canceled by the United States during WWII
It's kind of forgotten the US was building thousands of jet fighters in 1945.
Equipment Orders Canceled by the United States during WWII
Admiral Beez
Captain
I voted Ki-84, but I almost voted Ki-43 Oscar since it did obtain air supremacy for the IJAAF over China, Malaya and DEI. Plus the Oscar is the only Japanese fighter I've actually seen in person, at Seattle's Museum of Flight.
Admiral Beez
Captain
Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka. Blast past the F6F and F4U and kill the TBF and SBC in their CVs. If the hair splitters don't like this one, then the Suzuka-24.
Nick Sumner
Airman
- 68
- Aug 4, 2011
Conslaw
Senior Airman
Against F4U-4s and F7F and F8F as well as P-47N, P-51H and maybe even P-80s, the A7M's chronological peers, it's too little too late.
TheMadPenguin
Senior Airman
Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka
fubar57
General
I don't think it collide with too many USN planes
TheMadPenguin
Senior Airman
One to a customer.
On paper the Ki-84 looks the best but it was not considered to turn better than a Mustang by Japanese pilots, the Nakajima designer of the Ki-84 was proud of designing the controls "heavy" so it could not over-control at high speeds, as this had been a cause of break-ups in the Ki-43, but this G limited its high speed maneouverability also.
The N1K2-J has a great reputation and was rated by British test pilot Eric Brown, but I have recently read Japanese accounts that they had some high speed dive failures at only mid 400mph levels! Also the N1K2-J did NOT have rear seat armour according to Japanese wiki!
This only leaves the Ki-100, and although a bit slower max speed, its climb and turn rate is superiour to the others, has good pilot armour and it has very strong dive characteristics and could dive with Mustangs. Good Japanese Ki-100 pilots said they had no fear of P-51's, and F6F and F4U were no problem (sic).
So Ki-100 and it could be made for carriers also
The N1K2-J has a great reputation and was rated by British test pilot Eric Brown, but I have recently read Japanese accounts that they had some high speed dive failures at only mid 400mph levels! Also the N1K2-J did NOT have rear seat armour according to Japanese wiki!
This only leaves the Ki-100, and although a bit slower max speed, its climb and turn rate is superiour to the others, has good pilot armour and it has very strong dive characteristics and could dive with Mustangs. Good Japanese Ki-100 pilots said they had no fear of P-51's, and F6F and F4U were no problem (sic).
So Ki-100 and it could be made for carriers also
Hardlydank
Airman 1st Class
I say the Ki-84 was the best. It was the fastest, was quite well armed, and had armor. It's similarity to the Ki-43 and Ki-44 probably also helped production and pilot conversion.
