Looking for Ki 43 Hayabusa data

[Shinpachi]

The site owner nyankiti (にゃんきち) is a recluse.
The only way to contact with him is to leave your message at this site and wait for his reply.
I recommend you to learn Japanese in this opportunity. You will be able to communicate with members there freely in a few months.
Only a few months for your entire life

 

[Hiromachi]

You have no idea how much I would like to learn Japanese, but in a place I live it is hard and expensive, so it has to wait a little bit. And definitely not a few months, my friend who is writing historical books started learning Japanese 2 years ago, and still he cant read older sources with more complicated symbols. Maybe Japanese is just that hard ? But the say Polish is also hard
But I have a friend in Kyoto, who can try to guide me and translate certain things. Maybe this way I can try to ask the owner for data about Ki-43-II (and Ki-43-I) agility, stall characteristics, etc.

 

[Shinpachi]

I wish you good luck, Hiromachi (広町)!

 

[Hiromachi]

Thank you (どうもありがとうございます)

 

[nicknack]

Hi,

Thanks great. Those are something to get me started anyway. Maybe one day more accurate info on the Ki43 III will emerge. Let's hope

Nick

Hello Nick.
Welcome to the forum and Thank you for your PM.

As long as I know, no detailed cowl drawings for the models you are searching for are available.
I have ever seen such one for A6M3 only before.
Best way will be to cut and trace the overall 3-views like from the followings.

Ki43ii
Ki43iii
a6mzero

Good luck!

 

[Ivan1GFP]

If you are still looking for drawings of the Ki-43 and A6M aircraft, I believe a good source would be the Aero Detail series of books.
They are generally not hard to find and folks often scan these drawings and post on Internet.
Other good sources would be the "Model Art" series, Modeler's Eye series and of course Maru Mechanic or "Mechanism of Modern Aircraft".

I actually own quite a few of the Aero Detail books but before I bought them, I was first able to request a couple through inter-library loans through my local public library. There was no cost for this service but you only get the book for 3 weeks at my library.

In Aero Detail 07 about the A6M, there are lots of photographs and a little discussion on the difference in shapes between the A6M3 and A6M5 series. I personally know very little about these aeroplanes, but Shinpachi probably knows enough to determine the accuracy of the descriptions.

I have accumulated a LOT of drawings over the years through fairly creative Internet searches, so if you tell me what you need, I will see if I already have something suitable.

- Ivan.

 

[Armchair Ace]

I'm sorry to necropost, but I'm looking for information on pilot protection and self-sealing fuel tanks on the Ki-43s. I've found one picture of the self-sealing system of the Ki-43s.

I have heard that there are a large number of TAIC-produced drawings of the layout of these protective measures on Ki-43s and I'd be much obliged if anyone could point me to where I could find those online.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Greyman]

Some basic information over at WWII Aircraft Performance

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/japan/Ki-43-152A.pdf

 

[Armchair Ace]

Thank you very much for those! The higher-res scan makes the diagram of the armour layout a bit clearer. I'm still trying to find any more detailed diagrams of the armour plating, but that may be impossible without a visit to an archive in Japan!

 

[Segment]

Details of the first Japanese list are -

"Type 1 12.7mm machinegun x 2" is for Ki-43 Ic(hei)
For Ki-43 Ia(kou), it is "Type 89 7.7mm machinegun x 2" with ammunition 500 x 2
For Ki-43 Ib(otsu), it is "Type 1 12.7mm(ammunition 270)" x 1 and "Type 89 7.7mm(ammunition 500)" x 1

Thanks.

View attachment 183259

I'm sorry, can you translate all japanese text in this picture?

 

[Shinpachi]

Here it is, Segment.
Was not easy job

View attachment Specifications of Army Type 1 Fighter Ki-43.zip

 

[tomo pauk]

Simply outstanding.
Many thanks

 

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome, tomo.
This is the original Japanese page for comparison.

 

[Segment]

Here it is, Segment.
Was not easy job

This is more than I can expect. Thank you very much, Sninpachi!

 

[Segment]

One more question. AeroDetail 29 mentions performance degradation of Ki-43-III Otsu (compared with Ki-43-III Ko I think). There is a chance that Otsu has Ha-115-II engine (not Ha-112-II that points western sources), because FAoW 65 and AeroDetail 29 not talk about engine model for Ki-43-III Otsu. But japanese wiki say that Ha-112-II was planned for Ki-43-IV version.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.

 

[Shinpachi]

As you mentioned, Segment, Ki-43-IV with Mitsubishi Ha-112-II engine was planned as a half-wooden plane but not manufactured as war was over.
There were 2 prototype Ki-43-III-Otsu(=b) equipped with a pair of 20mm cannons but the engine was same Nakajima Ha-115-II as Koh(=a).
Your understanding is correct.

 

[Segment]

As you mentioned, Segment, Ki-43-IV with Mitsubishi Ha-112-II engine was planned as a half-wooden plane but not manufactured as war was over.
There were 2 prototype Ki-43-III-Otsu(=b) equipped with a pair of 20mm cannons but the engine was same Nakajima Ha-115-II as Koh(=a).
Your understanding is correct.

Thank you shed some light on this dark page of history Ki-43, because in English-language sources probably crept mistake and they stated that Ki-43-III Otsu has Ha-112-II engine.

 

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome, Segment

 

[taly01]

That Japanese site 一式戦闘機「隼」研究所−メインページ is awesome and has helped with understanding Hayabusa variations. Especially in early Model 2 production, I always thought some photos showed long wings and he confirms that the first 145 of Model 2 produced were made with the long wing tips of Model 1.

Even more interesting is that he says around 400 cowling and ejector exhaust kits were sent from Japan to be field fitted to Model 2's, I suspect that the Model II Kai was a field mod and not a standard factory line fitment?

 

[Shinpachi]

Welcome to the forum, taly01.

There was such a plan like modifying the existing Ki-43-II to the Ki-43-II-kai in the fields but had been cancelled because a chief engineer for the project had been ill in bed. Actual modification was taken place in the factory.

The Japanese site you have introduced claims 576km/h (358mph) as the maximum speed of Ki-43-III.
This is an interesting value if not catalog spec.