Now that’s what I like to hear.
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At least as far as the game is concerned “unfinished prototypes” are valid, even if the devs like to be very inconsistent with them (sometimes refusing them, sometimes adding completely fictional vehicles instead)
For Japan there’s interesting possibilities:
Mitsubishi's domestic FS-X (JF-210)
Mitsubishi’s entry for FS-X, winning the competition against the Kawasaki design and almost being produced, if it wasn’t for heavy political pressure from the US forcing the cancellation of the domestic design.
Instead, foreign aircraft were proposed, and ultimately Japan settled on joint development based on one of these foreign designs, General Dynamics SX-3. This would then become the F-2.
The radar arrays for the JF-210 were prototyped, as well as a wing structure. It was set to use two F404-GE-402 engines, but I’m not sure if any were bought before the cancellation.
Mitsubishi F-X 23DMU
The initial “proper” design for Japan’s 5th generation fighter program, and the closest it can get to an "armed X-2, as that was the testbed to go along with this project.
Notable progress on it includes prototyped XF9-1 engines and XVN3-1 3D TVC system.
Mitsubishi F-X 25DMU
Another one of the F-X DMU designs, this time quite a bit larger. This one featured dsitinctly angled elevators and swept wings, but also a completely new, larger main weapons bay.
However it also retained the side bay design from the previous designs, storing SRMs in weapons bays placed between the wing and fuselage, just in front of the landing gear.
The main weapons bay for this design was built and tested.
Yes, this means 24DMU was skipped, sadly I couldn’t find any physical prototype parts introduced with it, let alone unique and vehicle specific parts.
Mitsubishi F-X 26DMU
The final iteration of 5th gen F-X, and the place where all the prototyped technologies converge. The engines, radar, TVC and even main weapons bay converge in this design.
However it was also changed quite a lot, sporting a more conventional trapezoidal wing, non-angled elevators and side weapons bays set in the fuselage akin to an F-22.
It’s also commonly featured in this cool blue camo, which is a very unique and interesting choice.
The prototype here is significantly more vehicle specific, being the center fuselage of the aircraft (note the side weapons bays).
A radar and “stealth” radome was also developed for either 25DMU or 26DMU (it would’ve been the same either way) but since I don’t know when exactly that slots in so I’ll just mention it here to be safe.
Maybe since it’s all one (somewhat) linear development of the same project up to 26DMU, chances are only 26DMU counts as the final version of 5th gen F-X anyways.
This alongside the fact that all of the previous components like XF9-1 engines, XVN3-1 3D TVC and main weapons bay remained unchanged for 26DMU might just make this the only viable 5th gen F-X option for the game.
Also there's the completed prototype
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These are different parts right? The 2nd image isn’t just one half of the 1st?
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Yes, they are different parts. Though the second one is just a smaller piece from the same section of fuselage, likely an earlier structural prototype.
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Ah, I see. It looked similar hence my confusion. Man it’s a shame they never went further with 26DMU, maybe we’ll see a similar design in GCAP. As AblativeKitten said above, it seems that japan is the only country that has any experience in designing a stealth fighter *from the GCAP nations.
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BAE have a early 2000s design study and modelling study called Replica, however didn’t go anywhere as the Government was more interested in the “cheaper” F-35 / JSF, never got developed as far as Japanese designs though.
Bares a remarkable resemblance to the 24DMU and YF-23
Honestly though Id love some more partially constructed prototypes, theres some extremely interesting stuff to come if Gaijin loosen the rules, personally I’d be hyped for the supersonic harrier and F-X XXDMU series.
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TIL that Gaijin used the Japanese F-15J(M) base model for other nation F-15C.
not that i expect Gaijin not to C&P similar vehicle model, but just didn’t expect they use Japanese one
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JASDF aircrafts story line. Here are all models of planes what was used or tried by JASDF.
https://x.com/MAJIC243/status/1904186314200953104
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i’d love to see atleast one of these. I imagine when we’ve caught up to the F-35, they’ll start to flesh out trees w/ prototypes (finished or mostly finished) and finally add some older aircraft that we’ve yet to see
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Why the thai f-16 can’t use the HMD at 3 person view?
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the Thai F-16A OCU’s HMD only works for IR missiles
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Is the TBM-3s good enough to be added to the game? I’ve been wondering about this for quite some time I was reading a manual regarding the TBM and 2 .50 cal mg in the wings with the option of up to 8 rockets sounds decent for low br, it cannot carry bombs(maybe I’m wrong) but it can carry a torpedo so it would be useful to naval players, correct if I’m wrong but the JMSDF did use them so is not some random plane that can be added to Japan
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The manual you have is Japanese or US one?
The US one, I don’t think is a manual, is an overview or something like that, however I did a quick search in Japanese and I found these 2 images which do show the aircraft with HVARs, machine gun wing holes and some mistery pod:
I did the “edit”
I will try to search more about it later
here’s where I downloaded the pdf: TBM-3S Avenger
seems like the site has removed certain files due to current politics so is probably legit
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The pod is a 350lb depth charge. The JMSDF did have contact fuses for their depth charges allowing them to work as regular bombs.
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Would significantly boost the low-tier CAS option for Japan, maybe couple it with the Thai OV-10C and you have a solid update for Japan
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Regarding Grumman TBM-3S2, as the creator of this suggestion I found information about this weapon.
Armament:
- Guns:
- 2 x M2 Browning machine guns caliber 12.7mm with wings (400 rpg; 800 rounds)
- Bombs:
- 4 x 147 kg (325lb) depth charges (in the bomb bay)
- 4 (?) x 158 kg (350lb) depth charges (in the bomb bay)
- 2 x 158 kg (350lb) depth charges (under the wings)
- 1 x torpedo Mk.34 (in the bomb bay)
- Other bombs: unknown
- Rocket
- 8 x FFAR 5-Inch rockets (under the wings)
- 8 x SCAR 2.25-Inch rockets (under the wings)
- Fuel dump tanks
- 1 x 568 l in additional tanks (under one of the wings)
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I want Ki-201 & J7W2 the most, we need new jets with four 30mm to fill the R2Y2 shaped hole in our hearts. :(
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J7W2 is more fictional than R2Y2. Work on R2Y2 actually started, and J7W2 didn’t even start design work. Something tells me that the second prototype of R2Y1 that was under construction, the Japanese wanted to convert into a prototype of R2Y2
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Not really, records clearly states the J7W1 was designed to get a jet engine later. It was planned to be doable from the very start the only thing holding it back was the jet engines never arrived, if they had used the Ne-20 engine that would been even worse than the prop they used not to mention less reliable!
They waited for the next engine that was gonna go into the Karyu which was not ready either due to mineral shortage, the mass-production was unfeasable and the only thing that stopped both from flying…
Edit: With the R2Y2 they used a unreliable source to figure out where everything had to go, making a unrealistic presentation based on fake info and speculation. If they implement the J7W2 there is no such problem! We know where the jet engine is suppose to go and we know approximately how fast it should have been…
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