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Kawasaki Ki-45 Type 1 (Kai) (川崎 キ45)
The Kawasaki Ki-45 Type 1 (Kai) is a prototype heavy fighter created in 1940 by replacing the Nakajima Ha-20 Otsu engines in the Kawasaki Ki-45 aircraft with Nakajima Ha-25 engines (Not to be confused with the Ki-45 from war thunder, which is the Ki-45 Kai with better engines). 8 Ki-45 Type 1 (Kai) aircraft were built in 1940.
History
In April 1940, the Kawasaki Ki-45 project was taken from inrzynier Isamu Imachi and handed over to inrzynier Takeo Doi, who was to save the project. Work began immediately to improve the Ki-45 aircraft and various modifications were introduced. The most important was the replacement of the Nakajima Ha-20 Otsu engines with the Nakajima Ha-25 engines. This also resulted in the modification of the engine nacelle, which also had a positive effect on the aircraft. Production of prototypes from the Ki-45.07 up to the Ki-45.11 began, and the Ki-45.04-06 aircraft were rebuilt and intensively tested. Until October 1940, intensive tests were carried out, in which the Ki-45 Type 1 aircraft reached a speed of 520 km/h, which was still not meeting the requirements of the army (the army required a maximum speed of 540 km/h). However, the planes still had a huge amount of problems, so at the end of October 1940 the Kawasaki Ki-45 project was terminated. However, the Japanese army did not chew heavy fighters and ordered Kawasaki to create an improved heavy fighter based on the Ki-45 (this is how the Ki-45 Kai was created).
Construction description
The Kawasaki Ki-45 Type 1 (Kai) is a heavy medium-wing fighter with retractable landing gear. The plane is of metal construction, it is a two-seater. The Kawasaki Ki-45 Type 1 (Kai) is equipped with two air-cooled two-star Nakajima Ha-25 fourteen-cylinder engines with a take-off power of 713 kW (970 hp), which drive three-bladed propellers with a diameter of 2,800 mm. The aircraft is armed with two fixed Type 98 7.7mm machine guns in the nose (500 rounds per machine gun), a fixed 20mm Ho-3 cannon in the fuselage (100 rounds) and a movable Type 98 7.7 machine gun in the rear gunner’s position (1050 rounds).
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 10,26 m
- Wingspan: 14,50 m
- Height: 3,57 m
- Wing area: 29,03 m2
- Empty weight: 3150 kg
- Gross weight: 4400 kg
- Maximum Take-off Weight: 4680 kg
- Powerplant: 2 x Nakajima Ha-25, air-cooled fourteen-cylinder engines with a take-off power of 713 kW (970 hp)
- Propellers: Three-bladed propellers with a diameter of 2,800 mm
Performance
- Maximum speed: 520 km/h
- Cruising speed: 340 km/h (?)
- Range: 1580 km
- Maximum Range: ?
- Service ceiling: ?
- Climb Rate: ?
- Rate of climb: ?
Armament
- 2 x Type 98 7.92mm Fixed Machine Guns in the nose (500 rounds per machine gun)
- 1 x Ho-3 20mm Fixed Cannon Under the Belly (100 rounds)
- 1 x Type 98 7.92mm movable machine gun in rear gunner position (1050 rounds)
Special thanks
Summary
The Kawasaki Ki-45 Type 1 (Kai) is an interesting aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. This aircraft can be a useful low-tier heavy fighter that can complement the Kawsaki Ki-45 Kai. This aircraft can also be an interesting Premium or event aircraft. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
キ45 (航空機) - Wikipedia
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/二式複座戦闘機
Kawasaki Ki 45.07 : Kawasaki
Kawasaki Ki-45 - Japan - War Thunder - Official Forum
Kawasaki Ki-45 Projects, Prototypes & Variants | Secret Projects Forum
Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (Dragon Slayer) ‘Nick’
Kawasaki Ki-45 kai Toryū - Portal Militarny
Kawasaki Ki-45
Уголок неба ¦ Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu
Book sources
- FAOTW 21 Ki-45 Toryu Army Type 2 Fighter | PDF
- The Xplanes of Imperial Japanese Army and Navy 1924-45 page 30-32
The Xplanes of Imperial Japanese Army and Navy 1924-45 | PDF - 026 Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu Army Type 2 Two-Seat Fighter | PDF
- Topdrawings_-_The_Kawasaki_Ki-45_quot_Toryu_quot | PDF
- Ki-45 Toryu Kawasaki | PDF
- Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War page 93-102
Thank you for reading the suggestion, see you in the next one. Good luck pilots
