Now would be the time to push for bombs on the Ki-102. Hopefully we can get some attention
1 Like
The shrapnell parameters of P and P-T shells was changed, secondary shrapnel preset: default → AP (buff)
It’s funny. It says air target belt but the Ki-102 Otsu was a ground attack plane.
So the HE round was supposed to be used against ground targets :P
Well, in game name of HE belt is Air target because it is HE which has much more damage to planes than practical round. So name is just fictional
1 Like
I found a source on the armor penetration performance of the Ho-401 and would like to share it. However, the values seem too high compared to the commonly known muzzle velocity of the Ho-401, so it’s possible that there was a prototype of the Ho-401 with a longer barrel.
57 mm Ho-401 cannon
- Muzzle velocity
- HE shell: 580 m/s
- AP shell: 550 m/s
- Armor penetration: 25 mm at 500 m
37 mm Ho-204 cannon
- Armor penetration: 45 mm at 500 m
“Encyclopedia of Phantom Fighter Planes of the Japanese Army and Navy.” Magazine Maru, October 2023 Special Supplement. Published by Ushioshobokojinshinsha Co., Ltd. p. 24
The generally known barrel length of the Ho-401 is 800 mm with a muzzle velocity of 500 m/s. However, according to Japanese Navy documents, the barrel length of the Ho-401 is 1,070 mm with a muzzle velocity of 565 m/s. This table contains data on aircraft cannons that are under research and development by the Army.
The Complete Picture of Aviation Technology, Volume 2. edited by Jun Okamura, et al. 1955. p. 56.
6 Likes
Maybe that was planed? Only the Ki-102 Otsu ever used the gun right? So maybe they shortened it to fit the plane better.
Also is it me or does it contain a lot of conflicting information?
For example:
Ho-401 → 30 RPM (compared to 80 RPM we have in-game)
Ho-204 → 600m/s velocity (supposed to be 710m/s right?)
Ho-204 → Shell weight 700g (shouldn’t it use the same shells as the Ho-203?)
Ho-155 → 400 RPM
Ho-5 → 700 RPM (sounds about right for 84.5g shells though)
Maybe some changes happened or the data isn’t final?
2 Likes
Secondary source and a primary source. That’s currently what the tester provided, keep it with a grain of salt.
But is it a primary source? And even primary sources can be wrong.
Like sometimes two primary sources can contradict each other, contain errors or are outdated.
Ho-204 → 600m/s velocity (supposed to be 710m/s right?)
Ho-204 → Shell weight 700g (shouldn’t it use the same shells as the Ho-203?)
Those are quite close to Ho-204 firing Type 1 APHE: 720g projectile at 565m/s.
45mm at 500m stated in Maru book is quite a bit over what WT calculator gives. 720g round shot at 565m/s gives merely 34mm at 0m. At 500m it could be around 25mm.
It is possible that tests was done against mild steel or other type of armor. Because even in documents Type 94 37mm field gun with higher muzzle velocity has lower penetration
3 Likes
Ki-45 Otsu penetration increase:
Ho-203 and Ho-204 would have the same 720g Type 1 APHE, but with lower velocity.
3 Likes
That’s because the gun was changed from a Type 94 to a Type 98
2 Likes
It would be nice for them to have the same shell too.
Especially after the Ho-203 was nerfed (albeit historically)
The stat card for the Ho-401 indicates that it can penetrate 28 mm of armor at a distance of 10 m. However, during a test flight on the Dev server, it was verified that it can penetrate 30 mm of armor from a distance of about 250 m. This is likely because the speed of the aircraft is being added to the muzzle velocity of the projectile in the simulation.
Diving the Ki-102 Otsu and flying level at treetop height at a speed of about 700 km/h (200 m/s), a 57 mm practice shell penetrated the 30 mm front hull armor of a Pz. III E from a distance of about 250 m. The fragments knocked out three crew members. However, it is true that the armor penetration capability of the practice shells for the Ho-401 is inferior. Ricochets and failure to cause damage often occur.
The claim that the Ho-204, with a muzzle velocity of about 500-600 m/s, can penetrate 45 mm of armor at a distance of 500 m might also be calculating the armor penetration capability by adding the speed of the aircraft to the muzzle velocity.
7 Likes
Probably. I don’t really see much point in using 37mm AP rounds against aircraft, since the destructive power of a 37mm HEI is just so much higher than what an AP round can accomplish with a random hit.
So I would assume that the AP round was meant against armored ground and naval targets.
3 Likes
At least we have practice shells lol
2 Likes
3 Likes
Too bad it’s missing 9 Pages. Book 3 is not included about the bombs and guns.
But in the beginning it says that the Otsu carried either 1x500kg, 1x250kg, 2x100kg or 4x50kg bombs.
The HEF shell specification for Ho-401 has been fixed based on the bug report you submitted, but oddly enough it is not mentioned in the patch notes and the bug report comments have not been updated. The pilots of the Ki-102 Otsu would have welcomed a buff to the HEF shell more than the addition of practice shells.
https://community.gaijin.net/issues/p/warthunder/i/3IftSUGSlcRh
5 Likes