Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien
| GENERAL DATA | |||
| Other Designation(s) | Hien
= flying swallow, Army Type 3 Fighter, Tony (Allied reporting name) |
||
| Type | Fighter |
Crew | 1 |
| Manufacturer(s) | Kawasaki Kokuki
Kogyo K.K. |
||
| Production | A total of 3078 Ki-61 All-model
aircraft were produced. |
||
| Prototype first flight | December 1941 |
Introduction | 1942 |
| Variants | |||
| Ki-61 | Prototypes: 12 build | ||
| Ki-61-I-Ko | First production version: fully retractable tailwheel, two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns in the wings and two synchronized 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns in the forward decking. Capable of carrying one 151 L drop tank or a light bomb. | ||
| Ki-61-I-Otsu or Ki-61-Ia |
Second production fighter variant: Tailwheel retraction mechanism was unreliable, the aircraft was modified accordingly. Two 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns replaced the wing 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns. | ||
| Ki-61-I-Hei or Ki-61-Ib |
The Hei was built in conjunction with the Otsu variant, the wing machine guns were replaced by Mauser MG 151/20 cannons. | ||
| Ki-61-I-Tei | Fighter variant with two fuselage mounted Japanese 20 mm Ho-5 cannon and two 12.7 mm (.50 in) wing mounted Ho-103 machine guns. | ||
| Ki-61-I-KAIc | Had a pair of 20 mm cannons in nose to help it shoot down bombers. Had a fixed tail wheel. Appeared in January 1944. | ||
| Ki-61-I-KAId | Interceptor variant with 2 × 12.7 mm (.50 in) machine guns and 2 × 30 mm (1.18 in) Ho-155 wing cannon. | ||
| Ki-61-I- w.c.e.s | Experimental aircraft with evaporation system, as used on the Heinkel He 100. It was the fastest Ki-61 built, achieving 630 km/h. | ||
| Ki-61-II | Prototype with 1500 hp Ha-140 engine and first flown in December 1943. | ||
| Ki-61-II-KAI | Pre-production version which reverted to the Ki-61-I-Tei wing, a 220 mm (8.7 in) fuselage stretch, enlarged rudder, and Ha-140 engine; 30 built. | ||
| Ki-61-II-KAIa | Armed with 2 x 12.7 mm (.50 in) machine guns in the wings and 2 x 20 mm cannon in the fuselage. | ||
| Ki-61-II-KAIb | Armed with 4 x 20 mm cannon. | ||
| Ki-61-III | Prototype: This version had a cut-down rear fuselage and a canopy design which was later used by the Ki-100-I-Otsu | ||
| DIMENSIONS | |||
| Empty Weight | 2630 kg |
Gross Weight | 3470 kg |
| Wingspan | 12 m |
Length | 8.94 m |
| Height | 3.70 m |
Wing area | 20 m² |
| Wing loading | 173.5 kg/m² |
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| ARMAMENT (Ki-61-I-Tei) | ||||
| Main Gun | Nose | 2× 20 mm (0.79 in) Ho-5 cannon
|
Ammunition Carried |
2 x 120 |
| Secondary Guns | Wings | 2× 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 MG |
Ammunition Carried | 2 x 250 |
| Bombs | 2 x 250 kg bomb |
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Armament variations:
Ki-61-I-Ko: 2×
12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 MG (nose) & 2x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89
(wings)
Ki-61-I-Otsu (Ki-61-Ia): 2× 12.7 mm (0.50
in) Ho-103 MG (nose) & 2 x 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103 MG (wings)
Ki-61-I-Hei (Ki-61-Ib): 2× 12.7 mm (0.50
in) Ho-103 MG (nose) & 2 x 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon (wings)
Ki-61-I-KAId: 2× 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Ho-103
MG (nose) & 2 x 30 mm (1.18 in) Ho-155 cannon (wings)
| POWERPLANT | |||
| Engine | 1 ×
Kawasaki Ha40 |
Type & Displacement | inverted liquid-cooled
V-12, 33.93 L |
| Horsepower (maximum) | 1159
hp |
Power/Weight Ratio | 334 hp / ton * |
| Fuel Capacity | 550 l (internal),
2x 200 l (external)
|
||
(*) with Gross Weight
| PERFORMANCES | |||
| Maximum Speed | 580 km/h
at 5000 m |
Cruise Speed | 400 km/h at 4000 m |
| Stall Speed * | ? km/h |
Service Ceiling | 11600 m |
| Rate of Climb | 15.2 m/s |
Range | 580km typical, 1100 km (maximum) |
(*) vitesse de décrochage
| Sources | |||
| Wikipédia | - | - |
|
Drawings |
