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Kawasaki Ki-61 “Hien”, “Tony”.
This aircraft is sometimes called “Japanese Messerschmitt”. The similarity was so sheer, that at first, having met this aircraft in the air, American pilots reported seeing Bf.109. And this is no coincidence. “Messerschmitt” and “Hien” were equipped with the same engine, “Daimler-Benz DB 601A”. Only in the Japanese licensed variant it was marked “Ha 40”.
The appearance of this aircraft was very predictable, because the army leaders long wanted to have fighters equipped with the liquid-cooled engines, which improved aerodynamics by decreasing the engine’s frontal area. As a result, Ki-61 made its first flight in December 1941. Immediately the preparations for its mass production began, which started in August 1942. The aircraft’s characteristics were very good. Comparative tests conducted in that year’s fall showed full superiority of Ki-61 over Ki-43, Ki-44, trophy “Curtiss P-40E” and “LaGG-3”, and the “Messerschmitt Bf 109E” bought in Germany.
This aircraft was equipped with armored cockpit and more powerful weaponry, consisting of two hull-mounted synchronous “Type 1 (Ho 103)” 12.7mm machineguns and two wing-mounted machineguns in two variants: “Type 89” 7.7mm machinegun or “Ho 103” 12.7mm machinegun.
The aircraft first entered combat in March 1943 at the north of New Guinea, and immediately proved its worth as a fighter. Japanese even managed to retake initiative for some time. Americans had to urgently transfer the scarce two-engine “Lightnings” to the region to restore status-quo.
At the same time, “Hien” demonstrated its weakest point – the engine. As a paradox as it is, but the engine that served the Third Reich reliably, became whimsical and unstable in Japanese variant.
At further times attempts have been made to eliminate the engine problems and improve the fighter’s weapons. 800 “MG-151” guns were bought from Germany and installed in the aircraft. On some modifications there were four 20mm “Ho-5” cannons installed.
The “Swallow’s” swan-song was the fight of 244th sentai under command of Major Teruhiko Kobayashi against the “B-29 Superfortresses”. Apart from usual ranged weapons, pilots used ramming, including Kobayashi himself. 244th sentai has left 102 shot and 192 damaged B-29.
Kawasaki Ki-61 “Hien” in the "Pacific Storm"
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