Difference between revisions of "Ki-43-I"

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{{About
 +
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| usage = other versions
 +
| link = Ki-43 (Family)
 +
}}
 
{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=ki_43_1
 
|code=ki_43_1
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 
|cockpit=cockpit_ki_43_1.jpg
 
|cockpit=cockpit_ki_43_1.jpg
−
}}
 
−
{{About
 
−
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
−
| usage = other uses
 
−
| link = Ki-43 (Family)
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the first production and service variant of the '''Nakajima Ki-43 ''Hayabusa''''' codename "Oscar" by the Allied Forces. The Hayabusa was a singe engine land based fighter that like other Japanese designs at the time relied on its agility and manoeuvrability to defeat its opponents, at such the aircraft was initially lightly armoured and armed. The Ki-43-I was the first production variant of this aircraft with either 2 x 7.7mm MGs or 2 x 12.7mm HMGs. The production of this variant started in 1941 but as the war progressed the 2 x 12.7mm HMG variant became more popular and was sometimes referred as Ki-43-Ic.
−
{{break}}
+
 
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].
+
It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]]. The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a classic Japanese fighter for that BR. It features light armament, poor survivability and requires more skill than other fighters to be used effectively. This is because the Ki-43 is a dogfighter, that uses its great agility, turn rate, and roll rate to quickly gain an upper hand on a duel. It should be used at medium altitude, using its good acceleration and decent climb rate to get at a good altitude so that you can dive and regain energy on prolonged dogfights. This aircraft is not meant for boom and zoom, since it has less dive speed and less climb rate than heavy fighters/interceptors or proper boom and zoom fighters like the Bf-109.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
−
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
−
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
−
|-
+
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
−
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
 
−
|-
 
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,000 m)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,000 m)
−
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
−
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
+
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
−
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
−
|-
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
|-
 
−
| 476 || 461 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 14.2 || 15.0 || 11.8 || 11.8 || 120
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
+
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,000 m)
+
! Stock
−
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
+
| 476 || 461 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 14.2 || 15.0 || 11.9 || 11.9 || rowspan="2" | 120
−
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
−
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! AB
+
! Upgraded
−
! RB
+
| 517 || 495 || 13.8 || 14.0 || 19.6 || 15.3
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
|-
 
−
| 517 || 495 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 13.8 || 14.0 || 19.6 || 15.3 || 120
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==== Details ====
 
==== Details ====
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Combat flaps
+
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
−
! Take-off flaps
 
−
! Landing flaps
 
−
! Air brakes
 
−
! Arrestor gear
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
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|}
 
|}
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | Limits
+
! colspan="7" | Limits
 
|-
 
|-
−
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
−
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
−
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps<br>(km/h)
+
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
−
! +
+
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
−
! -
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 450 || ~10 || ~5
+
| 630 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 416 || 373 || 250 || ~10 || ~5
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
+
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Ailerons<br>(km/h)
+
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
−
! Rudder<br>(km/h)
 
−
! Elevators<br>(km/h)
 
−
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| < 370 || < 350 || < 450 || > 318
 
| < 370 || < 350 || < 450 || > 318
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
 
−
|-
 
−
! Optimal altitude
 
−
! 100% Engine power
 
−
! WEP Engine power
 
−
|-
 
−
| 3,000 m || 970 hp || 1,095 hp
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
The Ki-43 I is quite vulnerable, thanks to its lack of armour. Also, the fuel tanks are not self-sealing. They are located in the inner part of the wings, 2 on each side.
 
The Ki-43 I is quite vulnerable, thanks to its lack of armour. Also, the fuel tanks are not self-sealing. They are located in the inner part of the wings, 2 on each side.
 +
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|Ho-103 army (12.7 mm)|Type 89 army (7.7 mm)}}
+
{{main|Ho-103 (12.7 mm)|Type 89 (7.7 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
 
* A choice between three presets:
 
* A choice between three presets:
−
** 2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 army machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
+
** 2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
−
** 1 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 army machine gun, nose-mounted (270 rpg) + 1 x 7.7 mm Type 89 army machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)
+
** 1 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine gun, nose-mounted (270 rpg) + 1 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)
−
** 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 army machine guns, nose-mounted (270 rpg = 540 total)
+
** 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, nose-mounted (270 rpg = 540 total)
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
 
 +
In all modes, the Ki-43 can perform both BnZ fighting and turnfighting with the correct opponent. It can easily accelerate to 500 km/h in a dive while still having responsive controls. However its speed retention is quite poor and will lose lots of speed as soon as you level out. For turnfighting, you can out-turn most monoplanes and almost all heavy fighters/attackers even without combat flaps deployed, but never turn with Spitfires and Zeros. Note that this aircraft will experience severe rudder lockup when faster than around 450 km/h, resulting in awkward aiming adjustments if the target manoeuvres, so you need to cut throttle appropriately to control your speed.
 +
 
 +
While having sufficient flight characteristics, the Ki-43 is extremely fragile and can get critically damaged by almost all guns. From the hard-hitting M2 Browning to the fast-firing MG 15, ''any'' gun can badly hurt the Ki-43 especially on the engine, fuel tanks, and pilot which can always lead to a later crash. Before attacking try to get an altitude advantage and perform deflection shots. To maximise the damage aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up lots of bullets. Only fire when the target passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything... and it usually is, unfortunately. The slow velocity, light projectiles and low one-second burst mass usually guarantee no critical damage. However sometimes it only takes one bullet to set the target aflame, if you are lucky.
 +
 
 +
* In Simulator, the Ki-43 is overall a decent plane. It has very forgiving characteristics such as good over-the-nose visibility, a clear bubble canopy without much framing and good backwards visibility. This increases your chance of spotting, tracking, and/or dodging since you can see targets from almost every direction with ease (except the underside, of course). It is recommended to set keybind for moving your head vertically to make full use of the great forward vision in a dogfight. However, its wings are located directly below the cockpit meaning that you cannot see what is below your sides which can lead to you losing track of the enemy. You should get used to searching towards your 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 o'clock, avoiding the wings.
 +
* Note that when taking off the Ki-43 will shift severely to the left due to the propeller torque, so it is recommended to set keybinds for left and right brakes to effectively control your direction on the runway. Using rudder alone will not work at low speed and you will either circle around or lose control and crash into nearby structures like tents/hangars.
 +
* Landing is very beginner-friendly too. It is able to decelerate quickly while also having low stall speed, allowing you to quickly slow down and descend onto the runway. Takeoff and landing flaps do not lift up the nose a lot so you can easily remain overall parallel to the ground. It also performs great when braking as its nose will not usually dip into the ground, so you can keep braking until it fully stops (given that you deflect elevators fully upwards) which is vital for preparing the next fight quickly.
 +
* It has very good handling at most speeds. It does not wobble a lot which is an advantage over the biplanes and early monoplane fighters, making it easier to smooth the aim. You should familiarise the shape of those that you should not turn with: the Spitfires have long, straight nose with an inline engine, rather large and elliptical wings. The Zeros have an overall cylindrical fuselage that merges into a pointy tail after the stabilisers, a radial engine and are usually painted white (early models). If you see them on your tail try outrunning them by diving at around -40 degrees. The Ki-43 still remains responsive handling at 500 km/h, but its speed retention is poor, meaning it will start to lose speed quickly and the enemy might catch up. If you are near a friendly airfield, great. If not, then hope for the best and run towards the friendly side. Don't forget to pitch up and down a little to mess up their aim, the early Spitfires and A6M only have a 60-round drum per cannon which will run out fairly fast. The leftover 7.7 mm machine guns will not be as destructive but still might destroy you.
 +
* It will be very challenging when facing against the Chinese/American Ki-43, as both of you have the same characteristics. You cannot outrun each other and cannot out-turn each other, so the fight will be a combination of various manoeuvres and techniques, and of course, the pilot's skills. Note that the Ki-43 has similar appearance as the Ki-44 and can be misjudged as a Ki-44 or a Zero which are also in the Chinese/American tree. Comparing to the Ki-43, the Ki-44 has a slightly bigger engine and the canopy is shifted backwards. The Chinese Zero is painted dark brown with a silver spinner, while the American one is in greyish-blue. They all turn well and have accelerate well in a dive.
 +
* When it comes to intercepting ground pounders or bombers, the Ki-43 generally performs poorly since the targets are all quite robust against your weak guns. Some examples are the IL-2 which is commonly seen in Sim. It can get mistakenly seen as other aircraft from a distance due to its common appearance. But up close you will see two bomb-like structures underneath its wings and triangular stabilisers with rounded tips. The early IL-2s have no defensive guns so it is safe to sit behind and carefully aim. They are heavily armoured in the cockpit and engine so avoid aiming at these areas. Instead target the tail to hope for disabling their tail control. The late IL-2s, however, have a rear-facing Berezin UB which is something you definitely want to avoid. Perform deflection shots or just disengage.
 +
 
 +
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Typhoon Mk Ia]]: this is a very capable opponent, it is quite fast, climbs well, manoeuvres decently and has 12 x 7.7 mm MGs that can fatally damage the Ki-43. If you are attacking, get an altitude advantage first and BnZ it. If you are being attacked by it, evade its first pass and immediately start a turnfight. You need to deploy combat/takeoff flaps, or even landing flaps if needed to push your turn rate to the limit. Several circles are needed, don't panic if you see the Typhoon keeping up with your turns at first. With appropriate flaps, the Ki-43 will slowly out turn it, allowing you to get onto its tail. The Typhoon overall resembles a Hurricane, except its symbolic giant intake below the engine.
  
 
=== Manual Engine Control ===
 
=== Manual Engine Control ===
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! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Oil
+
! Oil !! Water !! Type
−
! Water
 
−
! Type
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>1 gear || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
+
| Not controllable || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
 
 
−
=== Modules ===
 
−
{| class="wikitable"
 
−
! colspan="1" | Tier
 
−
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
 
−
! colspan="1" | Survivability
 
−
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
 
−
|-
 
−
| I
 
−
| Fuselage repair
 
−
| Radiator
 
−
|
 
−
| Offensive 7 mm
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
| II
 
−
|
 
−
| Compressor
 
−
| Airframe
 
−
| New 7 mm MGs
 
−
| Otsu mod.
 
−
|-
 
−
| III
 
−
| Wings repair
 
−
| Engine
 
−
|
 
−
| Offensive 12 mm
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
| IV
 
−
|
 
−
| Engine injection
 
−
| Cover
 
−
| New 12 mm MGs
 
−
| Hei mod.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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* Turns quickly
 
* Turns quickly
−
* Decent Speed
+
* Decent level & dive speed for its rank
 
* Good climb rate
 
* Good climb rate
−
* Great Acceleration
+
* Great acceleration
 
* Great roll rate
 
* Great roll rate
 
* Reasonably powerful armament
 
* Reasonably powerful armament
 +
* Useful flaps in a turnfight
 +
* Good all-round cockpit visibility in simulator
 +
* Forgiving landing characteristics
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
Line 214: Line 157:
 
* Absence of any armour protection
 
* Absence of any armour protection
 
* Ho-103 (12.7 mm) has an abysmal ammo capacity in Realistic and Simulator battles (540 total)
 
* Ho-103 (12.7 mm) has an abysmal ammo capacity in Realistic and Simulator battles (540 total)
−
* Panful when stock - easily outran by biplanes and armed with only 2x7.62mm Type 89 machine guns
+
* Rudder locks up at around >450 km/h, meaning that you will miss quite some passes due to the aim not being able to adjust horizontally
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ki_43_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 
{{Youtube-gallery|w_3vuywdr5E|'''The Shooting Range #27''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:22 discusses the Ki-43.}}
 
{{Youtube-gallery|w_3vuywdr5E|'''The Shooting Range #27''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:22 discusses the Ki-43.}}
  
Line 230: Line 179:
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 +
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
−
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
+
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/202474-nakajima-ki-43-i/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
−
* ''other literature.''
 
  
 
{{AirManufacturer Nakajima}}
 
{{AirManufacturer Nakajima}}
 
{{Japan fighters}}
 
{{Japan fighters}}

Latest revision as of 22:44, 7 October 2024

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the Japanese fighter Ki-43-I. For other versions, see Ki-43 (Family).
Ki-43-I
ki_43_1.png
GarageImage Ki-43-I.jpg
ArtImage Ki-43-I.jpg
360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/9/99/Cockpit_ki_43_1.jpg
Ki-43-I
Japan flag.png Japan
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.0 2.7 2.3
Class:
Research:4 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:2 100 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Ki-43-I Hayabusa was the first production and service variant of the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa codename "Oscar" by the Allied Forces. The Hayabusa was a singe engine land based fighter that like other Japanese designs at the time relied on its agility and manoeuvrability to defeat its opponents, at such the aircraft was initially lightly armoured and armed. The Ki-43-I was the first production variant of this aircraft with either 2 x 7.7mm MGs or 2 x 12.7mm HMGs. The production of this variant started in 1941 but as the war progressed the 2 x 12.7mm HMG variant became more popular and was sometimes referred as Ki-43-Ic.

It was introduced in Update 1.43. The Ki-43-I Hayabusa is a classic Japanese fighter for that BR. It features light armament, poor survivability and requires more skill than other fighters to be used effectively. This is because the Ki-43 is a dogfighter, that uses its great agility, turn rate, and roll rate to quickly gain an upper hand on a duel. It should be used at medium altitude, using its good acceleration and decent climb rate to get at a good altitude so that you can dive and regain energy on prolonged dogfights. This aircraft is not meant for boom and zoom, since it has less dive speed and less climb rate than heavy fighters/interceptors or proper boom and zoom fighters like the Bf-109.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 4 000 m495 km/h
Turn time14 s
Max altitude9 000 m
EngineNakajima Ha-45 type 99
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight2 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 4,000 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 476 461 9000 14.2 15.0 11.9 11.9 120
Upgraded 517 495 13.8 14.0 19.6 15.3

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
✓ ✓ ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
630 300 416 373 250 ~10 ~5
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 370 < 350 < 450 > 318

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear300 km/h

The Ki-43 I is quite vulnerable, thanks to its lack of armour. Also, the fuel tanks are not self-sealing. They are located in the inner part of the wings, 2 on each side.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB134 → 225 Sl icon.png
RB294 → 494 Sl icon.png
SB401 → 674 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications4 450 Rp icon.png
2 680 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost300 Ge icon.png
Crew training600 Sl icon.png
Experts2 100 Sl icon.png
Aces45 Ge icon.png
Research Aces110 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
10 / 30 / 60 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
180 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
180 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
250 Rp icon.png
Cost:
150 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
370 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
370 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
360 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
250 Rp icon.png
Cost:
150 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
360 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
type89_belt_pack
Research:
300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
180 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
type89_new_gun
Research:
250 Rp icon.png
Cost:
150 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mods cannon.png
Otsu mod.
Research:
250 Rp icon.png
Cost:
150 Sl icon.png
55 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods ammo.png
safat12_belt_pack
Research:
370 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
ho103_new_gun
Research:
360 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods cannon.png
Hei mod.
Research:
360 Rp icon.png
Cost:
220 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun
Ammunition1 000 rounds
Fire rate900 shots/min
Main articles: Ho-103 (12.7 mm), Type 89 (7.7 mm)

The Ki-43-I is armed with:

  • A choice between three presets:
    • 2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
    • 1 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine gun, nose-mounted (270 rpg) + 1 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)
    • 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, nose-mounted (270 rpg = 540 total)

Usage in battles

In all modes, the Ki-43 can perform both BnZ fighting and turnfighting with the correct opponent. It can easily accelerate to 500 km/h in a dive while still having responsive controls. However its speed retention is quite poor and will lose lots of speed as soon as you level out. For turnfighting, you can out-turn most monoplanes and almost all heavy fighters/attackers even without combat flaps deployed, but never turn with Spitfires and Zeros. Note that this aircraft will experience severe rudder lockup when faster than around 450 km/h, resulting in awkward aiming adjustments if the target manoeuvres, so you need to cut throttle appropriately to control your speed.

While having sufficient flight characteristics, the Ki-43 is extremely fragile and can get critically damaged by almost all guns. From the hard-hitting M2 Browning to the fast-firing MG 15, any gun can badly hurt the Ki-43 especially on the engine, fuel tanks, and pilot which can always lead to a later crash. Before attacking try to get an altitude advantage and perform deflection shots. To maximise the damage aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up lots of bullets. Only fire when the target passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything... and it usually is, unfortunately. The slow velocity, light projectiles and low one-second burst mass usually guarantee no critical damage. However sometimes it only takes one bullet to set the target aflame, if you are lucky.

  • In Simulator, the Ki-43 is overall a decent plane. It has very forgiving characteristics such as good over-the-nose visibility, a clear bubble canopy without much framing and good backwards visibility. This increases your chance of spotting, tracking, and/or dodging since you can see targets from almost every direction with ease (except the underside, of course). It is recommended to set keybind for moving your head vertically to make full use of the great forward vision in a dogfight. However, its wings are located directly below the cockpit meaning that you cannot see what is below your sides which can lead to you losing track of the enemy. You should get used to searching towards your 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 o'clock, avoiding the wings.
  • Note that when taking off the Ki-43 will shift severely to the left due to the propeller torque, so it is recommended to set keybinds for left and right brakes to effectively control your direction on the runway. Using rudder alone will not work at low speed and you will either circle around or lose control and crash into nearby structures like tents/hangars.
  • Landing is very beginner-friendly too. It is able to decelerate quickly while also having low stall speed, allowing you to quickly slow down and descend onto the runway. Takeoff and landing flaps do not lift up the nose a lot so you can easily remain overall parallel to the ground. It also performs great when braking as its nose will not usually dip into the ground, so you can keep braking until it fully stops (given that you deflect elevators fully upwards) which is vital for preparing the next fight quickly.
  • It has very good handling at most speeds. It does not wobble a lot which is an advantage over the biplanes and early monoplane fighters, making it easier to smooth the aim. You should familiarise the shape of those that you should not turn with: the Spitfires have long, straight nose with an inline engine, rather large and elliptical wings. The Zeros have an overall cylindrical fuselage that merges into a pointy tail after the stabilisers, a radial engine and are usually painted white (early models). If you see them on your tail try outrunning them by diving at around -40 degrees. The Ki-43 still remains responsive handling at 500 km/h, but its speed retention is poor, meaning it will start to lose speed quickly and the enemy might catch up. If you are near a friendly airfield, great. If not, then hope for the best and run towards the friendly side. Don't forget to pitch up and down a little to mess up their aim, the early Spitfires and A6M only have a 60-round drum per cannon which will run out fairly fast. The leftover 7.7 mm machine guns will not be as destructive but still might destroy you.
  • It will be very challenging when facing against the Chinese/American Ki-43, as both of you have the same characteristics. You cannot outrun each other and cannot out-turn each other, so the fight will be a combination of various manoeuvres and techniques, and of course, the pilot's skills. Note that the Ki-43 has similar appearance as the Ki-44 and can be misjudged as a Ki-44 or a Zero which are also in the Chinese/American tree. Comparing to the Ki-43, the Ki-44 has a slightly bigger engine and the canopy is shifted backwards. The Chinese Zero is painted dark brown with a silver spinner, while the American one is in greyish-blue. They all turn well and have accelerate well in a dive.
  • When it comes to intercepting ground pounders or bombers, the Ki-43 generally performs poorly since the targets are all quite robust against your weak guns. Some examples are the IL-2 which is commonly seen in Sim. It can get mistakenly seen as other aircraft from a distance due to its common appearance. But up close you will see two bomb-like structures underneath its wings and triangular stabilisers with rounded tips. The early IL-2s have no defensive guns so it is safe to sit behind and carefully aim. They are heavily armoured in the cockpit and engine so avoid aiming at these areas. Instead target the tail to hope for disabling their tail control. The late IL-2s, however, have a rear-facing Berezin UB which is something you definitely want to avoid. Perform deflection shots or just disengage.

Enemies worth noting:

  • Typhoon Mk Ia: this is a very capable opponent, it is quite fast, climbs well, manoeuvres decently and has 12 x 7.7 mm MGs that can fatally damage the Ki-43. If you are attacking, get an altitude advantage first and BnZ it. If you are being attacked by it, evade its first pass and immediately start a turnfight. You need to deploy combat/takeoff flaps, or even landing flaps if needed to push your turn rate to the limit. Several circles are needed, don't panic if you see the Typhoon keeping up with your turns at first. With appropriate flaps, the Ki-43 will slowly out turn it, allowing you to get onto its tail. The Typhoon overall resembles a Hurricane, except its symbolic giant intake below the engine.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Not controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Separate Not controllable
1 gear 		Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Turns quickly
  • Decent level & dive speed for its rank
  • Good climb rate
  • Great acceleration
  • Great roll rate
  • Reasonably powerful armament
  • Useful flaps in a turnfight
  • Good all-round cockpit visibility in simulator
  • Forgiving landing characteristics

Cons:

  • Doesn't turn as fast as the biplanes it typically faces
  • Stealth belts are the only viable belt to use for both Ho-103 & Type 89
  • Fragile frame
  • Easily set afire
  • Engine can be easily damaged
  • Lacks self-sealing fuel tanks
  • Absence of any armour protection
  • Ho-103 (12.7 mm) has an abysmal ammo capacity in Realistic and Simulator battles (540 total)
  • Rudder locks up at around >450 km/h, meaning that you will miss quite some passes due to the aim not being able to adjust horizontally

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #27 - Pages of History section at 03:22 discusses the Ki-43.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the aircraft;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Nakajima Aircraft Company (中島飛行機株式会社 )
Fighters  Ki-27 otsu · Ki-27 otsu Tachiarai
  Ki-43-I · Ki-43-II · Ki-43-III otsu
  Ki-44-I · Ki-44-I 34 · Ki-44-II otsu · Ki-44-II hei
  Ki-84 ko · Ki-84 otsu · Ki-84 hei
  Ki-87
Hydroplanes  A6M2-N*
Interceptors  J1N1 · J5N1
Bombers  B5N2
  B6N1 Model 11 · B6N2 Model 12 · B6N2a Model 12Ko
  G5N1 · G8N1
  Ki-49-I · Ki-49-IIa · Ki-49-IIb · Ki-49-IIb/L
Recon  E8N2
Jet Fighters  Kikka
Captured  ␗Ki-27 otsu · ▃Ki-43-II · ␗Ki-43-III ko · ␗Ki-44-II hei · ␗Ki-84 ko
  *Refit of the Mitsubishi A6M2 mod. 11
See also  Fuji Heavy Industries (1957-2017)

Japan fighters
Navy 
Carrier-based fighter 
A5M  A5M4 · Hagiri's A5M4
A6M  A6M2 mod. 11 · A6M2 · A6M3 · A6M3 mod. 22 · A6M3 mod. 22Ko · A6M5 · A6M5 Ko · A6M5 otsu · A6M5 Hei · A6M6c
A7He  A7He1*
A7M  A7M1 (NK9H) · A7M2
Land-based Fighter 
J2M  J2M2 · J2M3 · J2M4 Kai · J2M5 · J2M5 (30 mm)
J6K  J6K1
J7W  J7W1
N1K-J  N1K1-Ja · N1K2-J · N1K2-Ja
Fighter seaplane 
N1K  N1K1
A6M-N  A6M2-N
Army 
Ki-10  Ki-10-I · Ki-10-I C · Ki-10-II · Ki-10-II C
Ki-27  Ki-27 otsu · Ki-27 otsu Tachiarai
Ki-43  Ki-43-I · Ki-43-II · Ki-43-III otsu
Ki-44  Ki-44-I · Ki-44-I 34 · Ki-44-II otsu · Ki-44-II hei
Ki-61  Ki-61-I ko · Ki-61-I otsu · Ki-61-I hei · Tada's Ki-61-I hei · Ki-61-I tei · Ki-61-II Otsu Kai
Ki-84  Ki-84 ko · Ki-84 otsu · Ki-84 hei
Ki-87  Ki-87
Ki-94  Ki-94-II
Ki-100  Ki-100 · Ki-100-II
Other countries  ▅F4U-1A · ▅P-51C-11-NT · ▅Bf 109 E-7 · ▅Fw 190 A-5
  *Imported designation of the He 112 (A6M was in development - A7M would take A7 designation after the cancelation of the A7He)

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