Ki-61-I otsu

This page is about the Japanese fighter Ki-61-I otsu. For other versions, see Ki-61 (Family).

Ki-61-I otsu

Ki-44-II hei

Ki-43-III otsu

Ki-61-I otsu

Ki-44-II hei

Ki-43-III otsu

Japan

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.7	3.7	3.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:5 600

Purchase:22 000

Show in game

Description

The Ki-61-I otsu Hien is a rank II Japanese fighter with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB/RB) and 3.3 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

Unlike its more manoeuvrable and agile counterpart, the A6M Reisen, the Ki-61 is more of what one would call an "energy fighter". Compared to the "Zero" it is faster, has a higher climb rate, and handles better at higher speeds. Armed with four 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns and plenty of ammunition, the Ki-61-Ib is a more than capable fighter. As a continuation of the Japanese army tree, the Ki-61 is the successor of the earlier Ki-43 Hayabusa. The Hien is faster, has a higher rate of climb, and features a better armament. Utilize these three aspects when facing enemy aircraft.

One of the major advantages the Ki-61-Ib has is its climb rate. The stat card may be misleading, but this plane can reach altitudes no enemies will be close to (unless of course, the enemy is another Hien). This allows the Hien to choose when and where it wants to fight. Instead of simply "turning and burning" the Ki-61 is very good at energy fighting, or "boom and zoom". Once at a high altitude the Hien pilot may choose to dive lower to attack an enemy. If the enemy is not destroyed on the first pass, it is recommended to climb sharply and gain altitude. By doing this, the Hien sets itself up for another attack while not being in the range of the enemy's guns.

The Ki-61-I otsu looks akin to the Bf 109 in construction, with its inline engine and armament locations in the nose and wings.

The Ki-61-I otsu utilised four 12.7 mm Ho-103 Japanese machine guns. Generally, they are unreliable and it often takes hundreds of rounds to destroy an enemy plane. This is due to the lack of primer in the rounds themselves. 12.7 mm rounds fired by the M2 Browning may seem to do more damage because they have more primer which dictates how fast the round will exit the barrel. Due to this, it is necessary to get up close to enemies. Aim for the engine, pilot, or fuel tanks if the location is known. Remember to lead with these machine guns, as the rounds are not high velocity.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 5 000 m587 km/h

Turn time20 s

Max altitude10 000 m

EngineKawasaki Ha-40

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight3 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	567	552	10000	21.1	21.7	7.9	7.9	420
Upgraded	609	587		19.9	20.3	14.9	11

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	+	-
0	250	477	448	300	~11	~8

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 360	< 350	< 460	> 312

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,550 m	1,100 hp	1,232 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear250 km/h

• 13 mm Steel plate in pilot's seat

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB650 → 816

RB1 395 → 1 752

SB1 966 → 2 469

Total cost of modifications10 420

13 600

Talisman cost750

Crew training6 300

Experts22 000

Aces250

Research Aces220 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

40 / 90 / 200 %

124 / 124 / 124 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 520 Cost: 690 80 Radiator Research: 520 Cost: 690 80 Compressor Research: 780 Cost: 1 000 115 Wings repair Research: 650 Cost: 860 100 Engine Research: 650 Cost: 860 100 Engine injection Research: 1 700 Cost: 2 200 260	Airframe Research: 780 Cost: 1 000 115 Cover Research: 1 700 Cost: 2 200 260	safat12_belt_pack Research: 520 Cost: 690 80 7 in (mod20) Research: 520 Cost: 690 80 10 in (mod24) Research: 780 Cost: 1 000 115 ho103_new_gun Research: 650 Cost: 860 100 12 in (mod30) Research: 650 Cost: 860 100

Unlocking the performance modules should be a Hien pilot's first concern since there are only two weaponry modules. The stock machine gun belts aren't very good in a general sense, but neither are the others. The New 12 mm MGs can be helpful as it allows for longer periods of firing. Unlocking the bomb modules can help on most maps, no matter the game mode. Destroying some extra ground units can't hurt a team's victory chances

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 14 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine gun

Ammunition1 000 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The Ki-61-I otsu is armed with:

• 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, nose-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)
• 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, wing-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (3)

Setup 12 x 50 kg Army Type 94 GPHE bomb

Setup 22 x 100 kg Army Type 94 GPHE bomb

Setup 32 x 250 kg Army Type 92 GPHE bomb

The Ki-61-I otsu can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x 50 kg Army Type 94 GPHE bombs (100 kg total)
• 2 x 100 kg Army Type 94 GPHE bombs (200 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg Army Type 92 GPHE bombs (500 kg total)

Usage in battles

The Hien is best utilised as a multi-purpose fighter. Although proficient at energy fighting, the Ki-61 is also generally good at standard manoeuvres. It may lose turn fights with some enemy aircraft like the Spitfire Mk Vb/trop, but nonetheless it can still be used in multiple roles. The Hien is your standard "jack of all trades". It's not incredibly good at anything it does but it is even across the board. This allows the Hien pilot to choose what role they want to play in the battle. One could play the reserved, high flying energy fighter, or the aggressive low flying dog-fighter. The Ki-61 allows these choices.

Its armament is generally flexible, as it is able to equip multiple kinds of bombs. However, its weapons are considered by many to be unreliable and unwieldy. With accuracy and shot placement, the large ammunition pool can work to your advantage. The best choice of bomb loadout is the 250 kg bombs due to the lack of precision needed. A pilot can miss a direct hit on a pillbox and still destroy it.

If caught in a sticky situation, the Hien pilot may choose to do several things. Depending on your altitude, executing rolling scissors or an overshoot may be a valid tactic. Try to make the enemy pilot feel pressured to disengage. Depending on the enemy's aircraft, use your speed to your advantage and try to get away. The surest tactic would be communicating with teammates to ensure your assailant's death. Once tailed, the Hien pilot can "set up" an enemy by nosing up about 70 degrees so the entirety of the enemy plane is shown. At this stage, ideally, your teammate is arriving to save the day. In Realistic battles, if your team is made up of A6Ms it may also be beneficial to fly to them and start turn fighting.

For dogfighting, it is always safer to enter with an altitude advantage. Most dogfights in sim happen below 3,000m so the Ki-61 can easily climb up to that altitude. As mentioned in the description, its climb rate is actually great, don't get misled by the stat card. Once at an advantageous height, boom & zoom the enemies. The Ki-61 can easily accelerate to more than 550 km/h in a dive which is decently fast but requires more precise manoeuvres to get the correct lead, since the faster you go the smaller the shooting window is. A successful pass will not usually cripple the enemy given you weak firepower, so multiple attacks are needed to destroy one plane. Aside from BnZ, the Ki-61 is also excellent at turn fighting - with the appropriate opponent, of course. Except a few dedicated turn fighters, the Ki-61 can out-turn and get on most opponents' tail with combat flaps deployed. Note: do not turn with Spitfires or Zeros, you will never out-turn them. If you see a plane with a streamlined inline engine and large, elliptical wings (Spitfire) or something with rounded wingtips and stabiliser tips, a radial engine and a pointy tail (A6M), try some defensive manoeuvres like barrel rolls or disengage by diving towards a nearby friendly airfield. Note that the Ki-61's roll rate is very average so avoid manoeuvres like scissors.

When intercepting planes, it is crucial to know what the target is. If it is a bomber/attacker with decent defensive firepower, great turret coverage, or robust protection, then you might want to disengage after some attempts if you don't want to die. From the hard-hitting M2 Browning to the fast-firing MG 15, any gun can critically damage the Ki-61 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 it is better to aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up quite some bullets. Only fire when the bomber 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. DO NOT follow behind a bomber's 6 unless you are sure that its tail gunners are unconscious. Chasing behind a bomber makes yourself pretty much stationary for the tail gunners, and you will be showered with bullets.

For ground pounding, the best loadout is the 2 x 250 kg bombs. With an extra 500 kg of weight attached outside, the Ki-61 handles much clumsier during take offs, especially on the roll axis. Longer distance is needed before lifting off. Dive at a shallow angle to approach the target, try to get as close as possible but avoid crashing into the ground. When the target fills up about 1/3 in the gunsight and the gunsight slices just above the target, drop the bombs and immediately pull up. The 4 MGs perform well in killing trucks, AA guns and artilleries as they have plenty of ammo. However, constantly watch your surrounding, especially your high 6 for any incoming enemies.

Enemies worth noting:

• Me 264: This giant is one of the few bombers who get air spawns in Sim, so it usually flies higher than you think. On top of this, the Me 264 is armed with large calibre MG and cannons all over it, therefore tailing a 264 is basically suicide unless all of their gunners are knocked out. You can treat the 264 almost like a B-29 or B-17 as they are very similar in both design and defensive capabilities. It is best to head-on the 264 if you can as you can easily knock out the pilots due to its glazed nose while also taking minimal damage. However the bomber lacks a ventral turret on its belly, making it easy to deal damage from below, but be weary of the downwards facing rear 20 mm cannon near the tail. The safest way to attack is from a higher altitude, dive at an oblique angle and focus fire on the wings and nose. Never engage if you have no altitude advantage.
• B-25, Ju 88, IL-2, etc: These aircraft have either powerful defensive guns, for example the B-25, or wide gun coverage such as the Ju 88. The most threatening one, the B-25, is fairly easy to distinguish. It has a short and wide fuselage, twin radial engine hanging under the wings and a H-tail. Focus your fire on the engines and constantly swing sideways to avoid getting hit. A few hits from the M2 Browning is a guaranteed death. The Ju 88, on the other hand, has great underside gun coverage so attacking from below isn't a very good option. Try engaging from the sides and concentrate the fire on the front half of it, as that is where all the vital components are located. Again, never engage any of these if you have no altitude advantage. Pin them on the map and leave them to teammates with more powerful firepower.
• A6M, Spitfire, etc: If you see them on your tail try outrunning them by diving at around -40 degrees. The Ki-61 still remains responsive handling at 600 km/h, but its speed retention is not the best, 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.

Simulator battles

In Sim, the Ki-61 can be used in BnZ fighting, turn fighting, intercepting (to some extent) and some ground pounding. The Ki-61 is overall a pretty friendly plane to fly. It is quite fast, handles nicely at all speeds, has decent visibility especially over the nose, climbs great and has lots of ammo. However its disadvantages are the weak protection and poor damage of the 4 machine guns.

Before taking off, bring at least 30 minutes of fuel for longer patrol time. Set the convergence to around 250 m since your MGs have low velocity, therefore dealing less damage at longer range.

If you are not using MEC, use around 95% throttle when cruising below 3,000 m since the engine will slowly heat up at full throttle. But full throttle is fine at higher altitudes.

Only elevator trim is available, so when the stick is at its deadzone, the Ki-61 will roll and yaw to the left side. Therefore you always need to pull the stick to the right which can get a bit annoying. Usually, a trim of around -7% is enough. But when carrying the 2x 250kg bombload, no negative trim is needed.

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:

• Generally performs well in the most common tactics, both BnZ and turn-fighting, allowing flexible gameplay depending on the situation
• Outstanding climb rate
• Has decent dive speed, can easily out-dive slower opponents
• Large amount of ammunition (400-500 rpg) is great for long battles or difficult targets
• Some armour protection for the pilot means that it will not easily get pilot-sniped by small-calibre/low-penetrating guns from the back
• Able to equip up to 2 x 250 kg bombs, meaning it is also useful in ground pounding/tank RB
• Adequate over-the-nose visibility allows easier leading in Simulator

Cons:

• Rather weak firepower due to the slow velocity and light bullet mass, cannot effectively damage well-protected targets like IL-2s
• Locks up at high speeds
• No frontal armour, can be fatal in a head-on
• Average roll rate which worsens as speed increases, can easily get out-rolled by Fw 190s and I-16s

History

The Ki-61 was first put into service in with a special training unit, the 23rd Chutai, and entered combat for the first time in early 1943, during the New Guinea campaign. The Hiens were sent into a difficult theatre where jungles and adverse weather conditions coupled with a lack of spare parts quickly made short work of the Japanese fighters. Nonetheless, the Hien proved to be a worthy adversary and it even outclassed the P-40. Towards the end of the war, Ki-61s were relied upon heavily to defend the Japanese mainland from B-29 attacks. Some pilots used ramming attacks to down the Superfortresses. Soon, entire "special attack squadrons" were formed for the sole purpose of ramming B-29s.

In-game description

A lightweight multipurpose fighter plane, the Ki-61 Hien ("Swallow") was well-armed and well-armoured.

From the very beginning, the makers of the Ki-61 concerned themselves with protecting the fuel tanks and the pilot. The light multipurpose fighter was an effective answer to "hit-and-run" fighters, thanks to its survivability and high diving speed.

The Ki-61 had a Kawasaki Ha-40 liquid-cooled inverted V12 engine, a licensed copy of the DB 601A, capable of 1,175 hp.

A prototype was ready in 1941, and by the next year the first production models were manufactured and the Ki-61-I entered service. The Ki-61-I-Ko was equipped with two wing-mounted 7.7 mm machine guns and two fuselage-mounted synchronous 12.7 mm machine guns. The Ki-61-I-Otsu's four machine guns were all large-calibre.

All in all, 1,380 Ki-61-I aircraft were manufactured.

Media

The Shooting Range #43 - Pages of History section at 02:42 discusses the Ki-61.

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

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance