Ki-44-I

This page is about the Japanese fighter Ki-44-I. For other versions, see Ki-44 (Family).

Ki-44-I

Ki-43-II

Ki-61-I ko

Ki-44-I

Ki-43-II

Ki-61-I ko

Japan

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.7	2.7	2.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:7 900

Purchase:10 000

Show in game

Description

The Ki-44-I, designated as the Type 2 Single-Seat Fighter, Model I (二式単座戦闘機一型) was developed alongside the lighter Ki-43 and the twin-engined Ki-45 in response to Western aircraft with retractable landing gear, such as the German Bf 109 and the British Spitfire, which were introduced shortly after the Japanese deployment of the Ki-27 in 1937. While the Ki-43-I was designed as an agile, machine-gun-armed fighter, the Ki-44 was intended to be a heavier, faster, cannon-armed single-seat aircraft, with the Ki-45 ko serving as a long-range twin-engine aircraft to complement these planes. During its development and service, many Japanese aviators were opposed to the concept of a heavier single-engine aircraft that sacrificed agility for other factors. These doctrinal clashes were temporarily quelled by the tactics employed by the Soviet Air Force during the Nomonhan Incident, where the I-16 outperformed Japanese pilots using hit-and-run tactics and faster aircraft. Nakajima, tasked with developing all three aircraft, had little experience with "heavy" planes, resulting in the Ki-44 being lighter than a Bf 109, yet still valuable due to its high speed and formidable firepower. It even outperformed the Japanese-imported Bf 109 E-7 in some aspects, despite its poor visibility and high landing speed requirements. The Ki-44 entered service in 1941, but many veteran Japanese pilots continued to dislike the aircraft, even though it achieved some successes in its smaller numbers.

While the Ki-44 might seem less appealing to Japanese aviators compared to the Army's Ki-43 or the Navy's A6M, it remains a fairly nimble aircraft that simply requires a different strategy. Boom-and-zoom tactics are key to the Ki-44's success; with its more powerful engine and increased firepower, the pilot should climb and dive on targets for maximum effect, regaining altitude for subsequent attacks. Although the Ki-44 is agile enough to change tactics or manoeuvres on the fly, pilots should note that it isn't as nimble as the previously mentioned aircraft.

Nicknames

• Nickname: Shōki (鍾馗, Demon Queller)
• Allied reporting name: Tojo

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 6 000 m558 km/h

Turn time16 s

Max altitude9 800 m

EngineNakajima Ha-41

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight3 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	539	523	9800	17.3	17.8	18.6	18.6	190
Upgraded	578	558		15.7	16.5	25.1	21.6

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	+	-
850	250	400	400	250	~13	~9

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 400	< 400	< 450	> 316

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,700 m	1,250 hp	1,340 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural850 km/h

Gear250 km/h

• No armour protection.
• No self-sealing fuel tanks.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB354 → 448

RB724 → 916

SB952 → 1 205

Total cost of modifications6 930

6 750

Talisman cost530

Crew training3 000

Experts10 000

Aces125

Research Aces160 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

20 / 60 / 120 %

112 / 112 / 112 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 460 Cost: 450 75 Radiator Research: 460 Cost: 450 75 Compressor Research: 520 Cost: 510 85 Wings repair Research: 580 Cost: 560 95 Engine Research: 580 Cost: 560 95 Engine injection Research: 750 Cost: 730 120	Airframe Research: 520 Cost: 510 85 Cover Research: 750 Cost: 730 120	type89_belt_pack Research: 460 Cost: 450 75 type89_new_gun Research: 520 Cost: 510 85 safat12_belt_pack Research: 580 Cost: 560 95 ho103_new_gun Research: 750 Cost: 730 120

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine gun

Ammunition500 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

Weapon 22 x 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun

Ammunition1 000 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The Ki-44-I is armed with:

• 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 army machine guns, wing-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 army machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

Usage in battles

Simulator battles

In simulator, the Ki-44 is a decent fighter that can do traditional dogfights, some bomber-hunting and some ground pounding. It has great all-round visibility, especially to the sides and the rear thanks to its clear teardrop canopy. However there are lots of thick frames at the front which can get very annoying and obstruct the target in a chase, delaying the pilot's reaction. The glass on the canopy's sides also tend to create dizzying reflections when the sun is near, reducing the visibility a lot. The over-the-nose visibility is average. The wing position (in front of the canopy) means that you cannot see anything at your low 11, 12, 1 or 2 o'clock so you have to fly past the target area and look towards 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 o'clock where there is nothing to obstruct your view.

The handling is good in general. During a take off the Ki-44 feels nose-heavy without any flaps deployed therefore after retracting the gears and flaps you need to pitch up a bit until the plane picks up some speed. Only elevator trim is available, so when the stick is at its deadzone, the Ki-44 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. It has excellent climb rate of around 14 m/s at 400 km/h, with 100% throttle and no MEC. This means that it can get to an ideal altitude of around 3,000 m very quickly. In a dive it easily accelerates to around 550 km/h while still having responsive controls, however it does not retain the speed well after leveling out. Note that its engine will overheat unbelievably fast. With WEP it heats up to >243° within 15 seconds. Thus you must utilise the WEP only when you have to, for example in a zoom climb or a high yoyo. The good news is, the engine can cool down quick enough for another 15-second WEP.

• While being more of a BnZ fighter, the Ki-44 also performs excellent at turn fighting - with the appropriate opponent, of course. Except a few dedicated turn fighters, the Ki-44 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.

The Ki-44 has a lovely low stall-speed of around 160 km/h and is also very controllable when getting out of a stall. However the handling gets very sluggish when slower than 200 km/h so make sure that there is no one behind you.

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-44 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 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, if you are lucky.

Specific enemies worth noting

• 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-44 still remains responsive handling at 600 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.
• F4U, F6F, P-47, etc: these planes are a huge threat to the Ki-44 as they have superior firepower, speed, dive acceleration and robust airframes. Their 12.7 mm MGs can easily tear you apart or simply pilot-snipe you even when they are far away, as the M2 Brownings have great velocity and trajectory. They can also set you aflame easily. The F4U has a long cylindrical nose and the iconic inverted gull wing. The P-47 has a huge, jug-like fuselage, bubble canopy and elliptical trailing edge that usually have invasion stripes painted on them. The F6F, on the other hand, might get confused with other planes as it looks rather average. Anyways, start a turn fight whenever you see these stubby planes.

Manual Engine Control

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

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Reasonably fast
• Climb rate is better than most equivalent aircraft, at more than 25 m/s spaded
• Excellent acceleration
• Superior agility against other aircraft like F4U
• Extremely low stall speed
• Has an excellent roll rate and decent turn time (utilise combat flaps for tighter manoeuvring)
• Good cockpit visibility in Simulator

Cons:

• Engine overheat within a minute and a half with WEP without MEC; using 100% doesn't cool it down quickly enough
• Very fragile with next to no protection. Will get shredded/set on fire easily, even by a single 7.62
• Has Instructor issues. Rudder and ailerons are very unstable if the plane is banked or at low speed
• Flaps cause the nose to pitch down hard if used below 150-200 km/h in a steep climb

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

• Skins and camouflages for the Ki-44-I from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Realistic: Ki-44-I [Fast-Nimble-Sleek] - Jengar

The Shooting Range #75 - Pages of History section at 08:00 discusses the Ki-44.

Arcade: Ki-44-I - Jengar

See also

Related development

• Ki-43 (Family)
• Ki-44 (Family)
  • Ki-44-I
  • Ki-44-I 34
  • Ki-44-II otsu
  • Ki-44-II hei
• Ki-45 (Family)

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• Re.2000 / Re.2001 / Re.2000
• P-43A-1
• M.B.157
• J22-A/-B
• VL Myrsky II
• Fw 190 (Family) - early models
• J2M (Family)

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance