Difference between revisions of "Ki-43-I"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ki_43_1}}
+
{{Specs-Card
{{Notice|''This page is about the aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''. For other uses, see [[Ki-43_(Disambiguation)|Ki-43 (Disambiguation)]]''}}
+
|code=ki_43_1
 +
|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 needs to 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. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it 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]]
 +
{{break}}
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].
  
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
 
{{break}}
 
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating|3}}. This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.43.
 
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
<!--''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, manoeuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''-->
+
<!-- ''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%"
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
+
! rowspan="2" | 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
 
|-
 
| 472 || 461 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 14.3 || 15.0 || 11.8 || 11.8 || 120
 
|-
 
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
 
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,000 m)
+
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
 
 
|-
 
|-
! AB
+
! Stock
! RB
+
| 476 || 461 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 14.2 || 15.0 || 11.8 || 11.8 || rowspan="2" | 120
! AB
 
! RB
 
! AB
 
! RB
 
 
|-
 
|-
| 517 || 419 || 9000{{Specs}} || 13.8 || 14.0 || 23.3 || 15.3 || 120
+
! Upgraded
 +
| 517 || 495 || 13.8 || 14.0 || 19.6 || 15.3
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
====Details====
+
==== Details ====
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
! Combat flap
+
! Combat flaps
! Take-off flap
+
! Take-off flaps
! Landing flap
+
! Landing flaps
 
! Air brakes
 
! Air brakes
 
! Arrestor gear
 
! Arrestor gear
 
|-
 
|-
| X || X || X || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
+
| || || || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 71: Line 58:
 
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
 
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
 
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
 
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap<br> (km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps<br>(km/h)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
Line 77: Line 64:
 
! -
 
! -
 
|-
 
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || ??? || ~?? || ~?
+
|{{Specs|destruction|body}}||{{Specs|destruction|gear}}|| 450 || ~10 || ~5
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 90: Line 77:
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
| < ??? || < ??? || < ??? || > ???
+
| < 370 || < 350 || < 450 || > 318
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
Line 103: Line 91:
 
! WEP Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
|-
| ?,??? m || ??? hp || ?,??? hp
+
| 3,000 m || 970 hp || 1,095 hp
|-
 
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp  
 
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp
 
|- -->
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and 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. Describe the armour, if there is any, 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.
* No armour plating
 
* No armour glazing
 
* Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
 
* More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage
 
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
<!--''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|MAC 1934 (7.5 mm)}}
+
{{main|Ho-103 army (12.7 mm)|Type 89 army (7.7 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
* 4 x 7.5 mm [[MAC 1934 (7.5 mm)|MAC 1934]] machine guns (300 rpg = 1,200 total)
+
* A choice between three presets:
-->
+
** 2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 army machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
<!--=== Suspended armament ===
+
** 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)
''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''-->
+
** 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 army machine guns, nose-mounted (270 rpg = 540 total)
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Main article:&nbsp;'''[[:Category:Suspended armaments|Bombs]]'''''-->
+
 
<!--
+
== Usage in battles ==
=== Defensive armament ===
+
<!-- ''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).'' -->
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available, remove this subsection.''
 
-->
 
== Usage in the 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 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).''-->
 
  
===Manual Engine Control===
+
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 kph, resulting in awkward aiming adjustments if the target maneuvers, 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 good, maneuvers alright and has 12x 7.7mm 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 to 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 ===
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
|-
 
|-
! rowspan="2" |Mixer
+
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" |Pitch
+
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" |Radiator
+
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" |Supercharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" |Turbocharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Oil
 
! Oil
 
! Water
 
! Water
! Type  
+
! Type
 
|-
 
|-
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not ontrollable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
+
| 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
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
===Modules===
+
=== Modules ===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! colspan="1" | Tier
 
! colspan="1" | Tier
Line 177: Line 156:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| I
 
| I
| Fuselage Repair
+
| Fuselage repair
 
| Radiator
 
| Radiator
|  
+
|
|  
+
| Offensive 7 mm
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
|  
+
|
 
| Compressor
 
| Compressor
 
| Airframe
 
| Airframe
|  
+
| New 7 mm MGs
 +
| Otsu mod.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
| Wings Repair
+
| Wings repair
 
| Engine
 
| Engine
|  
+
|
|  
+
| Offensive 12 mm
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
|  
+
|
| Engine Injection
+
| Engine injection
 
| Cover
 
| Cover
|  
+
| New 12 mm MGs
 +
| Hei mod.
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle regarding its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
 
* Turns quickly
 
* Turns quickly
 
+
* Decent level & dive speed at its place
* Decent Speed
 
 
 
 
* Good climb rate
 
* Good climb rate
 
+
* 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:'''
  
 
* Doesn't turn as fast as the biplanes it typically faces
 
* 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
 
* Stealth belts are the only viable belt to use for both Ho-103 & Type 89
 
 
* Fragile frame
 
* Fragile frame
 
+
* Easily set afire
 +
* Engine can be easily damaged
 
* Lacks self-sealing fuel tanks
 
* 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)
  
* Zero armor
+
* Rudder locks up at around >=450 kph, 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 big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
''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 ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.-->
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|w_3vuywdr5E|'''The Shooting Range #27''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:22 discusses the Ki-43.}}
  
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
<!--''ETC.''-->
 
  
== Sources ==
+
== 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;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 +
{{AirManufacturer Nakajima}}
 
{{Japan fighters}}
 
{{Japan fighters}}

Revision as of 02:37, 30 September 2020

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
ki_43_1.png
360://https://wiki.warthunder.com/images/9/99/Cockpit_ki_43_1.jpg
Ki-43-I
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
This page is about the Japanese fighter Ki-43-I. For other uses, see Ki-43 (Family).

Description

GarageImage Ki-43-I.jpg


The Ki-43-I Hayabusa is a rank I Japanese fighter with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB), 2.7 (RB), and 2.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.43.

General info

Flight performance

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 11.8 11.8 120
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
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flaps
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
0 300 450 ~10 ~5
Optimal velocities
Ailerons
(km/h)
Rudder
(km/h)
Elevators
(km/h)
Radiator
(km/h)
< 370 < 350 < 450 > 318
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
3,000 m 970 hp 1,095 hp

Survivability and armour

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.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Ki-43-I is armed with:

  • A choice between three presets:
    • 2 x 7.7 mm Type 89 army 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)
    • 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 army 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 kph, resulting in awkward aiming adjustments if the target maneuvers, 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 good, maneuvers alright and has 12x 7.7mm 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 to 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

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability 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.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Turns quickly
  • Decent level & dive speed at its place
  • 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 kph, meaning that you will miss quite some passes due to the aim not being able to adjust horizontally

History

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Media

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

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
  • other literature.


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)