Ki-45 hei/tei (China)

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Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the premium twin-engine fighter Ki-45 hei/tei (China). For other versions, see Ki-45 (Family).
␗Ki-45 hei/tei
ki-45_hei_tei_china.png
GarageImage Ki-45 hei tei (China).jpg
␗Ki-45 hei/tei
Purchase:1 150 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The ␗Ki-45 hei/tei Toryu , known to the Chinese forces by the name 重战 (Heavy fighter), was the captured Ki-45 series in Northeastern China by the Communist forces by the end of WWII. IJAAS deployed some quantities of Ki-45 to Northeastern China to defend their assets in the area, most notably their steel mill; as well as the last-ditch weapon against Soviet forces near the Chinese borders. 3 of these Ki-45 in different variants were eventually rebuilt into a single aircraft for evaluation and teaching, leaving them practically useless during the later Civil War.

Introduced in Update 1.93 "Shark Attack" as one of the GE aircraft available, the Ki-45 was classified as a heavy fighter. The Ki-45 isn't the best in the manoeuvrability category. However, for a heavy fighter, it manoeuvres very well. It is even capable of out-turning aircraft such as the P-47D-25. Unlike heavy fighters of other nations, the Ki-45 series does not feature aircraft with large amounts of heavy weaponry. This is a major downside, considering how heavy fighters traditionally give up manoeuvrability and speed for armament. Instead, the Ki-45s utilize more of an equilibrium between manoeuvrability, speed, and armament. These are what makes the Ki-45 both a capable dogfighter, and bomber hunter.

This variant is a unusual hybrid between the hei and tei variants of the Ki-45. It has the fuselage mounted 20 mm Ho-3 cannon and lack of ordnance options of the former and the twin 20 mm Ho-5 cannons mounted behind the pilot in the "Schrage Musik" style of the latter. This makes it the most heavily armed Ki-45 currently available in the game, though it pays for this with a significantly higher battle rating. A great choice for bomber hunting, the low ammunition supplies make it unforgiving against fighters.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 6 300 m570 km/h
Turn time24 s
Max altitude9 900 m
Engine2 х Mitsubishi Ha-102
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight5 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 6,300 m)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 551 533 9900 24.9 25.5 16.4 16.4 520
Upgraded 593 570 23.2 24.0 23.1 19.5

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 + -
712.5 350 450 444 308 ~11 ~7
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 360 < 320 < 450 > 330

Survivability and armour

Crew2 people
Speed of destruction
Structural713 km/h
Gear350 km/h
  • 16 mm steel - behind pilot
  • 16 mm steel - headrest

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB1 608 Sl icon.png
RB5 984 Sl icon.png
SB1 310 Sl icon.png
Crew training6 900 Sl icon.png
Experts46 000 Sl icon.png
Aces320 Ge icon.png
Research Aces500 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 70 / 230 / 240 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 130 / 130 / 130 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Mods ammo.png
ho1_belt_pack
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods ammo.png
mg_turret_belt_pack
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods weapon.png
20mmtype97_new_gun
Mods ammo.png
ho5_belt_pack
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods turret gun.png
mg15_turret_new_gun
Mods weapon.png
ho5_new_gun
Mods weapon.png
ho203_new_gun

Armaments

Offensive armament

Ammunition15 rounds
Fire rate300 shots/min
Ammunition100 rounds
Fire rate400 shots/min
Weapon 32 x 20 mm Ho-5 cannon
Ammunition200 rounds
Fire rate948 shots/min

The Ki-45 hei/tei (China) is armed with:

  • 1 x 37 mm Ho-203 cannon, nose-mounted (15 rpg)
  • 1 x 20 mm Ho-3 cannon, belly-mounted (100 rpg)
  • 2 x 20 mm Ho-5 cannons, Schräge-Musik style (100 rpg = 200 total)

Defensive armament

Turret7.92 mm Type 98 machine gun
Ammunition1050 rounds
Fire rate1000 shots/min
Main article: Type 98 (7.92 mm)

The Ki-45 hei/tei (China) is defended by:

  • 1 x 7.92 mm Type 98 machine gun, dorsal turret (1,050 rpg)

Usage in battles

This variant of the Ki-45, the Ki-45 tei, features the first "Schräge Musik" armament of the series. Wielding one Ho-204 37 mm cannon and two Ho-5 20 mm cannons, the Ki-45 tei is the definition of a bomber hunter. Its 37 mm cannon allows the Toryu to take down bombers with ease, and its dual 20 mm cannons allow for even more flexibility in the bomber hunting department. Although deadly, the 37 mm cannon only holds 15 rounds, so shot placement is crucial. The round itself also travels fairly slowly in the air, making it hard to hit fast-moving enemy fighters. The 20 mm cannons are best used in a secondary weapon role, as they are fixed at an upward angle. To use these weapons, one must bind a key to them via the in-game controls menu (it is on the first page that comes up, basic).

The Ki-45 tei also retains its impressive turn rate from the Ki-45 otsu. Although the aircraft itself is large and presents an "easy target" in many players' minds, the Ki-45 is rather nimble. Use this to your advantage when engaging enemy aircraft. Unfortunately, the Ki-45 is a heavy fighter, meaning its turn time is still not on par with other aircraft such as the F2A-3. In certain cases, the Ki-45 pilot may have to rely on his or her tail gunner to get the job done. The "tei" version of the Ki-45 features a 7.92 mm Type 98 machine gun with 1050 rounds. Although lacklustre, with shot placement it is possible to destroy enemies on the aircraft's tail. Aim for the pilot or the engine, as those are generally the weakest points on most aircraft. If the tailing enemy is a biplane, aim for the wings since they are very fragile.

The Toryu is also rather fragile for a heavy fighter. Although it does feature two engines, the Ki-45 does not have very much armour protection. Only the back of the pilot's seat and the nose has armour, leaving both the gunner and engines unprotected. This can prove costly in a fight. If one does find him or herself tailed, call upon teammates for assistance.

  • In simulator, the Ki-45 has a decent frontal view with large pieces of glass in front, on top and to the sides, ensuring great visibility. The gun sight has enough room under, allowing easy tracking and leading of targets. However the side views are terrible as the wings & engines block out most of the view downwards, and a thick frame blocks out the upper area, as a result, the common way of circling above an area to spot something is extremely limited. Rear visibility is almost non-existent with the entire tail obstructed by the headset.
  • If a bomber is flying above your level, your Schräge Musik cannons will become very handy and give them a fatal surprise. The Schräge Musik is easy to learn but takes time and practice to use it to its full potential. First, position your Ki-45 under the bomber's belly and make sure you are at least 500 m above the ground. Then, as you are about to be directly under it, switch to Schräge Musik mode and align the reticle to the centre axis of the target fuselage. Now because there is no fixed distance on how far below the target you should be, the shells might not always land at where the reticle points at, so fire a few short bursts first to see if your lead is accurate. Fix the vertical lead by pitching the plane or adjust your speed. When adjusting the pitch, you must pay constant attention to your altimeter because in Schräge Musik mode, you are staring at the blank sky above, thus you are likely to lose sense of direction and will have no idea if you are diving towards the ground or climbing to a stall. If your pitch is too important (regardless of diving or climbing), get out of Schräge Musik mode and reposition the plane. Aiming the Schräge Musik cannons sideways require a combination of elevator and rudder finesse which can be overwhelming at first, but be patient and practice. The Ki-45 is more manoeuvrable than the Do 217 N-2, making it easier to use the Schräge Musik. The 2 x 20 mm cannons deal considerable damage to most bomber's underside, however control your trigger as 100 rounds per gun is quickly spent if your shots miss.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled
Controllable
Auto control available
Controllable
Auto control available
Separate Controllable
2 gears
Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Highly powerful cannon combinations allow it to hunt down most bombers easily
  • Good manoeuvrability and climb rate for a heavy fighter; can out-turn aircraft like P-47
  • Acceptable top speed
  • 16.5 mm of armour in pilot's seat and added armour in the nose around cannon barrel
  • Twin-engine design- can fly back to base even with one engine damaged/destroyed

Cons:

  • Beat in turn fights by some aircraft like Bf 109 F-4, A6M2 / 3
  • Prone to fuel and engine fires
  • Locks up at high speeds
  • Mediocre roll rate, gets worse as speed increases
  • Limited ammunition for all weapons
  • Lack of protection around fuel tanks, engines, and gunner
  • Long cannon reload for arcade
  • Pilot is exposed in head-ons
  • Very little anti-fighter capabilities

History

The documents regarding of the service of the Ki-45 series in Mainland China are rather sparse. Some of the known records of their operation were bomber interception operations against the USAAF during their bombardment on Anshan (鞍山; for the steel mill) and during the last days of the Empire as a last ditch weapon to take down the masses of Soviet tanks assaulting Northeastern China with its 37 mm cannon.

There were records suggesting that the Chinese Red Army Air Force (before the official establishment of PLAAF on 1949/11/11) flew Ki-45; but current evidence showed another story instead: The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army (东北民主抗日联军;东北抗联) found 3 modified Ki-45s (modified from a certain model to Tei 丁 variant) at Sunjia Airfield, Harbin in 1946, but all these 3 aircrafts were damaged and only one of them could be assembled for flight, likely never been used by the Air Force.[1]

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

Related development
Other aircraft equipped with Schräge Musik

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Kawasaki Aircraft Industries (川崎航空機工業株式会社)
Biplane Fighters  Ki-10-I · Ki-10-I C · Ki-10-II · Ki-10-II C
Fighters  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-100 · Ki-100-II
Interceptors  Ki-45 ko · Ki-45 otsu · Ki-45 hei · Ki-45 tei
  Ki-96
  Ki-102 otsu
  Ki-108 Kai
Bombers  Ki-32
  Ki-48-II otsu
Captured  ␗Ki-45 hei/tei · ␗Ki-61-I otsu · ▃Ki-61-Ib
See also  Kawasaki Shipyard Co.

China twin-engine fighters and strike aircraft
Twin-engine fighters  ␗Ki-45 hei/tei · ␗P-38L-1
Strike aircraft  V-11 · V-12D · ␗IL-10 (1946) · Mosquito FB.Mk.26

China premium aircraft
Fighters  ␗A6M2 · D.510C · ␗F-47N-25-RE · H-81A-2 · Hawk III · ␗Ki-45 hei/tei · ␗Ki-84 ko · ␗P-51C-11-NT
Jet fighters  Shenyang F-5 · J-7D
Strike aircraft  A-5C · ␗F-84G-31-RE