Ki-45 ko

Ki-45 ko

Ki-45 otsu

Ki-45 hei

Ki-45 ko

Ki-45 otsu

Ki-45 hei

Japan

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	2.7	2.7

Class:

Fighter

Interceptor

Research:4 000

Purchase:2 100

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This page is about the aircraft Ki-45 ko. For other uses, see Ki-45 (Disambiguation)

Description

The Ki-45 ko Toryu is a Rank I Japanese twin-engine fighter with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 2.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.31.

  Being a classed as a heavy fighter, the Ki-45 isn't the best in the maneuverability category. However, for a heavy fighter, it maneuvers 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 maneuverability and speed for armament. Instead, the Ki-45s utilize more of an equilibrium between maneuverability, speed, and armament. These are what makes the Ki-45 both a capable dog-fighter, and bomber hunter.

  The first variant of the Ki-45, the Ki-45 ko, features the least "hard hitting" armament of the series. Wielding two Ho-103 12.7 mm machine guns and one Ho-3 20 mm cannon, this aircraft is the best suited for dog-fighting as it has the largest total ammunition pool out of all the Toryus. Sitting at tier 1, this beast is more than capable of shooting down anything it may face.

  The Ki-45 also has a very good turn rate, unlike other heavy fighters. 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 "ko" version of the Ki-45 features a 7.92 mm Type 98 machine gun with 1050 rounds. Although lackluster, 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 bi-plane, 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 armor protection. Only the back of the pilot's seat has armor, leaving both the gunner and engines unprotected. This can prove costly in a fight. If one does find themselves tailed, call upon teammates for assistance.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 6,300 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
546	534	9900	25.2	25.7	16.5	16.5	520
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 6,300 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
?	?	9900	??.?	??.?	??.?	??.?	520

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
712.5	350	390	~11	~7

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 360	< 320	< 450	> 280

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
1,800 m	2,080 hp	2,271 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
5,100 m	1,870 hp	2,042 hp

Survivability and armour

• 16 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Ki-45 ko is armed with:

• 1 x 20 mm Ho-3 cannon, belly-mounted (100 rpg)
• 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, nose-mounted (350 rpg = 700 total)

Defensive armament

The Ki-45 ko is defended by:

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

Usage in the battles

The Ki-45 ko's armament is much more suited for dog-fighting than its later, 37 mm cannon-armed variants. With a moderate ammunition pool, it is easily possible to destroy multiple enemies with this aircraft. It is recommended to use the 20 mm cannon only when the pilot is sure he or she will hit the enemy aircraft, as it only holds 100 shells. The 12.7 mm machine guns are where most of the damage will be done at a range.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Offensive 12 mm	Turret 7 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 12 mm MGs	New 7 mm MGs (Turret)
III	Wings Repair	Engine		Offensive 20 mm
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 20 mm Cannons

• Instead of focusing on armament like other heavy fighters, the Ki-45 is more balanced between armament and flight performance. While the default ammunition belts for both weapons on the Ki-45 ko are workable, it can help to upgrade. Unlocking the flight performance modules will help drastically in dogfights and turn fights.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• 7.92 mm tail gun
• Fairly good speed
• 16.5 mm of armor in pilot's seat
• Good maneuverability
• Two engine design
• Effective armament
• Very good climb rate

Cons:

• Beat in turn fights by some aircraft
• Prone to fuel and engine fires
• Locks up at high speeds
• Mediocre roll rate, gets worse as speed increases (compression)
• Limited ammunition for all weapons
• Lack of protection around fuel tanks, engines, and gunner

History

Initially designed to be a bomber escort, the Ki-45 was first deployed in what is now China and Vietnam. It was found to be easily outclassed by P-40s piloted by the Flying Tigers. As a result, the Ki-45's role was changed to anti-shipping and ground attack, where it performed satisfactorily. Nonetheless, the Ki-45's greatest strength proved to be its bomber intercepting capabilities. Heavily armed with 37 mm cannon, the Toryu (Dragon Slayer) could destroy heavy bombers with ease. As the war progressed, the need for an interceptor to defend the Japanese mainland was ever present. Soon, the Ki-45 was deployed to counter B-29 Superfortress raids. Although its armament was clearly deadly enough, the Ki-45 suffered at high altitudes. Pilots soon resorted to ramming attacks against the Superfortress'. Special attack groups specifically designed for this purpose formed, but by late 1945 Imperial Japan's fate had been sealed.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read 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.

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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

Japan twin-engine fighters and strike aircraft
Navy
Land-based Fighter
J1N	J1N1
J5N	J5N1
Army
Ki-45	Ki-45 ko · Ki-45 otsu · Ki-45 hei · Ki-45 tei
Ki-83	Ki-83
Ki-96	Ki-96
Ki-102	Ki-102 otsu
Ki-108	Ki-108 Kai
Ki-109	Ki-109