World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
29 Jul 2011 09:47:25 PM

Nakajima Ki-44 5th Prototype, January 1942

2.  Bill says:
6 Nov 2011 11:25:01 AM

47th Independent Company operating out of Saigon, January 1942, was the first unit to receive pre-production Ki-44s, treading in its Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscars".
Aircraft number eight, is flown by Captain Kuroe Yasuhiko. The 47th operated in China,
French Indo-China and Malaya.

FIRST BLOOD:

Ki-44s combat debut was on January 1, 1942 a
flight of three Ki-44s attacked RAF Brewster Buffalos of No. 21 and 453 Squadron north of
Singapore supporting the invasion of Malaya

3.  Bill says:
7 Nov 2011 04:49:34 PM

Oops! misspelled the word trading, should have caught that one.
Nakajima produced 1,225 Ki-44s a few were armed with two wing-mounted Ho-301, 40mm cannons w/10rpg and two 12.7mm Ho-103 MGs
synchronized to fire through the propeller w/250rpg.

4.  Bill says:
14 Dec 2011 04:22:55 PM

Pre-production model Ki-44s were armed with
two 12.7mm machine guns in the wings with
250 rounds per gun, that were belt fed and two 7.7mm machine guns in the upper cowling with 500 rounds per gun.
Later model Ki-44s were armed with 20mm and
30mm cannons and 12.7mm machine guns.

CAPTURED TOJO:

When US Forces captured Clark Field, in the
Philippines they found abandoned Japanese
Navy and Army aircraft. Aircraft were salvaged and repaired, test flown against
Allied fighters, among the Army fighters were Ki-44s that were evaluated.
At the end of WWII of Japanese fighters and bombers were scrapped no Ki-44 remains today.