Kawasaki Ki-61 – Φωτογραφίες & Βίντεο

Teh Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (飛燕, “flying swallow”) is a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. The Japanese Army designation was “Army Type 3 Fighter” (三式戦闘機). Allied intelligence initially believed Ki-61s were Messerschmitt Bf 109s and later an Italian Macchi C.202, which led to the Allied reporting name of “Tony”, assigned by the United States War Department. It was the only mass-produced Japanese fighter of the war to use a liquid-cooled inline V engine. Over 3,000 Ki-61s were produced. Initial prototypes saw action over Yokohama during the Doolittle Raid on 18 April 1942, and continued to fly combat missions throughout the war.

Πηγή: Kawasaki Ki-61 στο Wiki

The Kawasaki Ki-61 was a Japanese fighter aircraft that served in World War II. It was the only Japanese fighter to use a liquid-cooled inline engine, which was a licensed copy of the German Daimler-Benz DB 601. The Ki-61 was designed by Takeo Doi and Shin Owada, who were inspired by the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Heinkel He 100. The Ki-61 had a sleek and streamlined fuselage, with a semi-monocoque structure and a supercharger air intake on the left side. The Ki-61 was armed with four 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns or two machine guns and two 20 mm Mauser MG 151 cannons. It could also carry two 250 kg bombs externally.
The Ki-61 was nicknamed “Hien” (flying swallow) by the Japanese and “Tony” by the Allies, who initially mistook it for an Italian Macchi C.202. The Ki-61 was a versatile and agile fighter that performed well at low to medium altitudes. It was used mainly for air superiority missions, but also for interception, escort, ground attack and kamikaze roles. The Ki-61 was produced in several variants, with over 3,000 units built. It saw action in various fronts, such as China, Burma, New Guinea and Japan. It was one of the most successful and widely used Japanese fighters of the war.