With the Ki-100 proving such a success, it was decided to initiate production of this aircraft, the resulting Ki-100-Ib differing only by having the cutdown rear fuselage and all-round-view canopy that had been designed for the proposed Ki-61-III.
4 decal variants:
1. Ki-100, Akeno Flight Training Division (111th Air Regiment, flown by Mj. Yohei Hinoki (12 victories, Miki AF, Hyougo prefecture Japan, July 1945
2. Ki-100, 5th Air Regiment, Kiyosu AF, Aichi prefecture, Japan, July 1945
3. Ki-100, 244th Air Regiment, flown by Regiment Commander Maj. Teruhiko Kobayashi (12 victories), Yokaichi AF, Shiga prefecture, Japan, July 1945
4. Ki-100, 244th Air Regiment, flown by Regiment Commander Maj. Teruhiko Kobayashi (12 victories), Yokaichi AF, Shiga prefecture, Japan, July 1945
A total of 99 of this version was built before production was brought to an end by the growing weight of USAAF air attacks. A more effective version had been planned, to be powered by the Mitsubishi Ha-112 engine which incorporated a turbocharger to improve high-altitude performance, but only three of these Ki-100-II prototypes had been built and flown by the end of the war.
The Kawasaki Ki-100 is a Japanese, single-engine low-wing fighter with a classic tail and a metal structure. The flight of the prototype took place in February 1945, and in the same year the plane entered the line. The Ki-100 was a very far-reaching modification of the Ki-61 machine, which primarily involved replacing the unreliable Ha-40 and Ha-140 in-line engines with the Mitsubishi Ha-112-II KASEI radial engine with 1500 hp. Despite the problems, it was possible to start serial production, which was based on two aircraft models: Ki-100-I Ko and Ki-100-I Otsu. The Ki-100s were used almost exclusively as interceptors for the B-29 bomber raids on the Japanese Islands. About 400 machines of both versions were built. Technical data: length: 8.82m, wingspan: 12m, height: 3.75m, maximum speed: 580km / h, rate of climb: 13.9m / s, maximum range: 2200km, maximum ceiling 11000m, armament: fixed - 2 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns and 2 20mm Ho-5 cannons.
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