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Subchaser -> RE: A question regarding the Ki-54 Hickory (8/9/2004 12:21:22 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: brisd
I noticed that that this transport is practically useless due to its range in the game, which is based on an endurance of 240. The Ki-59 Theresa, which upgrades to the Ki-54, has a game endurance of 480, twice that of the Hickory! All I can find in Francillon is a 'range of 597 miles' for the Ki-54. Has anyone like Brady researched this or submitted an OOB change request or is the game correct? This was supposedly 'one of the most successful Japanese aircraft of the war' but doesn't seem that way in WITP??? Thanks!
It doesn’t seem that way, cause Ki-59 data is completely wrong, it’s not so hard to figure that out.
Normal take-off weight of Ki-59 was 4120 kg (2954kg empty), Ki-54 – 3900kg take-off weight and 2954 kg empty. So Ki-59 has 1166 kg of in-use load and Ki-54 has 946kg, not very big difference (220kg). As you understand, this weight was fuel primarily. Both aircraft were using the same engines Hitachi Ha-13a (Ki-59) and Ha-13b (Ki-54), with identical fuel consumption characteristics (civil version of Ki59 – TK3 was equipped with Kotobuki-3 engines (610hp), but this a/c is not Ki59). The question is – how these additional 220kg (this could have been something else, not necessarily fuel) could provide Ki-59 with almost double endurance of Ki-54? I guess the answer is clear, this was impossible.
In reality Ki-54 was able to spend more time in the air than Ki-59, poor aerodynamics, poor airframe quality and heavier weight of Ki-59 were the reasons why Ki-59 was almost 40 m/h slower than Ki-54 and has maximum range of only 800km (500 miles) with the same engines. Overall performance of Ki-59 was so poor that Koku Hombu ordered to stop production when only 59 a/c were assembled, these a/c never were in service with operation units, only flight schools and liaison detachments were using them in Japan and Manchuria until march ’42 when all a/c were transferred to Great Japan Airlines company.
I’ve deleted Ki-59 from the database in my scenario, there are not so much slots there to use one for this crap.These Ki-59 characteristics are much closer to the reality than those you see in the game.
Max. speed – 187
Cruise speed – 120
Max alt – 14600
Climb – 750
Mvr – 8
Dur – 22
Armor – 0
Endurance – ~200-210
Load – 1300
I’m going to get rid of these two a/c as well. H6K2-L Mavis – 16 a/c produced in 40-41, + 20 H6K4-L produced in 1942-43, 36 total, the only difference between these a/c and standard Mavis boats was the number of hatches and 6 additional seats for passengers. In fact load capacities of standard Mavis and its transport variant were no so different as it modeled in the game, loads were almost similar actually, although transport boats were more comfortable for passengers, but is this worth a slot in database? Patrol Mavis boats can be used as transports if needed, what are the reasons why transport units cannot use standard Mavis boats? Ki-77 is a better candidate for this slot, if there will be enough Nakajima engines in early 1945 it will be possible to try to build a certain number of this unique aircraft, this a/c will help with evacuation of HQs and other valuable small LCU from the cutoff bases in the enemy rear, with endurance of 3300 Ki-77 could go really far.
MC-21 Sally, I don’t know why this a/c was included. This is mistake I think. This was not a production model, it was some kind of field modification. About 60 old weary Ki-61-Ia were transferred by army to Great Japan Airlines during 1942, where they got new civil(!) designation – MC-21, transferring of the planes was proceeding simultaneously with IJA bomber units upgrade process, from Ki-21-I to Ki-21-II. It doesn’t worth a slot. Instead I’ll add Ki-56, japanese copy of Lockheed C-60, 121 were produced, very good transport a/c.
Ki-54 as it was pointed out was multifunctional a/c, very good design if one takes into account that it was designed as a trainer. 1368 produced, almost all were transports. Here is Ki-54 design line.
Ki-54a “advanced flight training army aircraft type 1 model A”
Model for pilots and bombardiers training
Ki-54b “advanced flight training army aircraft type 1 model B”
Model with 2 turrets (7’7mm type 89 mgs) added for bomber gunners training
Ki-54c “army transport aircraft type 1 model C” (Y-59 civil variant)
Transport and liaison model, reliable small transport aircraft, more than 800 produced
Ki-54d “army patrol bomber type 1 model D”
Handy small ASW bird with 8x 60kg depth charges, only 12 a/c produced.
Ki-110 – wooden analog of model c
Ki-111 – model C with Mitsubishi engines
Ki-114 – improved model D with Mitsubishi engines
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