Description

      The Ki-83 Hien (Type 3 Fighter) was the only liquid-cooled fighter aircraft among the Japanese fighters that played an active role in the Pacific War. Through efforts to reduce air resistance and weight, it was completed as a well-balanced aircraft that could maximize both speed and maneuverability , and was officially adopted in 1943.

      However, the aircraft's weaknesses were production blunders stemming from a lack of basic industrial capabilities and malfunctions of the Ha40 liquid-cooled engine due to unfamiliarity with maintenance.

      Nevertheless , it achieved success in the air defense of the Philippines, New Guinea, and the Japanese mainland. In particular, during the air defense of the mainland , it maintained a high operational rate thanks to a stable supply of parts and the work of veteran maintenance personnel, and because it had better high-altitude performance than other Japanese aircraft, it fought valiantly against B-29s.

      In particular, the 244th Air Regiment, led by Captain Teruhiko Kobayashi, the youngest squadron commander in the history of the Army, displayed fierce fighting spirit, shooting down more than 160 B-29s by the end of the war, boasting the best unit record in combat.

Actual Aircraft Data:

• Crew: 1,
  
• Wingspan: 12.00m, Length: 8.74m, Height: 3.70m, Engine: Ha-40,
• Power: 1,100hp/4,200m, Maximum Speed: 580km/h (at an altitude of 5,000m), Armament: 2 x 20mm cannons, 2 x 12.7mm guns