AW Ki-84 Ver 2 is now finished

A lot of "what if" talk here. Facts are facts and truth is truth. The Ki-84 was too little and too late to make a big difference in the outcome of the war. We were the victors,and that is the fact. The Japanese put up a fierce fight though,and we paid a terrible price for victory. Let us not forget that awesome and somber fact. Regards,Scott
 
Captain Kurt said:
It's interesting comparing the performance specifications of these aircraft, but the one thing mostly missing from this conversation is fighting tactics and pilot skill in employing them. All fighter pilots worth their salt learned to exploit the best performance features of their aircraft and avoid getting into situations where an enemy aircraft had better performance.

For example, Allied pilots learned early not to get into a turning fight with any Japanese fighter as almost all of them could out turn the Allied fighters. Among many other things, the speed maintained during a fight (energy) also plays a factor in any fight, as it effects the overall capability of any aircraft - such as the performance of the control surfaces, turning radius, structural strength or weaknesses, roll rate, stall, climb and dive, etc.

Clearly the Zero was a superior fighter compared to the F4F and P-40 based on specification to specification, yet the combat record shows those two were able to hold their own once their pilots learned the best tactics to use and which to avoid given their own aircraft capabilities. The same would be true regarding the Ki.84. One of the USAAF's best aces Thomas McGuire died because he let himself get sucked into a low, slow turning fight with one, stalled out and crashed. The Ki.84 won without firing a shot. Had he used the p-38 strengths instead, it may have had a totally different outcome.
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Hello Captain Kurt,
McGuire died because of arrogance. He refused to lose his drop tanks because he figured he could beat the Japanese fighters and continue hunting for more of them afterwards. IIRC His flight of 4 met 3 Japanese fighters including at least one Ki 43-III and ended up losing 2 while downing 1. The other problem was that the Japanese were not novices. At least one was an instructor pilot.

- Ivan.
 
Hi Ivan,

My point exactly. McGuire ignored the weak points of the P-38 - including trying to turn low, slow, and with drop tanks. The Japanese pilots obviously out flew the Americans in a flight regime where their fighters were superior, a low altitude turning dogfight.
 
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