Tada's Ki-61-I hei

Description

This Ki-61-I hei, designated as the Type 3 Fighter (三式戦闘機), was flown by pilot Takeichi Tada of the 78th Sentai. The 78th Sentai was initially formed in 1942 in Manchuria, equipped with Ki-27s. In April 1943, the unit was recalled to Akeno Airbase, Japan, where they were the 2nd Squadron transitioned to the Ki-61 after intense training. The unit's insignia, eight stylized 7s forming a chrysanthemum, symbolized "78". After training, the squadron was deployed to Rabaul in June 1943, where they camouflaged their Ki-61s, removing the unit insignia and painting tail lines in white, yellow, or blue to distinguish the Chutai (flight groups). The 78th Sentai earned the distinction of securing the first aerial victory with the Ki-61 and flew defensive missions over Rabaul until the unit was effectively destroyed and disbanded by July 1944.

Introduced in Update "Starfighters", the Ki-61-I hei retains the excellent manoeuvrability typical of Japanese aircraft but has some limitations. Its top speed is only marginally higher than early "Zeroes", and while it accelerates well and maintains energy, it falls behind other aircraft in overall speed, resembling the German Bf 109 G-6. The armament is deadly, featuring two MG 151 20 mm cannons with German Minengeschoß shells for devastating firepower, paired with Japanese 12.7 mm guns equipped with HE shells. Although the ammo count is average, it's less than that of American aircraft. The effective landing flaps aid in slowing down during combat, allowing for overshoots. The Hei Hien can also carry various bombs, with the 250 kg loadout being the most effective. For air combat, air target belts for the MG 151s, packed with Minengeschoß shells, and stealth or air target belts for the 12.7 mm guns are recommended.

General info

Flight performance

Details

Survivability and armour

• 13 mm Steel plate behind the pilot

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB1 395

RB5 128

SB3 869

Crew training10 000

Experts250 000

Aces820

Research Aces870 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 90 / 230 / 420 %

2 × 160 / 160 / 160 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Radiator Compressor Wings repair Engine Engine injection	Airframe Cover	safat12_belt_pack 7 in (mod20) ho103_new_gun 10 in (mod24) mg15120_belt_pack 12 in (mod30) mg15120_new_gun

Armaments

Offensive armament

Tada's Ki-61-I hei is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (120 rpg = 240 total)
• 2 x 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, nose-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)

Suspended armament

Tada's Ki-61-I hei can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x 50 kg Army Type 94 GPHE bombs (100 kg total)
• 2 x 100 kg Army Type 94 GPHE bombs (200 kg total)
• 2 x 250 kg Army Type 92 GPHE bombs (500 kg total)

Usage in battles

The "Hei" (丙, c) modification of the Ki-61 still retains the above average manoeuvrability, common to the Japanese aviation tree. However, the Hei Hien has some faults - its top speed is only 20 km/h higher than that of the early "Zeroes". Its climb rate is enough for its role, and it retains energy fairly well. While its acceleration holds itself pretty well, Its top speeds are not on par with other aircraft making it similar to the German Bf 109 G-6. Its guns are also a hit and miss - it is equipped with the deadly MG 151 20 mm cannons, and it can also equip German belts with Minengeschoß shells. However, the Japanese 12.7s are lower velocity and a bit on the weak side. The Hien's ammo count is average, albeit not as much as American aircraft. One thing to be noted is that the landing flaps are very effective and will slow you down even if you use WEP. That said, use them when you are trying to make somebody on your six overshoot you.

The Hei Hien's armament is flexible, as it is able to equip multiple kinds of bombs. With accuracy and shot placement, the large ammunition pool can work to your advantage. Equipping the air targets belt for the MG 151 cannons is the best choice for air combat. It features a high degree of Minengeschoß shells, specially made German HE shells with thin walls. There is no 20 mm cannon shell in the game with more high explosive than the Minengeschoß. As for the 12.7s, Stealth or Air target belts are your best bet. The best choice of bomb loadout is the 250 kg bombs due to the lack of precision needed. A pilot can miss a direct hit on a pillbox and still destroy it.

Realistic battles

Instead of simply turn fighting, the Ki-61 is very good at energy fighting, or "boom and zoom". Once at a high altitude, the Hien pilot may choose to dive lower to attack an enemy. If the enemy is not destroyed on the first pass, it is recommended to climb sharply and gain altitude. By doing this, the Hien sets itself up for another attack while not being in the range of the enemy's guns.

The Hei Hien is best utilised as a multi-purpose fighter. Although proficient at energy fighting, the Ki-61 is also generally good at standard manoeuvres. It may lose turn fights with some enemy aircraft like the Spitfire Mk Vb/trop, but nonetheless it can still be used in multiple roles. The Hien is your standard "jack of all trades". It's not incredibly good at anything it does but it is even across the board. This allows the Hien pilot to choose what role they want to play in the battle. One could play the reserved, high flying energy fighter, or the aggressive low flying dogfighter. The Ki-61 allows these choices.

If caught in a sticky situation, the Hien pilot may choose to do several things. Depending on your altitude, executing rolling scissors or an overshoot may be a valid tactic. Try to make the enemy pilot feel pressured to disengage. Depending on the enemy's aircraft, use your speed to your advantage and try to get away. The surest tactic would be communicating with teammates to ensure your assailant's death. Once tailed, the Hien pilot can "set up" an enemy by nosing up about 70 degrees so the entirety of the enemy plane is shown. At this stage, ideally, your teammate is arriving to save the day. In Realistic battles, if your team is made up of A6Ms it may also be beneficial to fly to them and start turn fighting.

Simulator battles

In Sim, the Ki-61 can be used in BnZ fighting, turn fighting, intercepting and some ground pounding. The Ki-61 is overall a pretty friendly plane to fly. It is quite fast, handles nicely at all speeds, has decent visibility especially over the nose, climbs great and has powerful armament. However its main disadvantage is the weak protection.

Before taking off, bring at least 30 minutes of fuel for longer patrol time. If you are not using MEC, use around 95% throttle when cruising below 3,000 m since the engine will slowly heat up at full throttle. But full throttle is fine at higher altitudes.

Only elevator trim is available, so when the stick is at its deadzone, the Ki-61 will roll and yaw to the left side. Therefore you always need to pull the stick to the right which can get a bit annoying. Usually, a trim of around -7% is enough. But when carrying the 2 x 250 kg bombload, no negative trim is needed.

For dogfighting, it is always safer to enter with an altitude advantage. Most dogfights in sim happen below 3,000m so the Ki-61 can easily climb up to that altitude. As mentioned in the description, its climb rate is actually great, don't get misled by the stat card. Once at an advantageous height, boom & zoom the enemies. The Ki-61 can easily accelerate to more than 550 km/h in a dive which is decently fast but requires more precise manoeuvres to get the correct lead, since the faster you go the smaller the shooting window is. A successful pass will usually cripple the enemy due to the destructive twin MG 151 cannons. Aside from BnZ, the Ki-61 is also excellent at turn fighting - with the appropriate opponent, of course. Except a few dedicated turn fighters, the Ki-61 can out-turn and get on most opponents' tail with combat flaps deployed. Note: do not turn with Spitfires or Zeros, you will never out-turn them. If you see a plane with a streamlined inline engine and large, elliptical wings (Spitfire) or something with rounded wingtips and stabiliser tips, a radial engine and a pointy tail (A6M), try some defensive manoeuvres like barrel rolls or disengage by diving towards a nearby friendly airfield. Note that the Ki-61's roll rate is very average so avoid manoeuvres like scissors.

When intercepting planes, it is crucial to know what the target is, because although you have powerful armament, most targets can still easily damage you in return. If it is a bomber/attacker with decent defensive firepower or great turret coverage then you might want to disengage after some attempts if you don't want to die. From the hard-hitting M2 Browning to the fast-firing MG 15, any gun can critically damage the Ki-61 especially on the engine, fuel tanks, and pilot which can always lead to a later crash. Before attacking try to get an altitude advantage and perform deflection shots. To maximise the damage it is better to aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up quite some bullets. Only fire when the bomber passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything, but the 20 mm Mineshells will not disappoint. A few hits with the MG 151 is enough to cripple the target. But DO NOT follow behind a bomber's 6 unless you are sure that its tail gunners are unconscious. Chasing behind a bomber makes yourself pretty much stationary for the tail gunners, and you will be showered with bullets.

For ground pounding, the best loadout is the 2 x 250 kg bombs. With an extra 500 kg of weight attached outside, the Ki-61 handles much clumsier during take offs, especially on the roll axis. Longer distance is needed before lifting off. Dive at a shallow angle to approach the target, try to get as close as possible but avoid crashing into the ground. When the target fills up about 1/3 in the gunsight and the gunsight slices just above the target, drop the bombs and immediately pull up. It is best to set separate keybinds for firing MG and cannons as wasting precious cannon rounds can be fatal. The 2 MGs perform well in killing trucks, AA guns and artilleries as they have plenty of ammo. However, constantly watch your surrounding, especially your high 6 for any incoming enemies.

Enemies worth noting:

• Me 264: This giant is one of the few bombers who get air spawns in Sim, so it usually flies higher than you think. On top of this, the Me 264 is armed with large calibre MG and cannons all over it, therefore tailing a 264 is basically suicide unless all of their gunners are knocked out. You can treat the 264 almost like a B-29 or B-17 as they are very similar in both design and defensive capabilities. It is best to head-on the 264 if you can as you can easily knock out the pilots due to its glazed nose while also taking minimal damage. However the bomber lacks a ventral turret on its belly, making it easy to deal damage from below, but be wary of the downwards facing rear 20 mm cannon near the tail. The safest way to attack is from a higher altitude, dive at an oblique angle and focus fire on the wings and nose. Never engage if you have no altitude advantage.
• B-25, Ju 88, IL-2, etc: These aircraft have either powerful defensive guns, for example the B-25, or wide gun coverage such as the Ju 88. The most threatening one, the B-25, is fairly easy to distinguish. It has a short and wide fuselage, twin radial engine hanging under the wings and a H-tail. Focus your fire on the engines and constantly swing sideways to avoid getting hit. A few hits from the M2 Browning is a guaranteed death. The Ju 88, on the other hand, has great underside gun coverage so attacking from below isn't a very good option. Try engaging from the sides and concentrate the fire on the front half of it, as that is where all the vital components are located. Again, never engage any of these if you have no altitude advantage. Pin them on the map and leave them to teammates with more powerful firepower.
• A6M, Spitfire, etc: If you see them on your tail try outrunning them by diving at around -40 degrees. The Ki-61 still remains responsive handling at 600 km/h, but its speed retention is not the best, meaning it will start to lose speed quickly and the enemy might catch up. If you are near a friendly airfield, great. If not, then hope for the best and run towards the friendly side. Don't forget to pitch up and down a little to mess up their aim, the early Spitfires and A6M only have a 60-round drum per cannon which will run out fairly fast. The leftover 7.7 mm machine guns will not be as destructive.

Manual Engine Control

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Generally performs well in the most common tactics, both BnZ and turn-fighting, allowing flexible gameplay depending on the situation
• Outstanding climb rate
• Has decent dive speed, can easily out-dive slower opponents
• Great firepower thanks to the pair of 20 mm MG 151 and the minengeschoss rounds
• Large amount of ammunition for the 12.7 mm (400 rpg) is great for long battles
• Some armour protection for the pilot means that it will not easily get pilot-sniped by small-calibre/low-penetrating guns from the back
• Able to equip up to 2 x 250 kg bombs, meaning it is also useful in ground pounding/tank RB
• Adequate over-the-nose visibility allows easier leading in Simulator

Cons:

• Average backwards visibility can be lethal in simulator
• Locks up at high speeds
• The MG 151 has only 150 rpg which requires strict trigger control
• No frontal armour, can be fatal in a head-on
• Average roll rate which worsens as speed increases, can easily get out-rolled by Fw 190s and I-16s

History

This aircraft and history are based on a Russian source and have some (translation) inaccuracies For a long time, the aircraft was believed to be piloted by "Tada Chuichi" who allegedly achieved a confirmed aerial victory over Neil Kirby. However place, dates and aircraft models do not align. Upon further investigation by Japanese volunteers, national archives revealed that the only pilot named "Tada" under the 78th Sentai was "Takeichi Tada" with no known combat history.[1]

The 78th Sentai, an Imperial Japanese Army Air Force fighter unit, was established in March 1942 in Xingshu, Manchuria, and was initially equipped with the Ki-27. The unit was originally stationed in Manchuria, based in April at Sunjia (near Harbin) and from December at Lioyang. During this early period, the 78th Sentai focused on local air defence and patrol missions, but as the Pacific War started and intensified, their role and equipment evolved.

"Chrysanthemum" of the 78th Sentai. (Note: Eight 7s to form the stylized flower)

In April 1943, the 78th Sentai returned to Akeno Airbase in Japan, where they became the second Sentai, alongside the 68th Sentai, to be re-equipped with the Ki-61 "Hien", a newer and more powerful fighter. The transition from the Ki-27 to the Ki-61 required intensive training, especially given the significant differences between the two aircraft. The Ki-61 was more heavily armed and featured a liquid-cooled inline engine, a departure from the radial engines typically used by Japanese fighters. The Sentai adopted the unit insignia of a chrysanthemum-like design, featuring eight stylized sevens to represent their number "78".

By June 1943, after completing their conversion to the Ki-61 and mastering the new aircraft, the 78th Sentai was deployed to Rabaul, New Guinea. The first group of 33 aircraft arrived via a newly established and complex air route that bypassed the usual stop at Truk, taking a detour through Nyutabaru, Naha, Chiaya (Taiwan), Manila, Davao, Manado, Babo, Hollandia, and ultimately Wewak. A second group, consisting of 15 additional aircraft, was transported aboard the aircraft carrier Un'yō, departing from Yokosuka.

In New Guinea, the 78th Sentai flew primarily defensive missions, including bomber escort and interception duties, over the fiercely contested skies. Air battles in the region were extremely severe, and the 78th Sentai faced a well-coordinated and heavily armed Allied force. Despite this, the 78th Sentai scored several notable successes. The first aerial victory with the Ki-61 came when a pilot of the 78th successfully shot down a P-38 Lightning. The Ki-61's improved performance, especially its speed and armament, made it a formidable adversary against Allied aircraft.

However, the intense combat took a heavy toll on the 78th Sentai. The unit suffered significant losses during its time in New Guinea, both in aircraft and experienced pilots. One of the most tragic losses was that of Lieutenant Takamiya Keiji, an ace pilot with 17 confirmed kills, whose death was a severe blow to the morale and combat effectiveness of the unit.

By September 1943, the situation had become untenable, and the 78th Sentai was forced to retreat to Manila to regroup and resupply. They returned to Wewak in mid-October 1943, but the unit continued to face mounting losses as the war in the Pacific dragged on. The attrition in men and machines steadily worsened, and by March 1944, the 78th Sentai had lost all of its aircraft. Despite their best efforts, the unit was unable to recover, and by July 1944, the 78th Sentai was officially disbanded. The remaining ground crew and surviving personnel of the 78th Sentai were stranded in Sarmi, Papua, where they were forced to fend for themselves until the end of the war.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Tada's Ki-61-I hei from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance
• (JP) War Thunder Japanese Wiki - Ki-61-I tei Tada's comment section

References

• (JP) Sorano Kakera - Army Air Squadron List Database
• Pacific Wrecks - 78th Hiko Sentai (78th Flying Regiment)
• Aviation of Japan - 78th Sentai "Chrysanthemum" or "Cherry Blossom" Marking