Kawasaki Ki-100

I share with you the link below containing a collection of photos, including a rare photo of an airplane captured and with USAAF markings, of the Japanese fighter Kawasaki Ki-100, recognized by many as one of the best, if not the best Japanese fighter designed and built during WW2. Does Ki-100 deserves the fame? What do you think? Visit the link below, see the photos and give your opinion. I hope you enjoy.


http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/kawasaki-ki-100-goshikisen.html


Cheers.

Actually the Ki 100 was a stop-gap way for Kawasaki to get some use
from their Ki 61s which were sitting around without engines..

Kawasaki didn't seem able to get the best from their licence-built
Daimler-Benz V12 units, in reliability, or numbers built.

US tests showed that while the Ki 100 was better than a Ki 61 with no engine, it was not an improvement on the V12 job, if it was built & running up to spec..

Kawasaki had a fair bit of German inspiration there too, from Heinkel
He 100 - for the Ki 61, & from examination of a Focke-Wulf 190 in assistance with making the radial installation work well enough.

Curiously, FW190 development went the other way, with a Jumo V12 replacing the original BMW radial engine, for the late war D-model.

Generally those fighters that were available with both radial & inline
mills performed best with an inline, unless the radial had significantly more power to over-come its bulky drag disadvantages..


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