The Ki-43, or 一式戦闘機 (Type 1 fighter) series of fighters were land based fighters used by the IJA, It’s first production variation officially adopted in 1939, with a total of 5,919 of all variants built over it’s production life, the second most produced of any plane of Japan during that time, second only to the A6M Zero. These two planes were rather similar in many regards, especially in appearance, which lead to it often being referred to as the “Army Zero” by American pilots. Other key areas that were similar to the zero were it’s impressive handling, but also it’s unarmored structure that only needed a few good hits to destroy.
The Ki-43 II was the second version of the Ki-43, and it was armed with dual ホ103 一式十二・七粍固定機関砲 (Type 1 Ho-103 12.7mm fixed machine guns) with 500 rounds total, with a rate of fire of 900 RPM. Unlike it’s predecessor, this variant of the Ki-43 had bomb racks installed on the wings, each of which could hold either a 50, 100, or 250kg bomb. I think that two 50kg bombs would be a bit too small and two 250kg bombs WAY too big for a BR1 fighter, but 100kg bombs seem to be perfect, since there are other BR1 fighters that have the same bombload. In comparison with the Zero, it (probably) will have better bombs and would be a BR lower, but it lacks the punch that the 20mm cannons do.
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- Shouldn’t be added
- two 50kg bombs
- two 100kg bombs