Messerschmitt Bf 109 Imposter – Kawasaki Ki-61 “Tony” in Photos

The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien was a Japanese fighter aircraft, built by Shin Owada and Takeo Doi, used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) during World War II.

It was designated an “Army type 3” fighter. Over 3,000 Ki-61s were produced during the war.

In 1939, The Japanese Imperial Navy Air Service tendered a request for two fighters to be built around the specifications of the Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa. These two fighters became the Ki-60 and Ki-61.

Wartime photo of a captured Ki-61 being tested by the USAAF

The premier prototypes were used in the Doolittle raid on 18 April 1942, as well as in many other combat missions.

Ki-61 “Hien”

The Ki-60 was designed to be a specialized interceptor with high wing loading, while the Ki-61 was projected to be more of a general purpose fighter, used in offensives and operated at low to medium altitudes. They were both single-seat, single-engine fighters.

The Ki-60 was made of all-metal alloys, with a tensile, stressed hybrid skin. 

Kawasaki Ki-61 being used by the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.

The Ki-60 was prioritized and the first prototype flew in April 1941, while work began on the Ki-61 in December 1940. Some changes were made to the Ki-61 design to correct the flaws discovered in the the Ki-60. The Ki-60’s fuselage, which was oval in cross-section, became semi-triangular in the Ki-61.

The engine bearers were integrated into the forward fuselage, with fixed side panels covering them. Its fuel tank was self-sealing, with a capacity of nearly 44 gallons, and was located behind the pilot’s seat.

A Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Allied code name “Tony”).

The ammunition boxes were located behind the engine bulkhead and fed a pair of 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns that operated in unison. The windshield was armored, and there was a .5″ thick armor plate at the rear of the cockpit.

A Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61 “Tony” pictured at Kengun Airfield, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyūshū Island (Japan).

During testing, two Ki-61s were flown against a Ki-43-I, a Curtiss P-40E War Hawk, and a Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7. The Ki-61 proved to be the fastest, although it was less maneuverable than the Ki-43-I.

A Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Allied code name “Tony”) of 149th Shimbu Unit at Ashiya airfield in Fukuoka, Japan.

At first sighting, the Allies did not realize the Ki-61 was a Japanese aircraft because it looked different from the usual Japanese fighters. During the Doolittle raid, it was first misidentified as a Bf-109 by U.S. Army Air Forces Capt. C. Ross Greening.

Aircrew with a Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien at an unidentified airfield. This aircaft was probably assigned to the of the 244th Squadron. Note the (at least) 12 “kill” markings below the cockpit.

The codename “Tony” was adopted after it was also misidentified as an Italian aircraft.

The first service of the Ki-61 was with the 23rd Chutai, which was a special training unit.

An ex-23rd Sentai, 2nd Chutai Ki-61 photographed at Inba airbase by USAAF personnel in 1946.

Ki-61s first saw combat in early 1943 in the New Guinea campaign. The 68th Sentai was the first air wing to be fully equipped with Ki-61s.  The second was the 78th Sentai at Rabaul.

Both units were deployed to stations with adverse weather conditions and thick foliage, which hindered the efficiency of the Ki-61s and forced the JAAF to instead continue using the almost obsolete Ki-43 aircraft.

Derelict Ki-61s in 1945 after the surrender.

USAAF pilots found that they could no longer go into a dive to escape when pursued by a Ki-61, as they did before with other Japanese fighters.

The Japanese made use of the Ki-61 as an interceptor during U.S. bombing raids, even against Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but it was observed that the Ki-61s’ performance declined under increased armament.

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Kawasaki Ki-61 (Hien) in Kakamigahara Aerospace Science Museum.Photo 名古屋太郎 CC BY-SA 4.0

Ki-61s were also used in kamikaze missions launched toward the end of the war. In 1945, the Ki-61s were finally retired, with 12 variants and over 3,000 units produced.

 

Ki-61s in Luzon 1945

 

Ki-61 under attack in Wewak New Guinea 9144

 

Ki-61 Tail in Cape Gloucester 1943

 

Ki-61 in 1942

 

Ki-61 Hien in Beijing – 1945

 

Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien

 

Early Variant of Ki-61 – 1942

 

Captured Kawasakie Ki-61 with F4U Corsair in background – Okinawa 1945

 

Assembly line for Ki-61 in Japan

 

A captured Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien fighter (Allied code name “Tony”) at Clark Field, Luzon (Philippines), in 1945.

 

A Japanese Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien

 

 

A Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Ki-61-I Hei) of the 244th squadron (Fighter Regiment), Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. “295” was the plane assigned to captain Kobayashi Teruhiko.

 

Front veiw of an Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Allied code name “Tony”) with a camouflage paint scheme at an unidentified airfield.

Read another story from us: “Violet Lightning” and “Mighty Wind” – Japanese Late War Fighters

Kawasaki Ki-61 (Hien) in Kakamigahara Aerospace Science Museum. Photo 名古屋太郎 CC BY-SA 4.0
Micheal Chimaobi Kalu:
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