Best Japanese fighter against USN planes - Aircraft of World War II

Vraciu · 01-04-2009, 02:18 PM

As in the title, which Japanese fighter (both IJAAF and IJNAF) was the best against USN planes - F6Fs, F4Us, TBFs, SB2Cs?

wilbur1 · 01-04-2009, 03:34 PM

Iwent with the Tony just a better all round fighter in my opinion

Thorlifter · 01-04-2009, 03:59 PM

Yeah, I voted for the Ki-100. The N1K-J George would be my 2nd pick.

renrich · 01-04-2009, 05:41 PM

I have read the KI84 was the best of the Japanese fighters but I don't know if any of their late war fighters had much success. The big scores were usually posted by IJN guys in A6Ms.

Soundbreaker Welch? · 01-04-2009, 08:39 PM

Went for the Zero: biggest terror of the Pacific.

Catch22 · 01-04-2009, 09:12 PM

I went with the Frank, it was basically a US fighter in disguise.

syscom3 · 01-04-2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renrich

I have read the KI84 was the best of the Japanese fighters but I don't know if any of their late war fighters had much success. The big scores were usually posted by IJN guys in A6Ms.

An experienced Japanese pilot in a fully functional and working late war fighter was still dangerous. They didn't have the chance to run up their scores, but they did have successes.

Timppa · 01-05-2009, 12:42 AM

Statistically, as I recall, the Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" fared the best against USN planes.

Venganza · 01-05-2009, 01:08 AM

I'll admit I don't know as much about Japanases planes as I might, but since when has lack of knowledge prevented anyone from having an opinion (this is America, Dadgummit

)? I went with the Frank. Good armament with 2 12.7mm's and 2 20's, relatively fast, and tough, especially for a Japanese plane. My second choice would be the low-wing George - 2 7.62mm's and 4 20's gave it a pretty fiercesome armament, albeit with limited ammo for the 20's.

Venganza

renrich · 01-05-2009, 10:37 AM

I agree that the Japanese pilots who were experienced near the end of the war were still formidable foes, regardless of what they were flying. I have a book by Saburo and he had victories in 1945(I think) in late model Zeros.

Thunderbolt56 · 01-05-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorlifter

Yeah, I voted for the Ki-100. The N1K-J George would be my 2nd pick.

Ditto.

The Ki84 was definitely formiddable, but by the time it entered service, the lack of high-octane fuel and diminished collective pilot-skill kept it from being all it could be.

Gnomey · 01-05-2009, 02:45 PM

Certainly the Ki-100 and the George are the best aircraft on the list although they where not available in large numbers (or relatively large numbers) unlike the Ki-84.

Still the best 2 would of done the best against the USN so I went with the Ki-100.

Ivan1GFP · 01-05-2009, 11:07 PM

My vote is for J-fighters in the following order:

N1K2-J
J2M3
Ki-84

I believe that the Ki-100 was just too slow to be competitive. It was slower than the Ki-61-II that it replaced but was quite a lot lighter and probably moved better.

The Ki-61-I was a beautiful fighter but was just too slow and underpowered. The Ki-61-II was never reliable.

IMHO, all of the late war Japanese fighters were much faster than typical book speeds. US Tests put the Ki-84 at 427 mph and the J2M3 at 407 mph. I am not convinced that high octane fuel did much to improve the performance because the engines were not designed for it.

As for how well they did, The 343 Kokutai was the elite Japanese Navy unit at the end of the war and from the book Genda's Blade, it seems to me that even they were only getting a victory-loss ratio of about 1-2 or 1-3. Their biggest issues were still pilot quality and mechanical reliability of their equipment in all areas.

Regards.
- Ivan.

Vraciu · 01-06-2009, 02:27 PM

I think that N1K2-J and J2M3 were better than Ki-84 or Ki-100 because they have better armament, which was important against well armoured USN planes. Their performance was average, so I think that IJNAF birds were better than those of IJAAF.

Soren · 01-12-2009, 03:00 AM

The Ki-84 was the best of the Japanese fighters, it was the fastest as-well.

View Poll Results: Which IJAAF or IJNAF fighter was the best against USN planes?
Nakajima Ki 27 Nate	0	0%
Nakajima Ki 43 Oscar	0	0%
Nakajima Ki 44 Tojo	2	4.35%
Nakajima Ki 84 Frank	20	43.48%
Kawasaki Ki 61 Tony	2	4.35%
Kawasaki Ki 100 Tony	7	15.22%
Kawasaki Ki 45 Nick	0	0%
Mitsubishi A6M Zeke	6	13.04%
Mitsubishi A7M Sam	0	0%
Mitsubishi J2M Jack	1	2.17%
Kawanishi N1K-J George	7	15.22%
Nakajima J1N Irving	1	2.17%
Voters: 46. You may not vote on this poll

01-04-2009, 02:18 PM	#1
Vraciu Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: A Galaxy Far, Far Away Posts: 57	Best Japanese fighter against USN planes As in the title, which Japanese fighter (both IJAAF and IJNAF) was the best against USN planes - F6Fs, F4Us, TBFs, SB2Cs? __________________ "If they could cook, I'd marry one!" - Gene Valencia (23 kills) about F6Fs

01-04-2009, 03:34 PM	#2
wilbur1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Escondido,Ca Posts: 2,206	Iwent with the Tony just a better all round fighter in my opinion __________________ Dont shoot him...... It will just make him angry.

01-04-2009, 03:59 PM	#3
Thorlifter Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 4,345	Yeah, I voted for the Ki-100. The N1K-J George would be my 2nd pick. __________________

01-04-2009, 08:39 PM	#5
Soundbreaker Welch? Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 1,893	Went for the Zero: biggest terror of the Pacific. __________________ "His motor's conked out!" "What's the differance, they're all Nazis!" "Luke, shut up!" "Fear the hook!" "Oh.....I wanna fly." "You mean the kind that go under water and fly up the stairs?" "What you doing? Oh Nooooo!"

01-04-2009, 05:41 PM	#4
renrich Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montrose, Colorado Posts: 3,270	I have read the KI84 was the best of the Japanese fighters but I don't know if any of their late war fighters had much success. The big scores were usually posted by IJN guys in A6Ms.

01-04-2009, 09:12 PM	#6
Catch22 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,293	I went with the Frank, it was basically a US fighter in disguise. __________________

01-05-2009, 12:42 AM	#8
Timppa Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 94	Statistically, as I recall, the Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" fared the best against USN planes.

01-05-2009, 01:08 AM	#9
Venganza Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Earth Posts: 386	I'll admit I don't know as much about Japanases planes as I might, but since when has lack of knowledge prevented anyone from having an opinion (this is America, Dadgummit )? I went with the Frank. Good armament with 2 12.7mm's and 2 20's, relatively fast, and tough, especially for a Japanese plane. My second choice would be the low-wing George - 2 7.62mm's and 4 20's gave it a pretty fiercesome armament, albeit with limited ammo for the 20's. Venganza __________________ "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever." -Spinal Tap

01-05-2009, 10:37 AM	#10
renrich Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Montrose, Colorado Posts: 3,270	I agree that the Japanese pilots who were experienced near the end of the war were still formidable foes, regardless of what they were flying. I have a book by Saburo and he had victories in 1945(I think) in late model Zeros. Last edited by renrich; 01-05-2009 at 05:10 PM.

01-05-2009, 02:45 PM	#12
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,217	Certainly the Ki-100 and the George are the best aircraft on the list although they where not available in large numbers (or relatively large numbers) unlike the Ki-84. Still the best 2 would of done the best against the USN so I went with the Ki-100. __________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

01-05-2009, 11:07 PM	#13
Ivan1GFP Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 270	My vote is for J-fighters in the following order: N1K2-J J2M3 Ki-84 I believe that the Ki-100 was just too slow to be competitive. It was slower than the Ki-61-II that it replaced but was quite a lot lighter and probably moved better. The Ki-61-I was a beautiful fighter but was just too slow and underpowered. The Ki-61-II was never reliable. IMHO, all of the late war Japanese fighters were much faster than typical book speeds. US Tests put the Ki-84 at 427 mph and the J2M3 at 407 mph. I am not convinced that high octane fuel did much to improve the performance because the engines were not designed for it. As for how well they did, The 343 Kokutai was the elite Japanese Navy unit at the end of the war and from the book Genda's Blade, it seems to me that even they were only getting a victory-loss ratio of about 1-2 or 1-3. Their biggest issues were still pilot quality and mechanical reliability of their equipment in all areas. Regards. - Ivan.

01-06-2009, 02:27 PM	#14
Vraciu Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: A Galaxy Far, Far Away Posts: 57	I think that N1K2-J and J2M3 were better than Ki-84 or Ki-100 because they have better armament, which was important against well armoured USN planes. Their performance was average, so I think that IJNAF birds were better than those of IJAAF. __________________ "If they could cook, I'd marry one!" - Gene Valencia (23 kills) about F6Fs

01-12-2009, 03:00 AM	#15
Soren Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,107	The Ki-84 was the best of the Japanese fighters, it was the fastest as-well. __________________ It was like being pushed by an Angel! - Adolf Galland I'm an educated engineer, so I love being technical and appraising of great inventions. So if you think I am being biased about something: Tell me! Then you'll probably find out that I am not

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