|
|
First flown in Jan. 1939, the Oscar was designed by Nakajima engineer Hideo Itokawa. Army pilots initially disliked the fighter, which they found less maneuverable than its predecessor, the Ki-27 Nate. The Oscar remained in production throughout the war. Only forty Oscars were in Army service at the time of Pearl Harbor. A more-powerful engine and other features characterized the Ki-43-II, put in production in 1943 and the Ki-43-III, produced from Dec. 1944. Oscar production totaled 5,919 units - more than any other Japanese aircraft of the war. The Oscar was a simple, streamlined aircraft; the radial-engine, low-wing aircraft resembled the A6M Zero and to some extent Western fighters. It had a bubble canopy and was one of the first Japanese fighters to have armor; later models were also fitted with protected fuel tanks. The Ki-43 Type 1 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) was the most widely flown fighter of the Japanese Army Air Force during the war (Allied code name Oscar). Entering squadron service shortly before the Pearl Harbor attack, the Oscar was highly maneuverable with a good rate of climb, but somewhat underpowered and, despite updates, unable to compete effectively with U.S. fighters in the latter stages of the war. The Oscar saw combat in all Pacific areas where the Japanese Army conducted air operations, and most Japanese Army aces scored most of their kills in this aircraft.
|