Ki-43

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa

(Photo from the collection of Albert Pluth)

Purpose: The Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) was designed to take the place of the Ki-27. This all metal fighter was to be the terror of China.

Revisions & Types - Major Revisions:

Original Specifications:

Maximum speed of 311 mph
Climb rate of 5 minutes to 16,405 ft
Range of 500 miles
Two 7.7 mm machine-guns
Manoeuvrablility at least equal to the Ki-27

Ki-43 (serial no. 4301-4303)
- 925 hp Nakajima Ha-25 double-row 14 cylinder radial with single-speedsupercharger
- Two 7.7mm Type 89 machine guns
- No cowl gills
- Metal panels in the rear cockpit hood
- Cockpit-mounted radio antenna mast
- Fully retractable main undercarriage
- Telescopic gunsight protruding through the windshield
Ki-43 (serial no. 4304-4310)
- All-round-vision canopy
- Nakajima Ha-105 engine with two-speed supercharger
- 12.7mm Ho-103 machine guns
Ki-43 (serial no. 4311)
- Butterfly combat flaps
Ki-43 (serial no. 4312)
- Nakajima HA-105 radial
- Two 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns
- redesigned tail surfaces and wings similar to those of the production aircraft
Ki-43 (serial no. 4313)
- 950 hp Army Type 99 radial (production version of the Ha-25)
Ki-43-IA
- Fix-pitch two-blade wooden propeller (would be replace by a two-pitch two-blade metal unit (Hamilton))
- Two synchronized 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns under cowl
- Two attachment points for fuel tanks under the wing centre-section
Ki-43-Ib
- One 12.7mm Type 1 (Ho-103) machine gun
- One 7.7 mm Type 89 machine gun
Ki-43-Ic
- Two 12.7 mm Type 1 (Ho-103) machine guns
Ki-43-II (3 produced)
- 1150 hp Type 1 engine (Nakajima Ha-115, a development of teh Ha-25)
- Two speed supercharger
- Constant speed three-blade metal propeller
Ki-43-IIa
- Supercharger air intake moved from under teh cowling to its upper lip
- Wing span reduced by 1' 11 5/8" to improve speed at low and medium altitude
- Heightened the windscreen and canopy
- New reflector gunsight
- Strengthened wing attachment points to carry 551lb bombs
- 13mm head and back armour plating
- Basic self sealing fuel tank in the wings
- Later models of the IIa featured deepened carburettor intakes.
Ki-43-IIb
- Further mods of the carburettor intake
- Oil cooler replaced by a a honeycomb unit
- Wing attachments (on later IIb models) moved outboard of the main gear to prevent bombs from crashin into the pop during dive bombing attacks at steep angles.
Ki-43-II KAI
- Individual exhaust stacks
- Replaced the exhaust collector ring
- Minor airframe mods
Ki-43-IIIa (10 prototypes)
- 1230 hp, Nakajima Ha-115-II
Ki-43-IIIb - specialized interceptor fighter produced by Tachikawa Hikoki
- 1250 hp, Mitsubishi (Ha-33) 42 (Ha112) engine
- Two 20mm Ho-5 cannon

Production

Qty	Model	Production Dates
		Nakajima Hikoki K.K. at Ota
3	Ki-43	prototypes (Dec 1938-March 1939)
10	Ki-43	service Trial aircraft (Nov 1939 - Sept 1940)
716	Ki-43-I	production aircraft (Apr 1941-Feb 1943)
5	Ki-43-II	prototypes (Feb-May 1942)
3	Ki-43-II	service trials aircraft (June - Aug 1942)
2492	Ki-43-II	production aircraft (Nov 1942-Oct 1944)
10	Ki-43-III	prototypes (May 1944 - Aug 1945)
		Tachikawa Hikoki K.K. at Tachikawa
2629	Ki-43-II & Ki-43-IIIa	production aircraft (May 1943-Aug 1945)
2	Ki-43-IIIb	prototypes(spring 1945)
		Tachikawa Dai-Ichi Rikugun Kokusho at Tachikawa
49	Ki-43-IIa	production aircraft (Oct 1942-Nov 1943)

Last Revision 11/28/99