ki-45 otsu armament

[shelby]

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircr...ircraft_id=490
This site says tha the otsu has one 20 mm cannon in the nose, one 37 mm in the fuselage and one 7,92 mm in the rear cockipt. Is this true?
i also find this conversation about the ki45 armament
http://www.j-aircraft.com/faq/ki45.htm
Who says the truth?

[Pursuivant]

I'd go with J-aircraft, since that forum has some serious Japanese aircraft geeks, and the posts cite high quality reference books as sources. Additionally, some of the posts are from people who have written books on the weapons and aircraft in question.

The Military Factory site doesn't offer any reference materials as sources, so it is inherently unreliable.

But, it appears that the Ki-45 was fitted with a variety of different weapons. Just because the J-aircraft forum is better sourced doesn't mean that it's a complete discussion of the topic! So, both sites could be right.

Rene Francillon's "Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War" has the following info, but it's a bit dated:

Edit:

Ki-45 KAIa heavy fighter/strike fighter - 2 x 12.7 mm Type 1 MG in nose, 1 x 20 mm (Ho-3) cannon in ventral tunnel, 1 x flexible rear-mounted 7.9mm Type 98 machine gun.

Ki-45 KAIa - Experimental/Field Mod Night Fighter - 2 x 12.7mm Type 1 MG in nose, 1 x 20mm (Ho-3) cannon in ventral tunnel, 2 x 12.7 mm Type 1 MG or 2 x 20mm Ho-5 cannon in oblique mount. No tail gun.

Ki-45 KAIb - Heavy fighter/strike fighter - Late production aircraft had uprated engines (Ha-102). 20mm (Ho-3) nose, 37mm Type 98 ) ventral tunnel, 7.92mm (Type 98 ) flexible rear gun

Ki-45 KAIb - Experimental/Field Mod Night Fighter - As above but 2 x 12.7mm Type 1 (Ho-103) MG mounted obliquely upward. Fuselage gas tank removed.

Ki-45 KAIc - Night Fighter - Ha-102 engines, 37mm Ho-203 cannon in ventral tunnel, 2 x mounted obliquely upward 20 mm Ho-5 cannon. 1 x flexible rear-mounted 7.9mm Type 98 machine gun. No armanent in nose because centimetric radar in plexiglass nose was to be mounted there, but few were actually equipped. No rear MG on late production aircraft.

Ki-45 KAId - Anti-Shipping - 2 x 20mm (Ho-5) nose, 37 mm (Ho-203) ventral tunnel, 7.92mm (Type 98 ) flexible rear gun on early versions, not retained on later production.

Ki-45-II projected development. 1,500 HP Mitsubishi Ha-112-II engines = redesignated Ki-96.

[shelby]

https://www.scribd.com/document/1487...o-Seat-Fighter

[Pursuivant]

If you speak Japanese, that's a great book. Even if you don't the drawings and pictures are useful.

As with any aircraft, there is lots of technical information in the maker's native language which hasn't been translated.

[shelby]

i just try to find the otsu armament

[major.kudo]

Originally Posted by shelby

https://www.scribd.com/document/1487...o-Seat-Fighter

...Is this site copyright problem all right?
For now.
I possess the this book. And I'm Japanese.
But my English is doubtful. It's doubtful whether the contents are transmitted through me.



Ki-45kai "Ko"

2 x Ho-103 12.7mm machinegun
1 x Ho-3 20mm machinegun

Roundness nose.

--

Ki-45kai "Otsu"

2 x Ho-103 12.7mm machinegun
1 x Type94 37mm tank main gun

Modified from "Ko"
Only a little extended Roundness nose. Landing light removed from nose.

--

Ki-45kai "Hei"

1 x Ho-203 auto cannon
1 x Ho-3 20mm machinegun

Added 37mm cannon on nose.
sharp nose. And 37mm Barrels is stored inside nose.
Landing light added to wing.
Early models of "Hei" has roundness nose and 37mm Barrels muzzle is
protrudes from nose. Produced only 65?

--

Ki-45kai "Tei"

1 x Ho-203 auto cannon
and
2 x Ho-5 20mm machinegun (Upper gun, Early models are 2 x Ho-103)

Modified from "Hei"
Add Upper gun (Jazz) and remove Ho-3, remove rear defence gun.
Usually this type is not carrying defence gun.
But also equipped pictures exist.
When upper gun removed and reloading Ho-3, it'll be "Hei".

--

Additionally, the exceptional model which doesn't know the name.

"Hei" equipped Type94 37mm tank gun on nose. Produced only 10?
"Hei" equipped Ho-204 37mm auto cannon on nose. Produced only 1.
"Hei" equipped Ho-402 57mm auto cannon on nose. Produced only 1.
Upper gun added "Ko" model. What this name?

For "Special squadron" version modified from "Hei"
Removed all guns and all gun sights.
Crew is only pilot. Weapon is body.

[shelby]

Originally Posted by major.kudo

...Is this site copyright problem all right?

yes

[Pursuivant]

Thanks for the translation Major.Kudo!

It's good enough English that I can understand the variants.

"Jazz" was presumably the Japanese translation of the German term "Schräge Musik" which also translates to English as "Jazz." So, one or more cannons mounted upwards and forwards to attack bombers from below.

[major.kudo]

I correct one mistake.

Originally Posted by major.kudo

Additionally, the exceptional model which doesn't know the name.

"Hei" equipped Type94 37mm tank gun on nose. Produced only 10?

Gun was Type98 37mm anti tank gun.
Type98 37mm is also call "Ho-202".
I thought and noticed it's impossible to equipped Type94 37mm onto nose structurally.
Therefore it was reinvestigated.
This type is variant of "Otsu".
It's the 3rd from the top of the picture I drew before.

Sorry.

　-

Now I'm reading memoirs of the person who was a pilot of Ki-45Kai.
If some interesting fact is found, I'll report to you.

[shelby]

that is i was reading yesterday in the title ki-45 kai otsu
https://html1-f.scribdassets.com/2ha...2f50a91757.jpg
and i also noticed that tei had rear defence gun