9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Gentlemen,


I just browsed to my picture collection and stumbled on this old one (unfortunately I do not recall where I found it) - It shows a fighter with the markings of the 9th Sentai and it looks like a Ki-43 at first glance. But did 9th Sentai flew this type? Could this be a Ki-44 in the photo?


Regards,
Christian

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Hello Christian,


I say this without any degree of certainty, but doesn't the all red (?) tail point to a later period and the Ki-84 :


https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Ki-84/Ki...a-1945-01.html


Regards,


Clint

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Hey Clint,


I have ruled out a Ki-84 already because of the two-piece canopy, one of the few features which are recognizable with some certainty. The plane in the background is a Ki-84 though. (And I think the tail of "our" plane is just green)...

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Hi Christian,


Well then I guess,if you're certain about the canopy then Ki-43 becomes more likely. Did 9 Sentai use green as a chutai colour? I was assuming that the aircraft was from 1 Chutai, hence my supposition about red.


Edit


Apologies Christian, you meant normal camouflage green, having read this again.



Regards,


Clint

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Yes I did normal camo, sorry if I wasn't clearer.

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Looks like a Ki-43 to me as well, with what may be an antennae just forward of the wind screen. The Ki-84 typically has an antennae behind the canopy.

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

The 9th flew Ki.27s, 44s and 84s ( and Ki.10s pre-war) all in China; Nick Millman says they had some Ki.43s assigned in 1944 to make up numbers.
The tail emblem is the Kanji for "9".
If you are not familiar with Nick's excellent work check out the OSPREY publishing web-site.
Nick

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

Thanks for the info about the Ki-43, Nick. Guess the one in the picture is one of those..

Re: 9th Sentai plane - which type?
 

My own impression is that it is a Ki-43 without a propeller parked in front
of a Ki-84