IL-2 1946, Nakajima Ki-43 VS Lockheed P-38 Lightning, #warthunder #ww2 #ww2games

The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Japanese: 隼, peregrine falcon) was a single-engine tactical fighter aircraft manufactured by the Japanese Nakajima Aircraft Company and used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The Japanese Army's designation was the "Type 1 Army Fighter" (一式戦闘機); although officially nicknamed "Oscar" by the Allies, it was often called the "Army Zero" by American pilots due to its similarity to the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, which was used by the Imperial Japanese Navy.[1] Like the Zero, the Ki-43 was light and easy to fly, and became legendary for its combat performance in East Asia in the early years of the war. It was more maneuverable than any other aircraft, but lacked armor or self-sealing tanks, and its armament was poor until the final version, which was produced until 1944.[2] Allied pilots often reported that the agile Ki-43s were difficult targets, but they easily fell apart or burned with just a few hits.[2] Despite its drawbacks, the Ki-43 shot down more Allied aircraft than any other Japanese fighter, and nearly all Imperial Japanese Air Force aces achieved the majority of their kills flying this aircraft. A total of 5,919 Ki-43s were produced,[3] many of which were used in the final months of the war in kamikaze attacks against the American fleet. The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is a twin-engine fighter aircraft manufactured in the United States by Lockheed. The aircraft played a crucial role during World War II, proving particularly fast and effective in a wide range of combat situations. The Lightning participated in "Operation Vengeance," a mission to shoot down Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto over Bougainville.