re: Vader’s Model Desk: Kawasaki KI-61 Hien “Tony”

quote:

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Their engine tech wasn't up to Allied standards, and they built their aircraft for lightness, range and maneuverability. Little armor, lighter armament, and much less in the self-sealing fuel tank department .

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Range and maneuverability were everything to the Japanese. They really didn’t even put much emphasis on speed. In addition to sacrificing things like armor and self-sealing tanks, the Japanese also sacrificed speed, especially on the A6M Zero. One big misconception about the famous A6M Zero was that it was fast. But it really wasn’t.



Though it did outpace the F4F Wildcat by about 15 mph. But the Wildcat was far more rugged than the Zero. And the Brewster Buffalo was only about 10 mph slower than the Zero.

(Yes, crazy it may sound, the dumpy Brewster Buffalo was faster than the Wildcat.)