Difference between revisions of "Ki-200"

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{{Specs-Card|code=j8m1}}
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{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=j8m1
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the plane, so that if the novice player does not remember the plane by name, he will immediately understand what kind of plane the article is talking about.'' -->
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''Ki-200 ''Shūsui''''' (秋水, ''Swinging Sword'') was intended to be a license-built copy of the [[Me 163 (Family)|Me 163 ''Komet'']], but with shipping problems of getting a functional Me 163 as an example, Japanese engineers were tasked to reverse engineer both the plane and rocket engine from a flight operations manual and other limited documentation. With the project being one of the few joint ventures between the {{Annotation|IJAAS|Imperial Japanese Army Air Service}} and {{Annotation|IJNAS|Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service}}, the Army wanted to redesign the fuselage while the Navy wanted to keep the German-proven frame, which eventually won by design and contracted to Mitsubishi to produce the design as J8M and Ki-200 for the Navy and Army respectively.
−
{{break}}
 
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
 
  
−
[[File:CockpitImage_Ki200.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Ki-200's instrument panel.]]
+
In War Thunder, it has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. It plays very similarly to its German brother, the [[Me 163 B]], only offering little fuel, it has to gain altitude as soon as possible to afterward cut down on the throttle, idle in the sky, and hawk down on targets below the Ki-200 using gravity as speed and fuel. On top of limited fuel, trigger discipline is also necessary with limited ammo, armed with heavy-hitting 30 mm cannons, which can dispatch enemy air targets with a single hit. Maintaining altitude at all times is crucial for both combat and survival, allowing to, when out of fuel, glide back towards the airfield.
−
As a rocket, you are the fastest accelerating plane in this bracket. Some of the most common enemies you will face are [[MiG-17]]s, [[MiG-15]]s (and [[MiG-15bis]]'s), [[CL-13A Mk 5|CL-13s]], [[La-15]]s, [[Me 163 B]]'s, [[Yak-30]]s as well as bombers such as the [[Tu-4]], the [[Tu-14T]] and the [[IL-28]]. For the most part, you have incredible advantages over anything you will face. The main downfall of the Ki-200 is that it only has 5 minutes of fuel. Because of this, fights cannot last long periods of time and you must always be aware of the closest airfield location.
 
  
−
Another issue of the Ki-200 is that the wings are very fragile. Any sort of hard turn while at high speed will result in your wings being brutally ripped apart from wing overload.
+
== General info ==
 +
=== Flight performance ===
 +
[[File:CockpitImage_Ki200.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|The Ki-200's instrument panel.]]
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
  
−
People often don't know what to do with the Ki-200 at the start of a match. You can choose to climb, which is time-consuming and uses fuel, or glide at low altitude with a low throttle to save fuel for combat, or you can, race full-throttle towards the enemy. By doing this, you can often catch unknowing enemy aircraft climbing.
+
As with the German counterpart, the [[Me 163 B]], the Shusui's flight performance is excellent. The plane can turn and roll with ease, capable of outmanoevering almost every fighters it may face. Though due to the lightweight of the Shusui, the plane will easily compress at a speed higher than 800 km/h and any snap turns may results into wing overload.
  
−
Once again, ''do not'' try to pull more than 8G's in a turn fight at speeds exceeding 720 km/h (450 mph). If you want to turn or manoeuvre quicker, throttle down and jiggle your rudder or slowly face the nose of the plane upwards so it slows down. By doing this, you can almost certainly avoid ripping your wings.
+
The Shusui's rocket engine provides quick acceleration and thrust and allows the plane to gain an altitude in relatively short time, even at steep angles (~30 degrees). However, the engine also quickly consumes the fuel to the point that it can only be used in full throttle for 5 minutes with full tanks. This, along with the low ammo count, will greatly reduce the sortie time of the Shusui before it have to land to rearm.
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−
== General info ==
 
−
=== Flight performance ===
 
−
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the plane.''
 
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
To extend the flight time of the Shusui, throttle and fuel management is the key. As the Shusui can quickly climb to a high altitude during takeoffs, the rocket engine can be throttle down or even cut off to conserve the fuel. The Shusui's excellent energy retention will help in keeping the plane in the air and even allowing it to gain more speed in a level flight with low throttle (at least 10%) or to descent at full speed with 0% throttle. After descending to the lower altitude to attack the enemy, be sure to climb back again with full throttle to regain some altitude, then you can regain the air speed with a shallow dive to attack the enemy again, rinse and repeat.
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 10,000 m)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 10,000 m)
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|-
 
|-
 
! Stock
 
! Stock
−
| 983 || 973 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 17.2 || 17.3 || 37.9 || 35.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
+
| 983 || 971 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 17.2 || 17.3 || 37.8 || 34.9 || rowspan="2" | 357
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Upgraded
 
! Upgraded
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==== Details ====
 
==== Details ====
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="6" | Features
 
! colspan="6" | Features
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|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="7" | Limits
 
! colspan="7" | Limits
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! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
−
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || 620 || N/A || 420 || ~9 || ~4
+
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 598 || N/A || 420 || ~9 || ~4
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
 
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
−
! colspan="2" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br/>Weight
+
! colspan="2" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br />Weight
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
 
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
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| 0.84 || 0.47 || 0.43
 
| 0.84 || 0.47 || 0.43
 
|-
 
|-
−
| ''Optimal'' || 1,700 kgf<br/>(any speed) || N/A
+
| ''Optimal'' || 1,700 kgf<br />(any speed) || N/A
 
| 0.84 || 0.47 || 0.43
 
| 0.84 || 0.47 || 0.43
 
|-
 
|-
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=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
−
* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armored windscreen
+
 
 +
* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
 
* 13 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
 
* 13 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
  
 +
Although the Shusui has decent armour protecting the pilot, the airframe itself is very weak. The wing tips and elevators in particular can be easily destroyed and will cause the plane to crash due to the loss of control.
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
Due to the low number of modifications, upgrades for the 30 mm autocannons should be your priority. As the stock belt is inadaquate, researching the belt upgrades is a must. After upgrading your gun at rank 3, the engine upgrade at rank 4 is recommended as it gives more thrusts for the Shusui and thus allowing it to climb higher and faster.
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|Ho-155 army (30 mm)}}
+
{{main|Ho-155 (30 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
−
* 2 x 30 mm Ho-155 army cannons, wing-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
+
 
 +
* 2 x 30 mm Ho-155 cannons, wing-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using planes in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
'''''Dogfighting'''''
 
  
−
Some of the aircraft you will face while flying the Ki-200 are the top tier jets such as the MiG-17 and the MiG-15/MiG-15bis. Like a rocket, you have an almost unprecedented advantage over all of these aircraft. The Ki-200 has an astounding climb rate rivalling that of the MiG-15. Due to this, you can choose when and where you want to engage enemy aircraft. Having this is the most important advantage one can have whilst flying the Ki-200. Once you lose this ability, you are likely to be destroyed. An example of this would be when you are almost out of fuel and/or ammunition and are forced to land.
+
;Dogfighting
  
−
Another huge advantage you have over jet and prop aircraft is your ability to turn. The Ki-200 can virtually turn on a dime, allowing you to even out turn propeller aircraft. However, if you try to turn too hard at high speeds, pulling more than 8G's, your wings will snap, resulting in a crash.
+
As the Ki-200 ''Shusui'' is a small and nimble rocket-propelled aircraft with powerful armament, it mainly sees tier V and on occasion tier VI jets. It isn't uncommon to start seeing AAMs here but as a rocket, it has an almost unprecedented advantage over all of these aircraft. The Ki-200 has an astounding climb rate rivalling that of the MiG-15. Due to this, the pilot can choose when and where to engage enemy aircraft. Having this is the most important advantage one can have flying the Ki-200. Once this ability is lost, chances of survival are minimal. This occurs mainly when the plane is almost out of its limited fuel and/or ammunition which forces the pilot to land.
  
−
The main points:
+
Another huge advantage the Ki-200 has over jet aircraft is the ability to turn. The Shusui can virtually turn on a dime, allowing the rocket to even outturn propeller aircraft. However, at the highest speeds and pulling more than 8 G, the wings will snap, resulting in a crash. The ideal speed to turn is around 600 km/h. At this speed, enemy pilots will have a horrible time attempting to dogfight the Ki-200 as it will easily outturn them and fireball them to the ground if precautions aren't taken.
−
* Watch your fuel
+
 
 +
;;The main points:
 +
 
 +
* Manage & watch the fuel
 
* Watch your speeds when turning/diving
 
* Watch your speeds when turning/diving
 
* Have situational awareness
 
* Have situational awareness
 
* Decide the terms of attack
 
* Decide the terms of attack
  
−
The Ki-200's armament consists of 2 x Type-5 30 mm cannons. The Ki-200 only has 120 rounds of ammunition so it is essential you hit your target accurately. For this, it is not recommended to attempt making deflection shots. It is very easy to get up close with an enemy and kill it with usually less than 20 rounds. That being said, learning how to lead for long-range shots is unnecessary while flying the Ki-200. However, you may come upon situations in which you are following an enemy jet and can't close the distance. In those situations, it is very helpful to know how to deliver 30 mm shells at a longer distance. Usually, it is not difficult to hit those shots, but it can become aggravating due to the cannons jerking left and right from recoil. It is advisable against long, arduous engagements (e.g. following an [[F-80C-10|F-80]] and not being able to close the distance) because you waste too much fuel and risk not being able to return to an airfield even if you destroy your opponent.
+
The Ki-200's armament consists of 2 x Type-5 30 mm cannons though only loaded with 120 rounds of ammunition, so accuracy is key. For this, it is not recommended to attempt making deflection shots. It is easy enough to get up close with an enemy and destroy it with less than 20 rounds. That being said it is strongly ill-advised to attempt to shoot at long-range with the cannons wasting shells on a very slight chance of hitting. Only when a target isn't catchable but flying in a very straight & predictable path, it wouldn't hurt attempting a shot or 2. Usually, it is not difficult to hit those shots, but it can become aggravating due to the cannons jerking left and right from recoil when firing shots close after each other.
  
−
'''''Taking off and Managing fuel'''''
+
;Taking off and Managing fuel
−
[[File:Ki-200 Landing Gear.jpg|alt=|right|thumb|''Ki-200 with disposable gear'']]
 
−
The Ki-200 is fitted with a disposable gear just like the [[Me 163 B|Me-163]] when spawning or respawning on an airfield, it will automatically drop to the ground once you have taken off. When taking off in RB/SB, the speed in which you start to leave the ground is at 230 km/h (140 mph) with fully extended flaps and 300 km/h (185 mph) with the flaps fully retracted.
 
  
−
Managing fuel consumption is very important since the fuel burns out after 5 minutes at full throttle. The lifetime of your fuel increases by more than 15 times below 30% throttle while still maintaining good enough speed. It is strongly advised to keep your throttle low when loitering at high altitude or flying back to base with few seconds of fuel left. You can still get back to base with just 10 seconds of fuel and with the decent speed at 20% throttle which will make it last around 3 minutes longer.
+
[[File:Ki-200 Landing Gear.jpg|alt=|right|thumb|Ki-200 with disposable gear]]
 +
The Ki-200 is fitted with disposable gear just like the [[Me 163 B|Me-163]] when taking off from an airfield, it will automatically drop to the ground once the wheels no longer touch the runway. When taking off in RB/SB, the speed at which the plane starts to leave the ground is at 230 km/h (140 mph) with fully extended flaps and 300 km/h (185 mph) with the flaps fully retracted.
 +
 
 +
Managing fuel consumption is very important since the fuel burns out after 5 minutes at full throttle. The lifetime of the fuel tank increases by more than 15 times below 30% throttle while still maintaining airworthy speed. It is strongly advised to keep throttle low when loitering at high altitude or returning to base with few seconds of fuel left. It is possible to still get back to base with just 10 seconds of fuel and descend speed at 20% throttle, which will last around 3 minutes longer. Generally, it is advised to zoom climb up to altitude and build up whatever speed possible before the fuel indicator hits 3:30. At that point, throttle back to 50% and hunt for an enemy. In a dogfight, use full throttle, but if it's not possible to catch someone or the fight will be over their airfield, pull off, climb, and idle until another opportunity presents itself.
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
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|}
 
|}
  
−
Setting the throttle to 0% is very likely to cause fuel starvation and shut down the engine which makes the aircraft decelerate faster, increase throttle with at least 1% and it will turn right back on.
+
Setting the throttle to 0% is very likely to cause fuel starvation and shut down the engine, making the aircraft decelerate faster, increasing the throttle by at least 1%, and it will turn right back on.
−
 
 
−
'''''Manoeuvring and Landing'''''
 
−
 
 
−
To fully master the Ki-200, it is important to learn how to manoeuvre and land effectively. It is strongly advised, against vertical manoeuvres in the Ki-200. Even if you are at speeds under 720 km/h (450 mph) it becomes very easy to rip your wings in vertical dives. That being said, do not try to quickly nose up after any sort of vertical manoeuvre. Come back to your old buddy the horizontal turn. You may think because the Ki-200 is a rank V aircraft, it must be bad at turning, but that is simply not the case. The Ki-200 is a blend between a [[A6M (Family)|Zero]], a [[MiG-15]], and a [[F-86 (Family)|Sabre]]. It turns like nothing, has an incredible climb rate, and can reach very high top speeds.
 
  
−
In order to land with the Ki-200, you must come into the runway on a slow approach. The Ki-200 has gear and landing flaps, but I would only recommend using the gear to lose airspeed coming into the landing. If you hit the runway too hard with the gear down, the plane goes into an up and down motion sort of like there are imaginary hills on the runway. Belly landings are much more efficient not only because you avoid the derp, but because the aircraft will slow down incredibly quickly, however, there's a possibility your pilot will get knocked unconscious if you are not careful enough with your landing. In general, land it like a prop plane but without landing gear. It is possible to land on aircraft carriers although it requires some skill. You have to come in extremely slow and without gear. Essentially, you want to hit the deck with as little speed as possible so you stop without knocking the pilot unconscious. It is recommended to try to land at speeds no less than 210 km/h (130 mph).
+
;Manoeuvring and Landing
  
−
'''''Bomber Hunting'''''
+
To completely master the Ki-200, it is vital to learn how to manoeuvre and land effectively. It is strongly discouraged for vertical manoeuvres in the Ki-200. Even at speeds under 720 km/h (450 mph), it becomes very easy to rip the wings in vertical dives. That being said, do not try to nose up after any vertical manoeuvre quickly. On the other hand, turning horizontal with the Ki-200 is very beneficial as to be expected from a Mitsubishi plane. The Ki-200 is a blend between the turn power of a [[A6M (Family)|Zero]], the firepower of a [[MiG-15]], and the speed of a [[F-86 (Family)|Sabre]]
−
 
 
−
Flying the Japanese at late tier 4 or early tier 5 you often have a mixture of Ki-200 (the dog-fighters), R2Y2 (the bomber killers) and various props which are hybrids. Due to the lack of ammo in the Ki-200, it is not recommended to go after bombers unless they are the only planes left on the enemy team. You simply waste too much ammo for too little a reward. The R2Y2 is much more suited for bomber killing as it has 4 x 30 mm cannons with plenty of ammunition. However, if you do decide to engage a bomber it is advised to attack from above and behind where you can get easy shots on the bomber's wing roots and fuselage. You may also come straight down and aim for the wings. Once again, be careful pulling up from the dive. Some common bombers you may face are the [[Tu-4]], [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIA|S.O.4050]], [[Tu-14T]] and [[IL-28]]. Although mostly defenceless they are extremely fast. It is recommended attacking them head-on if they are at their top speed. Otherwise, they are very hard to catch even with the Ki-200.
 
−
 
 
−
=== Manual Engine Control ===
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
 
−
! colspan="3" | Radiator
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
−
|-
 
−
! Oil
 
−
! Water
 
−
! Type
 
−
|-
 
−
| Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Combined || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>1 gear || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
−
=== Modules ===
+
To land with the Ki-200, approaching the runway at lower speeds is a necessity. The Ki-200 has gear and landing flaps but it's only recommended to use the gear for losing airspeed coming into the landing. If the plane hits the runway too hard with the gear down, the plane goes into an up and down motion skipping over the runway. It's because of this that it is essential to bleed as much speed as possible when nearing the airfield, either by making hard manoeuvres at low speed before landing, levelling out the plane once nearing the ground and using flaps, gear and ailerons to fight and keep the plane level on a ski. Once reaching a stop, let loose of the ailerons and let a wing gently touch the ground.
−
{| class="wikitable"
 
−
! colspan="1" | Tier
 
−
! colspan="1" | Flight performance
 
−
! colspan="1" | Survivability
 
−
! colspan="1" | Weaponry
 
−
|-
 
−
| I
 
−
| Fuselage repair
 
−
|
 
−
| Offensive 30 mm
 
−
|-
 
−
| II
 
−
|
 
−
| Airframe
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
| III
 
−
| Wings repair
 
−
|
 
−
| New 30 mm cannons
 
−
|-
 
−
| IV
 
−
| Engine
 
−
| Cover
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the plane in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
* High top speed
+
 
−
* Fast turning
+
* Small, light and nimble, can be very difficult to hit at longer ranges
−
* Extremely good acceleration
+
* Excellent manoeverablity and energy retention, allowing the plane to glide and attack the enemy even with only a small amount of throtte
−
* Good climb rate
+
* Rocket-propelled engine provides amazing acceleration and thrust, the latter allows the plane to get up to higher altitude quickly
−
* Good glide characteristics
+
* 30 mm cannons can inflict devastating damage when hit
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
* Low ammunition count
+
* Overall weak airframe, can't afford taking hits, its wings were also susceptible to snapping at high speed
−
* Largely unreliable guns
+
* Rocket-propelled engine severely limits the fuel capacity, throtte management is a must to keep the plane in the air
−
* Low fuel capacity
+
* Low ammunition count, limiting the overall damage output
−
* Fuel runs out very fast since it uses a rocket engine
+
* Incredibly hard to land due to skid landing gear configuration, often forcing the pilot to using rudders to force the plane into a halt
−
* Weak wings, susceptible to snapping
+
* Unfavorable matchmaking oftens pit the plane against more advanced planes with better climb rate, speed, and/or anti-air missile
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the plane and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(plane-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the plane's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
  
−
=== In-game description ===
+
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 
Mitsubishi Shusui (Swinging Sword, no reporting name) Experimental Single-seat, Single-engine Rocket-powered Fighter, meeting specification 19-Shi; Navy designation: Mitsubishi 19-Shi J8M1 (no reporting name); Army designation: Mitsubishi Ki-200 Shusui (no reporting name)
 
Mitsubishi Shusui (Swinging Sword, no reporting name) Experimental Single-seat, Single-engine Rocket-powered Fighter, meeting specification 19-Shi; Navy designation: Mitsubishi 19-Shi J8M1 (no reporting name); Army designation: Mitsubishi Ki-200 Shusui (no reporting name)
  
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Unfortunately, the Japanese industry was not ready to manufacture a product of such advanced technology. Changes still had to be made, although it had been decided to stick to the documents received from the Germans as closely as possible. The main reason for the difficulties was the poor strength standards the Japanese had for the materials used. The Japanese metallurgical industry was not able to provide the high-strength alloy steels to manufacture the engine injectors, and the chemical industry could not provide the required amount of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer and hydrazine hydrate as a fuel. The development of the interceptor, which Mitsubishi specialists delved into as early as late June of 1944, was significantly drawn out. It was necessary, first of all, to modify the design to match the overall technological level of development of the Japanese aircraft industry.
 
Unfortunately, the Japanese industry was not ready to manufacture a product of such advanced technology. Changes still had to be made, although it had been decided to stick to the documents received from the Germans as closely as possible. The main reason for the difficulties was the poor strength standards the Japanese had for the materials used. The Japanese metallurgical industry was not able to provide the high-strength alloy steels to manufacture the engine injectors, and the chemical industry could not provide the required amount of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer and hydrazine hydrate as a fuel. The development of the interceptor, which Mitsubishi specialists delved into as early as late June of 1944, was significantly drawn out. It was necessary, first of all, to modify the design to match the overall technological level of development of the Japanese aircraft industry.
  
−
In addition to technological problems, the designers were faced with purely technical difficulties. They needed to install some powerful armament, such as two 30mm Type 5 cannons that were larger in size than their German counterparts, the Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 cannons. In addition, the Walter HWK 109-509 engine produced by Mitsubishi under the designation Toko Ro.2 or KR10 was extremely accident-prone and thus dangerous. The engines regularly exploded during trial starts, killing one engineer after another. It should be noted that military specialists from both the Navy and the Army took an interest in the interceptor at the same time, but, despite the competition, the development was a joint venture. The Navy designated the project as the J8M1, whereas the Army's specialists designated it as the Ki-200, and the aircraft had a common name: the Shusui (Swinging Sword). Nevertheless, it was the engine-related problems that made the developers divide again into Army and Navy. As a result, the Army's specialists managed to assure the engine’s stable operation for 4 minutes, while the Navy's engineers achieved nothing more than 3 minutes.
+
In addition to technological problems, the designers were faced with purely technical difficulties. They needed to install some powerful armament, such as two 30 mm Type 5 cannons that were larger in size than their German counterparts, the Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 cannons. In addition, the Walter HWK 109-509 engine produced by Mitsubishi under the designation Toko Ro.2 or KR10 was extremely accident-prone and thus dangerous. The engines regularly exploded during trial starts, killing one engineer after another. Military specialists from both the Navy and the Army took an interest in the interceptor at the same time, but, despite the competition, the development was a joint venture. The Navy designated the project as the J8M1, whereas the Army's specialists designated it as the Ki-200, and the aircraft had a common name: the Shusui (Swinging Sword). Nevertheless, it was the engine-related problems that made the developers divide again into Army and Navy. As a result, the Army's specialists managed to assure the engine's stable operation for 4 minutes, while the Navy's engineers achieved nothing more than 3 minutes.
  
 
On July 7, 1945, the test pilot Toyohiko Inuzuka flew the J8M1 interceptor for the first time. After the aircraft reached a height of 380 m, the engine stopped abruptly; the pilot managed to level the plane out and head back on a return course, but the situation could not be saved: the machine nosed over and was completely destroyed; the pilot died the next day from injuries sustained in the fall. Several more engine-related accidents resulted in the designers having only one KR10 left, but they failed to install it on any of the four finished J8M1 airframes because the war ended, and the project with it. By this time, the factory in Okha had 6 more airframes in different stages of preparation, 6 finished engines, and 20 more on the production line. Thus, the Japanese never managed to improve the aircraft to any flyable condition.
 
On July 7, 1945, the test pilot Toyohiko Inuzuka flew the J8M1 interceptor for the first time. After the aircraft reached a height of 380 m, the engine stopped abruptly; the pilot managed to level the plane out and head back on a return course, but the situation could not be saved: the machine nosed over and was completely destroyed; the pilot died the next day from injuries sustained in the fall. Several more engine-related accidents resulted in the designers having only one KR10 left, but they failed to install it on any of the four finished J8M1 airframes because the war ended, and the project with it. By this time, the factory in Okha had 6 more airframes in different stages of preparation, 6 finished engines, and 20 more on the production line. Thus, the Japanese never managed to improve the aircraft to any flyable condition.
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{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=j8m1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
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=== Camouflages ===
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;Images
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<div><ul>
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
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<li style="display: inline-block;">[[File:ArmyWar.jpg|none|thumb|200x200px|<u>Army war camouflage</u>&nbsp;''Ki-200-series army prototype (sixth J8M1-series prototype), Summer 1945.'']]</li>
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File:ArmyWar.jpg|<u>Army war camouflage</u>&nbsp;Ki-200-series army prototype (sixth J8M1-series prototype), Summer 1945.
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<li style="display: inline-block;">[[File:NavalPrototype.jpg|link=https://wiki.warthunder.com/File:NavalPrototype.jpg|none|thumb|200x200px|<u>Prototype for Naval Testing</u>&nbsp;''First naval J8M1-series prototype, Yokoku, 7 July 1945.'']]</li>
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File:NavalPrototype.jpg|<u>Prototype for Naval Testing</u>&nbsp;First naval J8M1-series prototype, Yokoku, 7 July 1945.
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<li style="display: inline-block;">[[File:Prototype403.jpg|none|thumb|200x200px|<u>Prototype #403 camouflage</u>&nbsp;''Ki-200 prototype, shortly after being captured by U.S. Forces.^'']]</li>
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File:Prototype403.jpg|<u>Prototype #403 camouflage</u>&nbsp;Ki-200 prototype, shortly after being captured by U.S. Forces.
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</gallery>
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^ <small>(This historical camouflage was recreated and published by user "Sick2day")</small>
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|2NgpHefq0hc|'''Rocket Planes''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 03:30 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|INb9VjLxKf0|'''Most unusual aircraft''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:12 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 +
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;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
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* [[Me 163 B]]
 
* [[Me 163 B]]
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* [[Me 163 B-0]]
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* [[BI]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
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* ''other literature.''
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* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/320873-mitsubishi-j8m1-ki-200/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
  
 
{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
 
{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
 
{{Japan jet aircraft}}
 
{{Japan jet aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 19:22, 2 November 2023

Introducing Wiki 3.0
Ki-200
j8m1.png
GarageImage Ki-200.jpg
ArtImage Ki-200.jpg
Ki-200
Japan flag.png Japan
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
9.3 8.7 8.0
Class:
Research:105 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:300 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

The Ki-200 Shūsui (秋水, Swinging Sword) was intended to be a license-built copy of the Me 163 Komet, but with shipping problems of getting a functional Me 163 as an example, Japanese engineers were tasked to reverse engineer both the plane and rocket engine from a flight operations manual and other limited documentation. With the project being one of the few joint ventures between the IJAAS and IJNAS, the Army wanted to redesign the fuselage while the Navy wanted to keep the German-proven frame, which eventually won by design and contracted to Mitsubishi to produce the design as J8M and Ki-200 for the Navy and Army respectively.

In War Thunder, it has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. It plays very similarly to its German brother, the Me 163 B, only offering little fuel, it has to gain altitude as soon as possible to afterward cut down on the throttle, idle in the sky, and hawk down on targets below the Ki-200 using gravity as speed and fuel. On top of limited fuel, trigger discipline is also necessary with limited ammo, armed with heavy-hitting 30 mm cannons, which can dispatch enemy air targets with a single hit. Maintaining altitude at all times is crucial for both combat and survival, allowing to, when out of fuel, glide back towards the airfield.

General info

Flight performance

The Ki-200's instrument panel.
Max speed
at 10 000 m995 km/h
Turn time17 s
Max altitude14 900 m
EngineToko Ro.2
TypeRocket
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight4 t

As with the German counterpart, the Me 163 B, the Shusui's flight performance is excellent. The plane can turn and roll with ease, capable of outmanoevering almost every fighters it may face. Though due to the lightweight of the Shusui, the plane will easily compress at a speed higher than 800 km/h and any snap turns may results into wing overload.

The Shusui's rocket engine provides quick acceleration and thrust and allows the plane to gain an altitude in relatively short time, even at steep angles (~30 degrees). However, the engine also quickly consumes the fuel to the point that it can only be used in full throttle for 5 minutes with full tanks. This, along with the low ammo count, will greatly reduce the sortie time of the Shusui before it have to land to rearm.

To extend the flight time of the Shusui, throttle and fuel management is the key. As the Shusui can quickly climb to a high altitude during takeoffs, the rocket engine can be throttle down or even cut off to conserve the fuel. The Shusui's excellent energy retention will help in keeping the plane in the air and even allowing it to gain more speed in a level flight with low throttle (at least 10%) or to descent at full speed with 0% throttle. After descending to the lower altitude to attack the enemy, be sure to climb back again with full throttle to regain some altitude, then you can regain the air speed with a shallow dive to attack the enemy again, rinse and repeat.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 10,000 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 983 971 14900 17.2 17.3 37.8 34.9 357
Upgraded 1,005 995 16.8 17.0 56.3 47.4

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
✓ X ✓ X X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1040 550 598 N/A 420 ~9 ~4
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 790 < 600 < 690 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Empty mass Wing loading (full fuel)
Toko Ro.2 1 1,610 kg 209 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 1m fuel 5m fuel
166 kg Liquid-fuel rocket 2,016 kg 3,640 kg 4,000 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition 100% WEP 1m fuel 5m fuel MTOW
Stationary 1,700 kgf N/A 0.84 0.47 0.43
Optimal 1,700 kgf
(any speed) 		N/A 0.84 0.47 0.43

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural1 040 km/h
Gear550 km/h
  • 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
  • 13 mm Steel plate behind the pilot

Although the Shusui has decent armour protecting the pilot, the airframe itself is very weak. The wing tips and elevators in particular can be easily destroyed and will cause the plane to crash due to the loss of control.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 080 → 3 773 Sl icon.png
RB9 778 → 11 978 Sl icon.png
SB13 628 → 16 694 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications90 200 Rp icon.png
146 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 100 Ge icon.png
Crew training86 000 Sl icon.png
Experts300 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 700 Ge icon.png
Research Aces720 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
110 / 370 / 600 % Sl icon.png
196 / 196 / 196 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
20 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
32 000 Sl icon.png
500 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
ho155_belt_pack
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods weapon.png
ho155_new_gun
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png

Due to the low number of modifications, upgrades for the 30 mm autocannons should be your priority. As the stock belt is inadaquate, researching the belt upgrades is a must. After upgrading your gun at rank 3, the engine upgrade at rank 4 is recommended as it gives more thrusts for the Shusui and thus allowing it to climb higher and faster.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 30 mm Ho-155 cannon
Ammunition120 rounds
Fire rate500 shots/min
Main article: Ho-155 (30 mm)

The Ki-200 is armed with:

  • 2 x 30 mm Ho-155 cannons, wing-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)

Usage in battles

Dogfighting

As the Ki-200 Shusui is a small and nimble rocket-propelled aircraft with powerful armament, it mainly sees tier V and on occasion tier VI jets. It isn't uncommon to start seeing AAMs here but as a rocket, it has an almost unprecedented advantage over all of these aircraft. The Ki-200 has an astounding climb rate rivalling that of the MiG-15. Due to this, the pilot can choose when and where to engage enemy aircraft. Having this is the most important advantage one can have flying the Ki-200. Once this ability is lost, chances of survival are minimal. This occurs mainly when the plane is almost out of its limited fuel and/or ammunition which forces the pilot to land.

Another huge advantage the Ki-200 has over jet aircraft is the ability to turn. The Shusui can virtually turn on a dime, allowing the rocket to even outturn propeller aircraft. However, at the highest speeds and pulling more than 8 G, the wings will snap, resulting in a crash. The ideal speed to turn is around 600 km/h. At this speed, enemy pilots will have a horrible time attempting to dogfight the Ki-200 as it will easily outturn them and fireball them to the ground if precautions aren't taken.

The main points
  • Manage & watch the fuel
  • Watch your speeds when turning/diving
  • Have situational awareness
  • Decide the terms of attack

The Ki-200's armament consists of 2 x Type-5 30 mm cannons though only loaded with 120 rounds of ammunition, so accuracy is key. For this, it is not recommended to attempt making deflection shots. It is easy enough to get up close with an enemy and destroy it with less than 20 rounds. That being said it is strongly ill-advised to attempt to shoot at long-range with the cannons wasting shells on a very slight chance of hitting. Only when a target isn't catchable but flying in a very straight & predictable path, it wouldn't hurt attempting a shot or 2. Usually, it is not difficult to hit those shots, but it can become aggravating due to the cannons jerking left and right from recoil when firing shots close after each other.

Taking off and Managing fuel
Ki-200 with disposable gear

The Ki-200 is fitted with disposable gear just like the Me-163 when taking off from an airfield, it will automatically drop to the ground once the wheels no longer touch the runway. When taking off in RB/SB, the speed at which the plane starts to leave the ground is at 230 km/h (140 mph) with fully extended flaps and 300 km/h (185 mph) with the flaps fully retracted.

Managing fuel consumption is very important since the fuel burns out after 5 minutes at full throttle. The lifetime of the fuel tank increases by more than 15 times below 30% throttle while still maintaining airworthy speed. It is strongly advised to keep throttle low when loitering at high altitude or returning to base with few seconds of fuel left. It is possible to still get back to base with just 10 seconds of fuel and descend speed at 20% throttle, which will last around 3 minutes longer. Generally, it is advised to zoom climb up to altitude and build up whatever speed possible before the fuel indicator hits 3:30. At that point, throttle back to 50% and hunt for an enemy. In a dogfight, use full throttle, but if it's not possible to catch someone or the fight will be over their airfield, pull off, climb, and idle until another opportunity presents itself.

Throttle efficiency

(horizontal flight at sea level, RB/SB)

Throttle (%) Highest Maintainable Speed Fuel Lifetime (full tank) Flight Distance
100 959 km/h (596 mph) 5 minutes ~80 km / 50 mi
75 890 km/h (553 mph) ~10 minutes (2x) ~148 km / 92 mi
50 758 km/h (471 mph) ~20 minutes (4x) ~253 km / 157 mi
25 563 km/h (350 mph) ~80 minutes (16x) ~750 km / 466 mi

Setting the throttle to 0% is very likely to cause fuel starvation and shut down the engine, making the aircraft decelerate faster, increasing the throttle by at least 1%, and it will turn right back on.

Manoeuvring and Landing

To completely master the Ki-200, it is vital to learn how to manoeuvre and land effectively. It is strongly discouraged for vertical manoeuvres in the Ki-200. Even at speeds under 720 km/h (450 mph), it becomes very easy to rip the wings in vertical dives. That being said, do not try to nose up after any vertical manoeuvre quickly. On the other hand, turning horizontal with the Ki-200 is very beneficial as to be expected from a Mitsubishi plane. The Ki-200 is a blend between the turn power of a Zero, the firepower of a MiG-15, and the speed of a Sabre

To land with the Ki-200, approaching the runway at lower speeds is a necessity. The Ki-200 has gear and landing flaps but it's only recommended to use the gear for losing airspeed coming into the landing. If the plane hits the runway too hard with the gear down, the plane goes into an up and down motion skipping over the runway. It's because of this that it is essential to bleed as much speed as possible when nearing the airfield, either by making hard manoeuvres at low speed before landing, levelling out the plane once nearing the ground and using flaps, gear and ailerons to fight and keep the plane level on a ski. Once reaching a stop, let loose of the ailerons and let a wing gently touch the ground.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Small, light and nimble, can be very difficult to hit at longer ranges
  • Excellent manoeverablity and energy retention, allowing the plane to glide and attack the enemy even with only a small amount of throtte
  • Rocket-propelled engine provides amazing acceleration and thrust, the latter allows the plane to get up to higher altitude quickly
  • 30 mm cannons can inflict devastating damage when hit

Cons:

  • Overall weak airframe, can't afford taking hits, its wings were also susceptible to snapping at high speed
  • Rocket-propelled engine severely limits the fuel capacity, throtte management is a must to keep the plane in the air
  • Low ammunition count, limiting the overall damage output
  • Incredibly hard to land due to skid landing gear configuration, often forcing the pilot to using rudders to force the plane into a halt
  • Unfavorable matchmaking oftens pit the plane against more advanced planes with better climb rate, speed, and/or anti-air missile

History


Archive of the in-game description

Mitsubishi Shusui (Swinging Sword, no reporting name) Experimental Single-seat, Single-engine Rocket-powered Fighter, meeting specification 19-Shi; Navy designation: Mitsubishi 19-Shi J8M1 (no reporting name); Army designation: Mitsubishi Ki-200 Shusui (no reporting name)

When American Boeing B-29 Superfortresses began to raid the islands of the Empire on a mass scale, the need to create a high-speed, fast-climbing, powerfully armed interceptor became ever more pressing for the Japanese aircraft industry. The Japanese, however, completely lacked experience in creating aircraft of such a class, and some initial work in this field had no effect on the bombing's intensity, since the interceptors available to the Army and the Navy were inadequate.

As usual, help came from Germany. In the autumn of 1943, at Oldenburg Air Base proving ground, Japanese military attachés were presented with a new miracle weapon, the Messerschmitt Me.163 Komet rocket-powered fighter. Its capabilities greatly impressed the Japanese. After brief negotiations, a license to produce the aircraft was purchased for 20 million Reichsmarks. As early as April 1944, a package of documents was dispatched on two Japanese submarines bound for Singapore. Some things were shipped together with the documents, such as a functional Walter HWK 109-509 rocket engine, an airframe, a number of production assemblies, and equipment components. Things did not turn out too well: one of the submarines was lost on the way after being spotted by the Allies. However, the main body of the documents was able to reach the 1st Naval Air Technical Arsenal in Yokosuka.

Unfortunately, the Japanese industry was not ready to manufacture a product of such advanced technology. Changes still had to be made, although it had been decided to stick to the documents received from the Germans as closely as possible. The main reason for the difficulties was the poor strength standards the Japanese had for the materials used. The Japanese metallurgical industry was not able to provide the high-strength alloy steels to manufacture the engine injectors, and the chemical industry could not provide the required amount of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer and hydrazine hydrate as a fuel. The development of the interceptor, which Mitsubishi specialists delved into as early as late June of 1944, was significantly drawn out. It was necessary, first of all, to modify the design to match the overall technological level of development of the Japanese aircraft industry.

In addition to technological problems, the designers were faced with purely technical difficulties. They needed to install some powerful armament, such as two 30 mm Type 5 cannons that were larger in size than their German counterparts, the Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 cannons. In addition, the Walter HWK 109-509 engine produced by Mitsubishi under the designation Toko Ro.2 or KR10 was extremely accident-prone and thus dangerous. The engines regularly exploded during trial starts, killing one engineer after another. Military specialists from both the Navy and the Army took an interest in the interceptor at the same time, but, despite the competition, the development was a joint venture. The Navy designated the project as the J8M1, whereas the Army's specialists designated it as the Ki-200, and the aircraft had a common name: the Shusui (Swinging Sword). Nevertheless, it was the engine-related problems that made the developers divide again into Army and Navy. As a result, the Army's specialists managed to assure the engine's stable operation for 4 minutes, while the Navy's engineers achieved nothing more than 3 minutes.

On July 7, 1945, the test pilot Toyohiko Inuzuka flew the J8M1 interceptor for the first time. After the aircraft reached a height of 380 m, the engine stopped abruptly; the pilot managed to level the plane out and head back on a return course, but the situation could not be saved: the machine nosed over and was completely destroyed; the pilot died the next day from injuries sustained in the fall. Several more engine-related accidents resulted in the designers having only one KR10 left, but they failed to install it on any of the four finished J8M1 airframes because the war ended, and the project with it. By this time, the factory in Okha had 6 more airframes in different stages of preparation, 6 finished engines, and 20 more on the production line. Thus, the Japanese never managed to improve the aircraft to any flyable condition.


Media

Skins
Images

  • Army war camouflage Ki-200-series army prototype (sixth J8M1-series prototype), Summer 1945.

  • Prototype for Naval Testing First naval J8M1-series prototype, Yokoku, 7 July 1945.

  • Prototype #403 camouflage Ki-200 prototype, shortly after being captured by U.S. Forces.

Videos
Rocket Planes discusses the Ki-200 at 03:30 - War Thunder Official Channel
Most unusual aircraft discusses the Ki-200 at 3:12 - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

External links


Mitsubishi Company (三菱商会)
Fighters  A5M4 · Hagiri's A5M4
  A6M2 mod. 11 · A6M2 · A6M3 · A6M3 mod. 22 · A6M3 mod. 22Ko · A6M5 · A6M5 Ko · A6M5 otsu · A6M5 Hei · A6M6c
  A7M1 (NK9H) · A7M2
  J2M2 · J2M3 · J2M4 Kai · J2M5 · J2M5 (30 mm)
Hydroplanes  F1M2
Interceptors  Ki-83 · Ki-109
Bombers  G4M1
  Ki-21-Ia · Ki-21-I hei · Ki-67-I Ko · Ki-67-I otsu
Jet Fighters  Ki-200
Captured  ▃A6M2 · ␗A6M2
See also  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Post-War)

Japan jet aircraft
IJNAS 
Experimental  Kikka
Reconnaissance  R2Y2 Kai V1 · R2Y2 Kai V2 · R2Y2 Kai V3
IJAAS 
Fighters  Ki-200
JASDF 
Fighters  F-86F-30 ▅ · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅
  F-104J
  F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · F-4EJ Kai Phantom II
  F-15J · F-15J(M)
  F-16AJ
  F-1
Trainers  T-2 Early · T-2
Foreign 
Thailand  ▄AV-8S · ▄F-5E FCU

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