Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa "Oscar"

The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (隼, "Peregrine Falcon") was a Japanese single-engine fighter aircraft used during World War II, primarily by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS). Its Allied reporting name was "Oscar". Manufactured by the Nakajima Aircraft Company (largest army fighter production of the war with 5,919) it first flew in January 1939 but was onl introduced in early 1941. It's primary User was the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, but also many were passed on to the Thai Air Force, and postwar, some were used by Chinese and Indonesian forces. This fighter was primarily used for air superiority, but also ground attack in later stages.

Length: 8.92 m, Wingspan: 11.25 m
Engine: Nakajima Ha-25 radial engine, top Speed: c530 km/h (330 mph), range: 1,700 km (1,056 miles).
Armament, Early models: 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns, Later 2 × 12.7 mm Ho-103 machine guns, small bombs.
It was highly maneuverable, designed to dogfight in the tradition of the nimble Mitsubishi A6M Zero.
Its lightweight construction Gave it agility, but poor durability. It had no armor or self-sealing fuel tanks in early versions, making it vulnerable.
Pilots loved its agility, especially in the early years of the war. It had no equal.
The Hayabusa saw action from the beginning of the Pacific War in Burma, China, Philippines, and New Guinea, deleting all opposition with ease. It excelled in early stages of WWII due to lack of effective Allied opposition. However it became increasingly obsolete as Allied aircraft like the P-40 Warhawk, F6F Hellcat, and P-51 Mustang entered service.

🛩️ Variants

Ki-43-I: First production model
Ki-43-II: Improved engine and added armor/fuel tank protection
Ki-43-III: Final model, more powerful engine, late-war use