WI: Better A5M and Ki-27

Nice work Leo, here's a side profile of the real A5M3. The nose seems to be very clean. I have never managed to find how fast was the thing though, although it is said it was the fastest A5M of all. Now fit it with a 860HP HS-12Ycrs engine and retractable gear... and probably the thing wouldn't be too far from D-520 in performance!

http://www.total-hobby-distribution...0A/33E7/84BD/A93_0020_A5M3_0020_prototype.jpg

If you dig deeper, you'll find that there exist no photographs of the actual aircraft, and that the profile and model are in fact as fictitious as mine. You would also have to get an enclosed cockpit to get higher speed.
 
That is true, however drawings (from which that profile was made) are shown in japanese publications like Bunrindo. For lack of any pictures, that's the best we have at the moment.

Anyway, i was still casting about getting a better engine for the super Ki-27, and i found out that the Ha-25/Sakae was a smaller version of Ha-5. The Sakae was apparently conceived in 1933, but the initial spec asked for only 600HP. It was successfully tested in 1936 but the spec was immediately uprated to 1000HP, and eventually that version entered production in 1939. So if the spec is for more power from the start and there is no delay with the redesign, perhaps we can get a derated Ha-25 for our super Ki-27 in 1937, say 850HP or so, which will then be uprated to the OTL 1000HP.

An article on Sakae here:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/airplane/museum/nakajima/sakae.html

Also found out that Mitusbishi did a very fast job with the Zuisei, which was a smaller Kinsei, it was conceived AND tested in 1936, and entered production in 1938. So if Mitsubishi starts a bit earlier on the Zuisei, perhaps the super A5M could be fitted with it in 1937 (instead of the larger Kinsei). Then developments would go from about 800HP (derated) in 1937, to about 900 in 1938 and then to 1080HP in 1940.
 
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Larger, more powerful engines, improved armament, enclosed canopies and retractable undercarriage are all part of progress, and all part of why the A5M and Ki-27 were regarded as interim aircraft, while all such developments took place. Indeed, all aircraft are interim, more now than then, and Japan would have done better somewhat to terminate production of the interims sooner than what was done. The Ki-44 Shoki used a "bomber" engine, as did the J2M. The Shoki wasn't liked at first, because it didn't turn as well, and didn't land as gently on crappy airfields, and entry into full service was delayed and slow. Powerful engines, better armament, enclosed canopies and retractable gear were all things that were resisted by pilots whose opinions were well regarded, and only through use were they appreciated. Hell, you don't appreciate back armor until a .50 comes zinging through your guts. And then, you wonder why the back armor was only thick enough to stop .30s.
 
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