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Intended to meet a requirement formulated in 1943 for an advanced two-seat long-range escort fighter, the Ki-83 was designed by a team headed by Tomio Kubo, who had previously been responsible for the Ki-46. Aerodynamically exceptionally clean and powered by two turbo-supercharged Mitsubishi Ha-211ru 18-cylinder radials, the Ki-83 possessed an armament of two 20mm and two 30mm cannon. The first of four prototypes was flown on 18 November 1944, demonstrating spectacular performance and remarkable manoeuvrability for its size - a 670m diameter loop being executed at 648km/h at 2900m within 31 sec. However, definitive plans for series manufacture of the Ki-83 were still being finalised when hostilities terminated.
| MODEL | Ki-83 |
| CREW | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 x Mitsubishi Ha-211 Ru, 1650kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 8795-9430 kg | 19390 - 20790 lb |
| Empty weight | 5980 kg | 13184 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 15.5 m | 50 ft 10 in |
| Length | 12.5 m | 41 ft 0 in |
| Height | 4.6 m | 15 ft 1 in |
| Wing area | 33.52 m2 | 360.81 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 705 km/h | 438 mph |
| Cruise speed | 450 km/h | 280 mph |
| Ceiling | 12660 m | 41550 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 2175 km | 1352 miles |
| Range w/max.payload | 1953 km | 1214 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 2 x 30mm cannons, 2 x 20mm cannons, 2 x 50-kg bombs |
 | A three-view drawing (752 x 997) |
| Peter A. Marshall, pmhawk3(@)optonline.net, 31.12.2008 this aircraft has such a spectacular STANCE on the ground. It looks like it's ready to just "leap into the air. Whatever became of one of the five prototypes that made it to the US in 1945-46'?
Peter A. Marshall
225 Irving Ave. (B-3)
Port Chester, NY. 10573-3955
(914) 939-0927 |
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