Introduction /A Difficult Birth /The Rush to Combat - New Guinea 1943-44 /Attrition - The Philippines and South-East Asia /The Noose Tightens - The Island Campaigns /A Desperate Battle - The Air Defence of Japan /Seven Week Fighter - the Ki-100 /Appendices
The Ki-61 Hien (Flying Swallow) was the only inline engined (liquid-cooled) monoplane fighter to be used operationally by the Japanese armed forces during World War 2, and when first encountered by Allied pilots was presumed to be of Italian origin rather than a homegrown machine. The Ki-61 was committed in quantity to the fighting over New Guinea but was plagued by engine problems, which together with other factors, and despite the valiant efforts of its pilots, seriously impeded its undoubted impact on the campaign. Used operationally on other fronts, but only in small numbers, it never achieved its expected potential. During the air defence of Japan it became the equipment of several elite fighter units, and when the airframe was expediently but successfully married to a radial bomber engine due to a shortage of the original in-line engines, it became the formidable Ki-100 Goshikisen, the mount of several notable aces in the closing months of the war.
Nicholas Millman is one of Britain's leading researchers of Japanese military aviation. In addition to publishing articles in specialist journals, his own range of reference materials and supporting the research of other authors, he runs a website dedicated to the subject which attracts visitors from 175 countries. He is a member of Pacific Air War History Associates, an exclusive international group of authors and researchers working in this specialist field. Having spent much of his working life in the Far East he has an abiding interest in the history of military aviation in this part of the world, and first hand knowledge of the geography, languages and people. Ronnie Olsthoorn was born and raised in the Netherlands, where he studied aeronautical engineering. After graduating he chose to become a professional artist and soon moved to the UK. Currently a freelancer, Ronnie has created artwork for 15 computer games and even more aviation books.
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