[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by theodore

CC, I simply went with the 'primary' production model, which is the Ki-44IIb. This aircraft, according to a Japanese pilot whom I interviewed (thru an interpreter, 1977, if my memory serves my right ) stated that their 12.7mm machine guns had a low rate of fire and were not very reliable. He also said that the 'Tojo' was not a stable gun platform. He remembers his aircraft having 4 12.7mm machine guns, 1 in each wing and 2 synchronized to fire thru the propellor. The other ones that he remembered were either produced in small numbers, or field modifications, based on experiences with B-24's, and later, B-29's.

A little background on myself: I have interviewed, best guess here, about 4,500 veterans of WW2, from 32 countries, using over 500 interpreters, since January of 1976. I was also the tour guide at the now defunct Flying Tigers Warbird Museum, in Kissimmee, Florida (suburb about 20 miles south of Orlando), from November of 1996 to January of 1998. Tom Reilly, the owner at the time it was open, has restored more WW2 bombers to flyable condition than any other restoration shop in the world. He restored 10 B-25's, 2 B-17's, and 1 B-24 to airworthy status. Many of you have seen Tom's work, the B-17 ('Nine O Nine') and B-24 ('The Dragon and her Tail') from the Collings foundation headquartered in MA flying the warbird circuit in years past. Some of his other aircraft are: 12 T-6's, an Avenger, a Corsair, and a P-40. At the time he closed up shop in April of 2005, he just finished his second B-17, the 'Liberty Bell'. He had a number of static displays (mostly jets from the Cold War era) and was the only person in the world to offer a week-long course on restoration techniques (sheet metal, fabrication techniques, magnetos, electrical wiring, hydraulics, etc.) to anyone in the world (many people from Europe would sign up for his $1,000 course months in advance!!), which culminated in a flight in his B-25 down to the largest private collection in the world today, Kermit Weeks' Fantasy of Flight, in Polk County. He also obtained a very rare bird: a FW-190F-8, which he planned on restoring to airworthy status. It is now located in another shop about 2 miles away from his hangar.

Sorry for the rambling!!

Wow, pretty impressive resume! I am really interested in the Finnish efforts during WWII, and you mentioned on a previous thread the Finnish procurement of the Seversky P-35. I only have a few books covering the Finnish efforts during WWII and have yet to come across a Finnish P-35. I was curious if you could pass on where you found this information. I also have a VHS documentary of Finnish aircraft from WWII and if does not show up in that one either. I would appreciate reference source and maybe some pictures if you have them.