B-24 Liberator Vs. Ki-43 Oscar

DURING THE LATE 1930S AN ARMAMENT RACE DEVELOPED BETWEEN BOMBERS - AND THE FIGHTERS THAT WERE BENT ON STOPPING THEM! THE US ARMY AIR CORPS (USAAC) REQUESTED THAT POWERED GUN TURRETS BE FITTED TO ITS TWO PRINCIPAL LONG-RANGE BOMBERS, THE B-17 FLYING FORTRESS AND THE B-24 LIBERATOR. THE JAAF`S RESPONSE TO THE INCREASE IN BOMBER ARMAMENT WAS TO DEVELOP A SO-CALLED HEAVY FIGHTER IN PARALLEL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARMY`S MAIN FIGHTER, THE KI-43 HAYABUSA (KNOWN AS THE `OSCAR`).