Info: Japanese Army Aircraft of the Pacific War

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 1

In early December 1941, the Western Powers, remaining blind to the ominous war signs and confident in their technical superiority, possessed only outdated fighters to defend their possessions in the Pacific. Relying on wholly inaccurate and incomplete intelligence reports and believing that no fighters with retractable undercarriages had yet attained operational status with the Imperial Japanese Army, the future Allies had despatched to Southeast Asia and the Pacific only those aircraft which had become obsolete in the air war over Europe.

With entry of Japan into the war the Japanese Army revealed themselves as a far more dangerous enemy than expected. One of their trumps was a new single-seat aircraft fitted with a retractable undercarriage, the Army Type 1 Fighter Model 1 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon), which made its combat debut over Burma and the Malay Peninsula during the early weeks of the war.

Design work on the Hayabusa began in December 1937 when the Army, giving-up its long-standing policy of awarding competitive contracts to Japanese manufacturers, instructed Nakajima Hikoki KK to design a single-seat fighter to supersede the Army Type 97 Fighter (Nakajima Ki-27). The specification, quite exacting by Japanese standards, called for a fighter with (1) a maximum speed of 500 km/h (311 mph); (2) a climb rate of 5 min to 5,000 m (16,405 ft); (3) a range of 800 km (500 miles); (4) an armament of two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine-guns; and (5) manoeuvrability at least equal to the Ki-27.

The photos were taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon.

Regards

Bob

[Mait]

Keep up the good work with the IJA planes

Best Regards,

Mait.

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 2

To meet these stringent requirements Nakajima assembled a team of designers led by Hideo Itokawa. Within one year the first prototype (c/n 4301) was completed at Nakajima's Ota plant, and following its secret roll-out on 12 December, 1938, flew for the first time early the following month from Ojima Airfield. Two further prototypes (c/ns 4302 and 4303) were completed in February and March 1939 and joined the first aircraft in the company's flight test programme. With the exception of minor problems, the test programme went smoothly and soon after the machines were handed over to the JAAF for Service trials.

The three prototypes were each powered by a 925-950 hp Nakajima Ha-25 radial with single-speed supercharger, which was rated at 980 hp for take-off and 970 hp at 3,400 m (11,155 ft), and carried an armament of two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine-guns. These aircraft were distinguishable by the lack of engine cowling gills, the metal panels in the rear cockpit hood, the cockpit-mounted radio antenna mast, a fully retractable main undercarriage and a telescopic gunsight protruding through the windshield.

Although the Ki-43 met the performance requirements of the JAAF, Nakajima was criticised by Service pilots for failing to meet the manoeuvrability requirement. To most Army pilots the retractable undercarriage was a purely technical luxury, adding weight, and they believed that future air combats would be fought as classic dog-fights. For a while the future of the Ki-43 was in doubt. However, the JAAF decided to conduct further testing with ten Service trials aircraft built by Nakajima between November 1939 and September 1940. C/ns 4303 to 4310 inclusive were basically similar to the three prototypes except for minor equipment changes and the fitting of a new all-round-vision canopy. An experimental Nakajima Ha-105 engine with two-speed supercharger was also installed on the second Service trials machine (c/n 4305) while c/n 4310 mounted a pair of 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Type 1 (Ho-103) machine-guns.

The top and centre photos were taken from Warplanes of the Second World War Fighters: Vol 3, by William Green. The bottom photo was taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon.

Regards

Bob

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 3

The next Service trials aircraft (c/n 4311) was fitted with 'butterfly' combat flaps which could be extended in action to increase control sensitivity, to provide greater lift and to make possible a much tighter turning circle. This modification proved so effective that Service pilots commented favourably on the aircraft's handling characteristics. C/n 4313 had an alclad-treated duralumin outer skin, cowling gills, and a radio mast on the starboard side of the fuselage - these modifications being previously tested on the ninth Service trials machine (c/n 4312) - and was powered by a Ha-105 radial and armed with two 12.7 mm (0.5in) Type 1 (Ho-103) machine-guns. It also incorporated a new fuselage of smaller diameter and redesigned tail surfaces and wings similar to those of the production aircraft.

Following intensive tests of these aircraft, the Koku Hombu agreed that the use of the butterfly combat flaps sufficiently improved the Ki-43's manoeuvrability to warrant a production order for a version using a similar airframe to that of the last Service trials machine (c/n 4313) but powered by a 950 hp Army Type 99 radial, the production version of the Nakajima Ha-25. The initial production variant, designated Army Type 1 Fighter Model 1A and named Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon), was fitted with a two-blade fixed-pitch wooden propeller which was soon replaced with a two-blade two-pitch (Hamilton type) metal unit. Two synchronised 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine-guns were mounted in the upper cowling and two attachment points for fuel tanks were located under the wing centre-section behind and inboard of the main undercarriage units. Aircraft of this type were initially delivered to the 59th and 64th Sentais which, following training in Japan, moved to China with forty aircraft shortly before the war started.

This variant was followed on the assembly lines by the Ki-43-Ib, or Army Type I Fighter Model 1B, and by the Army Type I Fighter Model 1C (Ki-43-Ic). These aircraft differed from the Ki-43-Ia soley in their armament comprising respectively one 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Type I (Ho-103) machine-gun and one 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine-gun, and two 12.7 mm Type I (Ho-103) machine-guns.

The top and centre photos were taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon. The bottom photo was taken from Warplanes of the Second World War Fighters Vol:3, by William Green.

Regards

Bob

[gabriel pagliarani]

Why a so deep emphasys about combat flaps? It was due only to a comparison with Navy's Zero, which approaching-to-deck main speed was lowered as per specifications specially if compared to a normal landing speed of any Army's fighter or there was a low-speed highly maneuvrable foe fighter (a biplane?) menacing Jap air superiority in the skies of China? The strategy to attempt enemy's air superiority by enhancing low speed combat manouvrability thru combat flaps or combat Fowler's spoilers was attempted also by Soviets on Russian Front. Lag & Mig fighters were equipped with such devices with very poor results.This was the reply from battlefield to such a strategy: High manouvrability+low kinetics=shot down & killed. Thumb down! High manouvrability+high kinetics=gotta a further chance. Thumb up!

[Witch-King of Angmar]

Why a so deep emphasys about combat flaps? It was due only to a comparison with Navy's Zero, which approaching-to-deck main speed was lowered as per specifications specially if compared to a normal landing speed of any Army's fighter or there was a low-speed highly maneuvrable foe fighter (a biplane?) menacing Jap air superiority in the skies of China? The strategy to attempt enemy's air superiority by enhancing low speed combat manouvrability thru combat flaps or combat Fowler's spoilers was attempted also by Soviets on Russian Front. Lag & Mig fighters were equipped with such devices with very poor results.This was the reply from battlefield to such a strategy: High manouvrability+low kinetics=shot down & killed. Thumb down! High manouvrability+high kinetics=gotta a further chance. Thumb up!

Off-topic - better start a new one:

MiG-3 was doomed from the design itself, any enhancement in manoeuvrability was barely useful. It's only advantage was the high speed, otherwise it was a very bad project.

~The Witch King of Angmar

[gabriel pagliarani]

But Lags were nice airfames.... Simply low speed manouvres were uneffective, or better: only a real Ace could obtain an advantage using low speed acrobatic manouvres.

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 4

Early war operations against the Allies established the Hayabusa as one of the most feared Japanese aircraft despite its lack of pilot and fuel tank protection and its light armament. Like its navy counterpart, the famous Mitsubish A6M2 Zero, the Ki-43 acquired a reputation of supremacy in the first months of combat. Some 40 Army Ki-43 pilots claimed each to have destroyed at least ten enemy aircraft, and even discounting a proportion of these figures, this was a formidable score. In one encounter on 22 December, 1941, aircraft of the 2nd Chutai, 64th Sentai, destroyed five Australian Brewster Buffaloes for the loss of one of their own number. Allied fighters caught in dogfights with experienced Japanese pilots had little chance.

When code names were first allocated to Japanese aircraft the Ki-43 retained much of its mystery and became known as 'Oscar' in the Southwest Pacific theatre and as 'Jim' in the China-Burma-India theatre. 'Jim' was assigned to a 'Type 1 retractable gear fighter' thought to be a derivative of 'Nate'; 'Oscar' was the code name finally retained when it was found that 'Jim' was actually the same aircraft.


The photos were taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon.

Regards

Bob

[gabriel pagliarani]

Jap veterans of China Vs. Allied rookies scored 1:0. Airframes were not decisive in such a struggle, or they were less decisive than pilots' training and experiences. Later in the war the same jap veterans had to fight U.S. Navy's, Army's and Marines survivors to the massacres of Guadalcanal and New Guinea and their air-superiority was simply erased...

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 5

The coloured drawings were taken from The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II, by David Mondey.

Regards

Bob

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 6

Shortly after the Ki-43-I's service debut five airframes were modified to mount the 1,150 hp Army Type I (Nakajima Ha-115, a development of the earlier Ha-25) engine with a two-speed supercharger, rated at 1,150 hp at take-off, 1,150 hp at 2,450 m (8,040 ft) and 980 hp at 5,600 m (18,375 ft), and driving a three-blade constant-speed metal propeller. First flown in February 1942, the five Ki-43-II prototypes were followed by three identical pre-production machines. Except for minor engine teething troubles flight trials were entirely satisfactory and the improved model entered production as the Army Type I Fighter Model 2A (Ki-43-IIa) in November 1942. The Ki-43-IIa differed from the Model 1 in several respects. The supercharger air intake was moved from under the cowling to its upper lip while the carburettor intake remained under the cowling. The wing span was reduced by 0.6 m ( 1ft 11 5/8 in) and the wing area by 0.6 sq m (6.46 sq ft) to improve the speed at low and medium altitude. Other minor changes included the heightening of the windscreen and canopy, the fitting of a new reflector gunsight and the strengthening of the wing attachment points to carry 250 kg (551 lb) bombs. Pilot's protection was introduced in the form of 13 mm (0.511 in) head and back armour plating, and a rudimentary form of self-sealing fuel tank was installed in the wings.

Early in its production life the Ki-43-IIa had its carburettor intake deepened. However, comparatively few aircraft of this variant were built and the mass production version of the Hayabusa was the Army Type 1 Fighter Model 2B (Ki-43-IIb). Identical to the -IIa apart from minor equipment changes, the -IIb was initially identified by further modifications of the carburettor intake. The oil cooler, which so far had been mounted in a ring within the cowling ahead of the engine and around the propeller shaft just behind the spinner, was replaced by a honeycomb unit incorporated in a still deeper carburettor intake. Late production Ki-43-IIbs had their wing attachment points moved outboard of the main gear primarily to prevent bombs from crashing into the propeller during dive-bombing attacks at steep angles, while still later machines had the oil cooler removed from the carburettor intake and relocated under the centre fuselage. All these modifications progressively introduced on the Ki-43-IIb were standardised on the next variant to attain production status, the Ki-43-II KAI. This aircraft was also fitted with individual exhaust stacks offering some thrust augmentation and replacing the exhaust collector ring of earlier versions. Minor airframe modifications were incorporated to ease production and maintenance.

Soon after the introduction of the Ki-43-IIa, the JAAF endeavoured to augment Nakajima's production of the Hayabusa by selecting two additional manufacturing facilities, the Tachikawa Dai-ichi Rikugun Kokusho (First Army Air Arsenal) and the Tachikawa Hikoki KK (Tachikawa Aeroplane Co Ltd), both at Tachikawa. However, the first of these did not have enough skilled personnel to cope with mass production of fighter aircraft and was instructed to cease production after delivering forty-nine Ki-43-IIas, mostly built from components supplied by Nakajima, between October 1942 and November 1943. Tachikawa Hikoki KK were better prepared to mass produce modern fighters and built 2,629 Hayabusas starting in May 1943.

The photos were all taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon.

Regards

Bob.

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 7

The top colour drawing was taken from The Complete Book of Fighters, by Willia Green and Gordon Swanborough. The other two photos were taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon.

Regards

Bob

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 8

The top photo was taken from The Complete Book of Fighters, by William Green and Gordon Swanborough. The centre photo and colour drawing were both taken from The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, by David Donald.

Regards

Bob

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) - Pt 9

A captured Ki-43-II had been thoroughly tested and examined in Australia, and Allied pilots were given much valuable guidance on the aircraft's weak points. This helped to alter the balance in favour of Allied aircraft. Early on, the 50th Sentai, flying over Burma, produced outstanding Ki-43 pilots, notably Sergeant Satoshi Anabuki who scored 50 kills in 18 months, and pilots Isamu Sasaki and Yukio Shimokawa who claimed 32 and 15 victories respectively. But as the war moved against Japan, Ki-43 losses began to soar as they were confronted by by improved Allied fighters and better-trained pilots.

The last variant designed by Nakajima was the Ki-43-IIIa of which ten prototypes were built, starting in May 1944. Similar in airframe and armament to the Ki-43-II KAI, it was powered by a 1,150 hp Nakajima Ha-115-II rated at 1,190 hp for take-off, 1,230 hp at 2,800 m (9,185 ft) and 950 hp at 6,800 m (20,310 ft). Production aircraft, designated Army Type 1 Fighter Model 3A, were built by Tachikawa Hikoki KK, which company also built two prototypes of the Ki-43-IIIb, a specialised interceptor fighter, which was still undergoing tests at the end of the war. To improve climbing speed and overall performance at high altitude,a 1,250 hp Mitsubishi [Ha-33] 12 (Ha-112) rated at 1,300 hp for take-off, 1,200 hp at 3,000 m (9,845 ft) and 1,100 hp at 6,200 m (20,340 ft) was fitted while the apir of 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Type 1 machine-guns, which constituted the standard fixed armament of the Hayabusa since the Ki-43-Ic, was replaced by two 20 mm (0.79 in) Ho-5 cannon.

Numerically, the Hayabusa was the most important aircraft of the JAAF and as such served on every front to which the Service was committed. In the closing stages of the war it had been replaced by newer types in most front-line units, and the type was extensively used on taiatari, or suicide, missions. The Ki-43-I was also operated by the Royal Thai Air Force during the war, these being used for limited operations against the US 14th Air Force in southern China. Another user of the Ki-43, was the Manchukuo Air Force that received a quantity of Ki-43-IIa aircraft.

After the war, salvaged Hayabusas were flown by pilots of the Indonesian People's Security Force against the Dutch and, for a brief period only, by pilots of the French Groupes de Chasse I/7 and II/7 against Communist insurgents in Indo-China.

Units Allocated

1st, 11th, 13th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 30th, 31st, 33rd, 48th, 50th, 54th, 59th, 63rd, 64th, 65th, 71st, 72nd, 73rd, 77th, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 104th, 112th, 203rd, 204th and 248th Sentais; 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 19th, 24th, 26th, 47th and 71st Dokuritsu Dai Shijugo Chutais. Akeno, Hitachi and Kumagaya Army Fighter Training Schools.

Technical Data

Manufacurer: Nakajima Hikoki KK (Nakajima Aeroplane Co Ltd).
Type: Single-engined fighter and fighter-bomber.
Crew (1): Pilot in enclosed cockpit.
Powerplant: (Ki-43 prototypes, Service trials & Ki-43-Ia, -Ib & -Ic) One 950 hp Army Type 99 (Nakajima Ha-25) fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, driving a (Ki-43 prototypes, Service trials & Ki-43-Ia) two-blade fixed-pitch wooden or (Ki-43-Ia, -Ib & -Ic) two-blade two-pitch metal propeller; (2nd & 10th Service trials aircraft) One 1,100 hp Nakajima Ha-105 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, driving a two-blade metal propeller; (All versions of Ki-43-II) One 1,150 hp Army Type 1 (Nakajima Ha-115) fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, driving a three-blade constant-speed metal propeller; (Ki-43-IIIa) One 1,150 hp Army Type 1 (Nakajima Ha-115-II) fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, driving a three-blade constant-speed metal propeller; (Ki-43-IIIb) One 1,250 hp Mitsubishi [Ha-33] 42 (Ha-112) fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, driving a three-blade constant-speed metal propeller.
Armament: (Ki-43-Ia) Two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine-guns; (Ki-43-Ib) one 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine-gun and one 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Type 1 (Ho-103) machine-gun; (Ki-43-Ic, -IIa, -IIb, -II KAI & -IIIa) two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Type 1 (Ho-103) machine-guns; (Ki-43-IIIb) two 20 mm (0.79 in) Ho-5 cannon. Bomb load: Ki-43-I) Two 15 kg (33 lb) bombs; Ki-43-II & -III) two 30 kg or 250 kg (66 lb or 551 lb) bombs; or (all versions) two 200 litre (44 Imp gal) drop tanks.
Dimensions: Span (Ki-43-Ia) 11.437 m (37 ft 6 5/16 in); (Ki-43-IIb & IIIa) 10.84 m (35 ft 6 3/4 in); length (Ki-43-Ia) 8.832 m (28ft 11 3/4 in); Ki-43-IIb & IIIa) 8.92 m (29 ft 3 5/16 in); Height (Ki-43-Ia, -IIb & IIIa)3.27 m (10 ft 8 33/4 in); wing area (Ki-43-I) 22 sq m (236.805 sq ft); (Ki-43-IIb & -IIIa) 21.4 sq m (230.367 sq ft).
Weights: Empty (Ki-43-Ia) 1,500 kg (3,483 lb); (Ki-43-IIb) 1,910 kg (4,211 lb); (Ki-43-IIIa) 1,920 kg (4,233 lb); loaded (Ki-43-Ia) 2,048 kg (4,515 lb); (Ki-43-IIb) 2,590 kg (5,710 lb); (Ki-43-IIIa) 2,560 kg (5,644 lb); maximum ((Ki-43-Ia) 2,583 kg (5,695 lb); (Ki-43-IIb) 2,925 kg (6,450 lb); (Ki-43-IIIa) 3,060 kg (6,746 lb); wing loading (Ki-43-Ia) 93.1 kg/sq m (19 lb/sq ft); (Ki-43-IIb) 121 kg/sq m (28 lb/sq ft); (Ki-43-IIIa) 119.7 kg/sq m (24.5 lb/sq ft); power loading (Ki-43-Ia) 2.1 kg/hp (4.6 lb/hp); (Ki-43-IIb) 2.25 kg/hp (5 lb/hp); (Ki-43-IIIa) 2.1 kg/hp (4.6 lb/hp).
Performance: (Ki-43-Ia) 495 km/h (308 mph) at 4,000 m (13,125 ft: (Ki-43-IIb) 530 km/h (329 mph) at 4,000 m (13,125 ft); (Ki-43-IIIa) 576 km/h (358 mph) at 6,680 m (21,920 ft); cruising speed (Ki-43-Ia) 320 km/h (199 mph ) at 2,500 m (8,200 ft); (Ki-43-IIb) 440 km/h (273 mph); (Ki-43-IIIa) 442 km/h (275 mph); climb to 5,000 m (16,405 ft) in (Ki-43-Ia) 5 min 30 sec; (Ki-43-IIb) 5 min 49 sec; (Ki-43-IIIa) 5 min 19 sec; service ceiling (Ki-43-Ia) 11,750 m (38,500 ft); (Ki-43-IIb) 11,200 m (36,750 ft); (Ki-43-IIIa) 11,400 m (37,400 ft); range - normal (Ki-43-IIb) 1,760 km (1,095 miles); (Ki-43-IIIa) 2,120 km (1,320 miles); maximum (Ki-43-Ia) 1,200 km (745 miles); (Ki-43-IIb & -IIIa) 3,200 km (1,990 miles).
Production: A total of 5,919 ki-43s were manufactured as follows:

Nakajima Hikoki KK at Ota:

3 Ki-43 prototypes - December 1938-March 1939
10 Ki-43- Service trials aircraft - November 1939-September 1940
716 Ki-43-I production aircraft - April 1941-February 1943
5 Ki-43-II prototypes - February-May 1942
3 Ki-43-II Service triala aircraft - June-August 1942
2,492 Ki-43-II production aircraft - November 1942-October 1944
10 Ki-43-IIIa prototypes - May 1944-August 1945

Total 3,239

Tachikawa Hikoki KK at Tachikawa:

2,629 Ki-43-II and -IIIa production aircraft - May 1943-August 1945
2 Ki-43-IIIb prototypes - Spring 1945

Tachikawa Dai-Ichi Rikugun Kokusho at Tachikawa

49 Ki-43-IIa production aircraft - October 1942-November 1943.

The top colour drawing was taken from The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II, by David Mondey, the centre photo was taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon, and the bottom photo was taken from The Complete Book of Fighters, by William Green and Gordon Swanborough.

Regards

Bob



Regards

Bob

[Robert Hurst]

Hi

Tachikawa Ki-54 - Pt 1

In late 1939, at the request of the Koku Hombu, Ryokichi Endo began designing for Tachikawa a twin-engined multi-purpose trainer. The aircraft was required to duplicate closely the handling characteristics and performance of the series of modern twin-engined bombers which the Army had operated since 1937. It was to be used for the simultaneous training of a complete bomber's crew including pilot, bombardier, navigator, gunner and radio-operator. To achieve the necessary performance Endo selected a low-wing monoplane design of all-metal construction (except for the control surfaces, which were fabric-covered) with a retractable undercarriage and adopted a pair of 450 hp Hitachi Ha-13a radials, rated at 510 hp for take-off and 470 hp at 1,700 m (5,580 ft) with two-blade Hamilton-type variable-pitch propellers to power the aircraft.

Designated Ki-54, the first prototype was completed and flown during the summer of 1940. Following minor modifications which partially corrected a nose-heavy tendency during landings, the aircraft was placed in production in 1941 as the Army Type 1 Advanced Trainer Model A (Ki-45a). Like the prototype, the production aircraft of this first production series were primarily designed for pilot training, but was built in fairly small numbers before being suppplanted by the Ki-45b (Army Type 1 Operations Trainer Model B) which had full provision for bomber crew training and had four gunnery stations each mounting a flexible 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine-gun. The installation was characterised by twin dorsal turrets. Both models could carry from five to nine occupants.

Its operating reliability and roomy fuselage made the Ki-54 an obvious candidate for light transport and communications duties, and these were the functions of the third version, the Ki-54c, or Army Type 1 Transport Model C. It differed from the other variants in being unarmed, and by its smooth upper fuselage and was fitted with eight seats. A similar version was built in small numbers (about two dozen) as the Y-59 for civil operators. some of which were used in Manchuria.

The Army Type 1 Patrol Bomber Model D (Ki-54d) was an anti-submarine patrol aircraft carrying eight 60 kg (132 lb) depth-charges, developed from the basic Ki-54 and powered by the same engines, but few were built and they saw action for only a brief period.

The top and bottom photos were taken from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Rene J Francillon. The middle photo was taken from The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II, by David Mondey.

Regards

Bob