• Source: Tachikawa Ki-54

The Tachikawa Ki-54 was a Japanese twin-engine advanced trainer used during World War II. The aircraft was named Hickory by the Allies.




History


The Ki-54 was developed in response to an Imperial Japanese Army requirement for a twin-engine advanced trainer, principally for crew training. The prototype first flew in summer 1940 and, on completing trials, entered production in 1941 as Army Type 1 Advanced Trainer Model A (Ki-54a). The Ki-54a was soon followed by the Ki-54b as Army Type 1 Operations Trainer Model B and Ki-54c as Army Type 1 Transport Model C. The Ki-54b and -c enjoyed successful careers until the end of the war. A few captured aircraft were flown after the war by various users.




Operators


Japan
Imperial Japanese Army Air Force used them for training as per their design.
Manchukuo
Manchukuo Air Force Three were provided by Japan as VIP transports.
China-Nanjing
Nanjing air force
China
Republic of China Air Force Nationalist Chinese (captured).
China
People's Liberation Army Air Force Communist Chinese (captured): Four captured Ki-54s were used, including in 1951 to train the first class of female pilots in China. They were retired in 1952.
French Indochina
Armée de l'Air At least seven Ki-54 were recovered by the French in French Indochina between 1945 and 1947, after the Japanese surrender.
United Kingdom
One aircraft operated briefly by No. 273 Squadron RAF during September and October 1945 in French Indochina.




Variants


Ki-54a - unarmed pilot trainer
Ki-54b - armed crew trainer
Ki-54c - eight-passenger light transport, communications aircraft. Civil designation Y-59.
Ki-54d - maritime reconnaissance/ASW, carried 8x 60-kg (132-lb) depth charges
Ki-110 - one prototype Ki-54c of all-wood construction, destroyed in US bombing attack
Ki-111 - projected fuel tanker (none built)
Ki-114 - projected fuel tanker of all-wood construction (none built)




Surviving aircraft



A Ki-54 fuselage is in Australia in storage at the Australian War Museum Annex. It was previously part of a playground at the RAAF Fairbairn base kindergarten.
Another Ki-54 fuselage is stored in China at the Chinese Aviation Museum.
An unrestored Ki-54 is on display at the Misawa Aviation & Science Museum, Japan, it was found at the bottom of Lake Towada in Aomori Prefecture on 13 August 2010. It was recovered on 5 September 2012 and has been restored for display.




Specifications (Ki-54c light transport)


Data from The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II; Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific WarGeneral characteristics
Crew: 2
Capacity: 8
Length: 11.94 m (39 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 17.9 m (58 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.58 m (11 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 40 m2 (430 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,954 kg (6,512 lb)
Gross weight: 3,897 kg (8,591 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Hitachi Ha13a (Army Type 98 450hp Air Cooled Radial) 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 380 kW (510 hp) each for take-off
350 kW (470 hp) at 1,700 m (5,600 ft)
Propellers: 2-bladed metal propeller
Performance

Maximum speed: 375 km/h (233 mph, 202 kn)
Cruise speed: 240 km/h (150 mph, 130 kn)
Range: 960 km (600 mi, 520 nmi)
Service ceiling: 7,180 m (23,560 ft)
Wing loading: 97.4 kg/m2 (19.9 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.195 kW/kg (0.119 hp/lb)




See also



Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Airspeed Oxford
Avro Anson
Beech Model 18
Siebel Si 204

Related lists

List of aircraft of World War II
List of military aircraft of Japan




References






= Notes

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= Bibliography

=
Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-30251-6. OCLC 6124909. (new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, ISBN 0-85177-801-1.)
Mondey, David (1996). The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. New York: Bounty Books. ISBN 1-85152-966-7.
Soumille, Jean-Claude (September 1999). "Les avions japonais aux coleurs françaises" [Japanese Aircraft in French Colors]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et Son Histoire (in French) (78): 6–17. ISSN 1243-8650.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

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