Tachikawa Ki-54

Ki-54
Tachikawa Ki-54
Role Twin-engine advanced crew trainer
Manufacturer Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd
Designer Shinjiro Shinagawa
First flight Summer 1940
Introduction 1941
Retired 1945 (Japan)
1952 (China)
Primary user Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Produced 1941-1945
Number built 1,368

The Tachikawa Ki-54 Otsu (Fish) 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
 Manchukuo
China-Nanjing
 China
 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
 United Kingdom

Surviving aircraft

Ki-54 at the Misawa Aviation & Science Museum

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)

Specifications (Ki-54)

Data from The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II;[7] Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[8]

General characteristics

  • Crew: two
  • Capacity: eight
  • Length: 11.94 m (39 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 17.90 m (58 ft 8.75 in)
  • Height: 3.58 m (11 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 40 m² (430.57 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 2,954 kg (6,512 lb)
  • Useful load: 943 kg (2079 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 3,897 kg (8,591 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Hitachi Ha-13a 9-cylinder radial engine, 380 kW (510 hp) each

Performance

Armament
4x 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine guns, practice bombs

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Thomas, Andy (July 2008). "Vietnam Prelude". FlyPast. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing (324): 70–71.
  2. ↑ "Anyone got pics of the AWM Ki-54?". Warbirdz Aviation Photography. Retrieved 15 December 2013. Template:Deadline
  3. ↑ "Tachikawa Ki-54c 'Hickory' fuselage : 10th Independent Air Brigade, Imperial Japanese Army Air Force". awm.gov.au. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Aircraft database". LPH2O. April 3, 2016.
  5. ↑ "旧陸軍の練習機69年ぶり地上に、青森・十和田湖で引き揚げ" [Former Army training aircraft pulled out of lake for the first time in 69 years] (in Japanese). September 5, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  6. ↑ "旧陸軍練習機、十和田湖で発見…戦時中に墜落：社会 : YOMIURI ONLINE（読売新聞)" (in Japanese).
  7. ↑ David Mondey 1996, p. ?.
  8. ↑ Francillon 1979, p. 256.
Bibliography

  • Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6. (new edition 1987. ISBN 0-85177-801-1.)
  • Mondey, David. The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. New York: Bounty Books, 1996. ISBN 1-85152-966-7.
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