Aviation of Word War II

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Ki-54
Training and Transport Aircraft
Tachikawa

Tachikawa Ki-54 1a

Twin-engine multipurpose transport aircraft. The first flight was in the summer of 1940.

As a training and transport aircraft, the Ki-54 has shown itself to be a very successful machine. From the beginning of 1941, he began to enroll en masse in all army flight schools. The aircraft was used to train all crew members: pilot, navigator, bombardier, gunner - radio operator and was widely used by the Japanese throughout World War II. As a transport, it could carry 8 passengers.

At the end of the war, at least four Ki-54, from among the Soviet trophies, were transferred to Mao Tse Tung and flew as transport aircraft until 1952 in the PRC Air Force. One captured Ki-54 was operated by the British in Burma in the summer and autumn of 1945, one Ki-54 was operated in North Korea.

A total of 1368 aircraft of all modifications were built.

Tachikawa Ki-54
Crew 2
Dimensions
Wing span, m 17.90
Wing area, m² 40.00
Length, m 11.94
Height, m 3.58
Powerplant
2×PE Army Type 98 (Hitachi Na-13 Kô), hp 2×510
Weight, kg:
Empty weight 29,540
Loaded weight 38,970
Performance
Maximum speed, km/h 376
Cruising speed, km/h 240
Rate of climb, m/min 250
Service ceiling, m 7,180
Service range, km 960
Armament
4 × 7.7 mm Te-4 machine gun, bombs, kg 10-15


Aircraft modifications

  • Ki-54a - "Army Type 1 Model A advanced flight training aircraft". The series was launched in 1941.
  • Ki-54b - "Type 1 military training aircraft model B". In this modification, the aircraft provided training in addition to pilots and other members of bomber crews. It had four movable firing points (two in the upper turrets and two on pivot mounts in the side windows) with 7.7-mm type 89 machine guns, the most numerous type.
  • Ki-54с - "military type 1 model C transport aircraft"; the civilian version - Y-59, had 8-9 passenger seats, a luggage compartment and a toilet.
  • Ki-54o - "Type 1 Model D patrol bomber". An anti-submarine defense aircraft, carrying 8 60-kg depth charges on board. Several copies were released.
Photo Description
Drawing Ki-54c

Drawing Ki-54c

Tachikawa Ki-54b

Tachikawa Ki-54b


Bibliography

  • "Encyclopedia of military engineering " /Aerospace Publising/
  • "Japan Warplanes of World War II" /Oleg Doroshkevich/
Tachikawa Ki-54