Nakajima Ki-27

Nakajima Ki-27
Type:	Fighter plane
Design country:	Japan
Manufacturer:	Nakajima Hikōki
First flight:	October 15, 1936
Commissioning:	1937
Number of pieces:	3368

The Nakajima Ki-27 or Jäger model 97 ( Japanese 九七式戦闘機 , 97-shiki sentōki , German "fighter type 97") was the standard fighter of the Japanese Army Air Force in the years 1937 to 1942. It was from 1941 by the Ki -43 Hayabusa replaced.

History and commitment

In 1935, the Japanese Army Air Force was looking for a replacement for the Kawasaki Ki-10 biplane fighter . Nakajima Hikōki prevailed in comparison flying against a design by Kawasaki and a land version of the Mitsubishi A5M . The first flight took place on October 15, 1936 and in 1937 the machine was introduced to the fighter units of the Japanese army aviators.

Compared to western fighters of the time, the Ki-27 was extremely weakly motorized and looked out of date due to its rigid landing gear. Nakajima had already experimented with retractable landing gear, but this was rejected by official bodies as too complex. However, due to its extremely light construction, the machine was very manoeuvrable and climbed extremely quickly. The construction of the wing with a straight leading edge and tapering trailing edge proved to be particularly successful and was also used by all Nakajima fighters of the Second World War . These excellent flight characteristics were bought at the price of low speed and weak armament, consisting of two machine guns caliber 7.7 mm. In addition, the machine had no radio; and instead of the reflex sight already introduced at the time , a telescopic sight was used.

In the conflict over Chalchin Gol of 1939 and in the Second Sino-Japanese War , the machine, which the Japanese Army Air Force usually referred to as the "Jäger Modell 97" after the year it was introduced in the Japanese calendar , proved itself in the aerial combat against the Soviet I-16 and I. -153 . Over Malaysia and Burma , as well as over the Philippines , the Japanese fighter pilots were able to successfully assert themselves with this machine against much more powerful types such as Brewster Buffalo , Hawker Hurricane or the Curtiss P-40 of the American Volunteer Group . However, this was mainly due to experienced pilots and numerical superiority, so that the machine was supplemented by the Ki-43 "Hayabusa" from the end of 1941 and later replaced. The remaining machines served as training aircraft until they were used as kamikaze aircraft from the end of 1944 . The machine sometimes carried up to 500 kg of explosives.

From 1942 onwards, the Ki-27 was referred to as "Nate" by the US armed forces.

Exports

The aircraft was also exported to Japan's allies such as Thailand and Manchukuo . The Mansyu machine was manufactured under license in Manchuria .

Indonesia deployed Ki-27 and Ki-79 machines after the war, which the Japanese had left behind.

The Ki-27 and Ki-79, built in Manchukuo, were used by the communists in the Chinese Civil War .

Versions

Prototypes - 3 prototypes with different engines and with or without armament
Ki-27a - first production version, built in 565 copies
Ki-27a-Kai Conversion of the Ki-27a to a training aircraft , about 150 copies converted
Ki-27b main series with improvements to the cabin roof and oil cooler , bomb suspensions for 4 bombs weighing 25 kg under the wings, 1492 units built
Ki-27b-Kai Conversion of the Ki-27b into a training aircraft in 225 copies
Ki-27-Kai Prototype of a lightweight version as an interim solution until the introduction of the Ki-43 , only 2 copies.
Ki-79 , two-seat training aircraft with open cockpit built by Mansyu in Manchukuo , 1329 copies

Total production: 3339 copies

Ki-36

The two-seat Tachikawa Ki-36 reconnaissance aircraft and the Ki-55 training aircraft (US code name "Ida") derived from it are based on the Ki-27 .

Development and technology

The Ki-27 is a low-wing aircraft with a rigid, disguised landing gear. It was from a radial engine powered Nakajima Ha 1b of the Ki-27b 573 kW (780 hp ) made.

Technical specifications

Three-sided view of Ki-27

Parameter	Data Ki-27a
crew	1
length	7.53 m
span	11.31 m
height	3.25 m
Empty mass	1110 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	1790 kg
drive	a radial engine Nakajima Ha.1b with 710 PS (522 kW)
Top speed	470 km / h at an altitude of 3500 m
Service ceiling	12,250 m
Range	625 km
Armament	Two 7.7 mm machine guns as standard , with Ki-27b 4 × 25 kg bombs possible. A machine gun was often replaced by a 12.7 mm caliber. As a training aircraft, an MG or unarmed.

Museum aircraft

A Ki-27 is on display at the Tachiarai Peace Museum in Japan. The machine was salvaged from the sea and is exhibited in a superficially restored condition. A Ki-79 is on display in the Indonesian Air Force Museum.