Tachikawa Ki-55
| Tachikawa Ki-55 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Trainer aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
September 1939 |
| Production time: |
1940-1943 |
| Number of pieces: |
1389 |
The Tachikawa Ki-55 (allied code name "Ida") was an advanced trainer aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II .
development
Because of the good flight characteristics of the Tachikawa Ki-36 , this aircraft was ideal as a training aircraft. This led to the development of the Ki-55 with only one machine gun . After a test program successfully completed in September 1939, the Ki-55 went into series production as an advanced type 99 training aircraft for the army.
By the end of production in December 1943, 1,389 aircraft of this type had been produced.
The Ki-55 received the same allied code name "Ida" as the Ki-36 due to its almost identical appearance.
variants
- Ki-36 : Two-seat liaison aircraft
- Ki-72: Improved version, but was no longer built.
operator
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China
- Chinese National Air Force , captured aircraft
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People's Republic of China
- The Chinese Air Force flew more than 30 captured Ki-55s towards the end of 1945. The last 14 of these were not decommissioned until 1953.
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South Korea
- The Air Force of the Republic of Korea used some aircraft left there by the Japanese after the war.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 8.00 m |
| span | 11.80 m |
| height | 3.64 m |
| Wing area | 20 m² |
| Empty mass | 1292 kg |
| maximum take-off mass | 1721 kg |
| Engine | a 9-cylinder Hitachi Ha-13a radial engine with an output of 380 kW (517 hp) |
| Top speed | 348 km / h |
| Cruising speed | 235 km / h |
| Range | 1060 km |
| Summit height | 8150 m |
| Armament | a solid, forward-facing 7.7 mm machine gun |
Web links
Commons : Tachikawa Ki-55 - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
