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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
 Manchukuo
China-Nanjing
 China
 China
 French Indochina
 United Kingdom

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

Ki-54 at the Misawa Aviation & Science Museum

Specifications (Ki-54c light transport)

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

General 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

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ^ Thomas, Andy (July 2008). "Vietnam Prelude". FlyPast (324). Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing: 70–71.
  2. ^ "Anyone got pics of the AWM Ki-54?". Warbirdz Aviation Photography. Archived from the original on 12 April 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  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". Yomiuri Online (in Japanese). August 13, 2010. Archived from the original on August 16, 2010.
  7. ^ Mondey 1996, p. ?.
  8. ^ Francillon 1979, p. 256.

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.
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