Tachikawa Ki-54

Ki-54
Tachikawa Ki-54
Role	Twin-engine advanced crew trainer
Manufacturer	Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd
Designer	Ryokichi Endo
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 was a Japanese twin-engine advanced trainer of World War II.

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. Named Hickory by the Allies, the Ki-54b and -c enjoyed successful careers until the end of the war.

Operators

Japan

• Imperial Japanese Army Air Force

Manchukuo

• Manchukuo Air Force Three provided by Japan as VIP transports

Republic of China (1912–1949)

• Republic of China Air Force Nationalist Chinese (captured)

China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force Communist Chinese (captured): 4 Ki-54 were used until their retirement in 1952, and in 1951, they were used to train the first class of female pilots of China.

French Indochina

• Armée de l'Air At least 7 Ki-54 were recovered by the French in French Indochina between 1945 and 1947, after the Japanese surrender.

United Kingdom

• One aircraft operated briefly by No. 273 Squadron RAF during September and October 1945 in French Indochina.

Survivors

• A Ki-54 fuselage is in storage at the Australian War Museum Annex. It was previously part of a playground.
• A Ki-54 was found in bottom of Lake Towada on 13 August 2010. It has now been recovered and will be restored for display.

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; Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 8
• 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)
• Loaded weight: 3,897 kg (8,591 lb)
• Useful load: 943 kg (2079 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Hitachi Ha-13a 9-cylinder radial engine, 380 kW (510 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 375 km/h (233 mph)
• Cruise speed: 240 km/h (149 mph)
• Range: 960 km (597 mi)
• Service ceiling: 7,180 m (23,555 ft)
• Wing loading: 97.4 kg/m² (20 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.195 kW/kg (0.119 hp/lb)

Armament

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

See also

• Airspeed Oxford
• Avro Anson
• Siebel Si 204
• Beech Model 18
• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of military aircraft of Japan

References

Notes

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.