Nakajima Ki-27
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ki-27 | |
|---|---|
 Nakajima Ki-27 |
|
| Type | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Nakajima Aircraft Company |
| Maiden flight | 15 October 1936 |
| Introduced | 1937 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | Japanese Imperial Army Manchukuo Siam(Thailand) |
| Number built | 3,368 |
The Nakajima Ki-27 (九七式戦闘機 Kyūnana-shiki sentōki)?) was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force up until 1940. Its Allied code name was Nate, although it was also called Abdul in the China Burma India Theater of World War II.
Contents |
[edit] Design and development
In 1935, the Imperial Japanese Army held a competition between Nakajima, Mitsubishi, and Kawasaki to design a low-wing monoplane to replace the Kawasaki Ki-10 (Army Type 95 Fighter) biplane.
The results were Nakajima Ki-27, Kawasaki Ki-28, and Mitsubishi Ki-33 (a modification of the Mitsubishi A5M carrier-based fighter). The Nakajima design was based on its earlier Ki-11 monoplane fighter which lost to the Ki-10 in the Type 95 Fighter competition. When the follow-up Nakajima Ki-12 proposal with a liquid-cooled engine and retractable landing gear was deemed too complex by the Japanese officials, the Ki-27 was designed by Koyama Yasushi to have an air-cooled radial engine and fixed landing gear. The aircraft had the Nakajima trademark wing with a straight leading edge and tapered trailing edge which would reappear again on the K-43, Ki-44, and Ki-84.
The Ki-27 made its first flight on 15 October 1936. Although it had a slower top speed and worse climb performance than its competitors, the Army chose the Nakajima design for its outstanding turning ability granted by its remarkably low wing loading. The Army ordered ten pre-production samples (Ki-27a) for further testing, which featured an enclosed cockpit with sliding canopy and larger wings.
The type was officially accepted into service in 1937 as the Army type 97 fighter. In addition to Nakajima, the Ki-27 was also manufactured by Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd and Manshukoku Hikoki Seizo KK, with a total of 3,368 built before production ended in 1942.
[edit] Operational history
The Ki-27 was the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's main fighter until the start of World War II. When placed into combat service over northern China in March 1938, the Ki-27 enjoyed air superiority until the introduction of the faster Soviet-built Polikarpov I-16 fighters by the Chinese.
In the 1939 Battle of Khalkhin Gol against the USSR in Mongolia, the Ki-27 faced both I-15 biplanes and I-16 monoplanes and suffered from lack of armor protection for the pilot and absence of self-sealing or fire suppression in the fuel tanks. In addition, the airframe could not handle the stress of high speeds and Soviet pilots routinely escaped Ki-27 attacks in a dive. The armament of two rifle-caliber machine guns was insufficient and as a result, in spite of the Ki-27's excellent maneuverability, the Japanese claim of 1,252 downed enemy aircraft (six times the official Soviet number) is unrealistic.[1].
The Ki-27's high rate of turn caused the Army to focus almost exclusively on maneuverability, a decision which came back to haunt them later as it handicapped the development of faster and more heavily armed fighters. The Ki-27 served until the beginning of World War II in the Pacific, escorting bombers attacking Malaya, Singapore, Netherlands East Indies, Burma and the Philippines (where, initially it fared poorly against the Brewster Buffalo).
The type also saw extensive action against the American Volunteer Group in the early months of the war. Soon outclassed by the Americans' Curtiss P-40s, the Ki-27 was replaced in frontline service by the Ki-43, with surviving examples continued to serve as a trainer.
The Ki-27 was also exported for use with Manchukuo and Thai armed forces, seeing combat with both. In Thai service, Ki-27s reportedly damaged a P-51 Mustang and shot down one P-38 Lightning. Near the end of World War II, a few Ki-27s were equipped with up to 500 kg (1100 lb) of explosives for a Kamikaze role.
[edit] Variants
- Nakajima Type PE –
- Private-venture experimental aircraft with Nakajima Ha.1a engine.
- Nakajima Ki-27
- Prototype version with armament in response to IJAAF specs, two aircraft built.
- Nakajima Ki-27-Kai Prototype
- Pre-production units with armament and heavier Ha.1b engine, 10 aircraft built.
- Ki-27a (Army Type 97 Fighter)
- First production version. Approximately 565 aircraft built.
- Ki-27a-Kai
- Trainer version converted from existing production. Approximately 150 aircraft converted.
- Ki-27b (Army Type 97b Fighter)
- Improved version with an improved canopy, oil cooler and provision for 4 x 25 kg (55 lb) bombs or fuel tanks under the wings. A total of 1,492 built, including 50 by Tachikawa Aircraft Company Ltd.
- Ki-27b-Kai
- Trainer version converted from existing production. Approximately 225 aircraft converted.
- Nakajima Ki-27-Kai
- Experimental lightened version developed as an interim solution when Ki-43 development was delayed, top speed 475 km/h (295 mph); two aircraft built.
- Mansyu Ki-79
- Trainer version, built by Manshūkoku Hikōki Seizo KK with a Hitachi Ha.13a engine. A total of 1,329 aircraft built in four sub-versions (Ki-79a, b, c and d).
[edit] Operators
[edit] World War II
[edit] Post-War
China:
Indonesia
- In 1945, Indonesian People's Security Force (IPSF) (Indonesian pro-independence guerrillas) captured a small number of aircraft at numerous Japanese air bases, including Bugis Air Base in Malang (repatriated 18 September 1945). Most aircraft were destroyed in military conflicts between the Netherlands and the newly proclaimed-Republic of Indonesia during the Indonesian National Revolution of 1945-1949.
[edit] Survivors
- One Ki-27 is known to be preserved at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum[2]
[edit] Specifications (Ki-27a)
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 7.53 m (24 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
- Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 18.61 m² (200.3 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,174 kg (2,588 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,598 kg (3,523 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,790 kg (3,946 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Ha-1 Otsu air-cooled radial engine, 485 kW (650 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 444 km/h (275 mph)
- Cruise speed: 350 km/h (218 mph)
- Range: 630 km (390 mi)
- Service ceiling 10,040 m (32,940 ft)
- Rate of climb: 15.3 m/s (3,010 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 86 kg/m² (18 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.30 kW/kg (0.18 hp/lb)
Armament
- 2 × 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns, 500 rounds/gun or 1 x 12.7 machine gun and 1 x 7.7 machine gun on later models
External bomb load of 220 pounds
[edit] See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Sakaida 1997, p. 11.
- ^ Nakajima Ki 27 "Nate" at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum
[edit] Bibliography
- Bueschel, Richard M. Nakajima Ki.27A-B Manshu Ki.79A-B in Japanese Army Air Force-Manchoukuo-IPSF-RACAF-PLAAF & CAF Service. Reading, Berkshire, UK: Osprey Publications, 1970. ISBN 0-85045-020-9.
- Francillon, René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company, 1970 (Second edition 1979). ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
- Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Three: Fighters. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1961 (seventh impression 1973). ISBN 0-356-01447-9.
- Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "The Agile Asian...Japan's Type 97 Fighter". AirEnthusiast Six March-June 1978. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1978.
- Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. WW2 Aircraft Fact Files: Japanese Army Fighters, part 2. London: Macdonald and Janes's, 1977. ISBN 0-354-01068-9.
- Mikesh, Robert. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. Naval Institute Press, 1990. ISBN 1557505632.
- Sakaida, Henry. Japanese Army Air Force Aces, 1937-45. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1-85532-529-2.
- Szeremeta, Zygmunt and Wieliczko, Leszek A. Nakajima Ki 27 Nate (bilingual Polish/English). Lublin, Poland: Kagero, 2004. ISBN 83-89088-51-7.
- Thorpe, Donald W. Japanese Army Air Force Camouflage and Markings World War II. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc.,1968. ISBN 0-8168-6579-5.
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||
