Tachikawa Ki-54

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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

China

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.

Survivors

A Ki-54 fuselage is in storage at the Australian War Museum Annex. It was previously part of a playground.^[1]
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.^[2]

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;^[3] Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War^[4]

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

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tachikawa Ki-54.

Notes

↑ "Anyone got pics of the AWM Ki-54?". Warbirdz Aviation Photography (in English). Retrieved 15 December 2013.
↑ 旧陸軍練習機、十和田湖で発見…戦時中に墜落：社会 : YOMIURI ONLINE（読売新聞）(Japanese)
↑ David Mondey 1996, p. ?.
↑ Francillon 1979, p. 256.

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.

v t e Aircraft produced by Tachikawa

Imperial Japanese Army types	Ki-9 Ki-17 Ki-24 Ki-25 Ki-26 Ki-29 Ki-36 Ki-54 Ki-55 Ki-70 Ki-71 Ki-72 Ki-74 Ki-77 Ki-92 Ki-94 Ki-104 Ki-106 Ki-110 Ki-111 Ki-114 SS-1 T.S. 1

World War II Allied reporting names	Cedar Clara Hickory Ida (Ki-36) Ida (Ki-55) Pat Patsy Sonia Spruce

v t e Imperial Japanese Army Air Force aircraft designations

1-50	Ki-1 Ki-2 Ki-3 Ki-4 Ki-5 Ki-6 Ki-7 Ki-8 Ki-9 Ki-10 Ki-11 Ki-12 Ki-13 Ki-14 Ki-15 Ki-16 Ki-17 Ki-18 Ki-19 Ki-20 Ki-21 Ki-22 Ki-23 Ki-24 Ki-25 Ki-26 Ki-27 Ki-28 Ki-29 Ki-30 Ki-31 Ki-32 Ki-33 Ki-34 Ki-35 Ki-36 Ki-37 Ki-38 Ki-39 Ki-40 Ki-41 Ki-42 Ki-43 Ki-44 Ki-45 Ki-46 Ki-47 Ki-48 Ki-49 Ki-50

51-100	Ki-51 Ki-52 Ki-53 Ki-54 Ki-55 Ki-56 Ki-57 Ki-58 Ki-59 Ki-60 Ki-61 Ki-62 Ki-63 Ki-64 Ki-66 Ki-67 Ki-68 Ki-69 Ki-70 Ki-71 Ki-72 Ki-73 Ki-74 Ki-75 Ki-76 Ki-77 Ki-78 Ki-79 Ki-80 Ki-81 Ki-82 Ki-83 Ki-84 Ki-85 Ki-86 Ki-87 Ki-88 Ki-89 Ki-90 Ki-91 Ki-92 Ki-93 Ki-94 Ki-95 Ki-96 Ki-97 Ki-98 Ki-99 Ki-100

100-	Ki-101 Ki-102 Ki-103 Ki-105 Ki-106 Ki-107 Ki-108 Ki-109 Ki-110 Ki-111 Ki-112 Ki-113 Ki-114 Ki-115 Ki-116 Ki-117 Ki-118 Ki-119 Ki-148 Ki-167 Ki-174 Ki-200 Ki-201 Ki-202 Ki-230

v t e World War II Allied reporting names for Japanese aircraft

Aircraft in Japanese service	Abdul Alf Ann Babs Baka Belle Betty Bob Buzzard Cedar Cherry Clara Claude Cypress Dave Dick Dinah Dot Edna Emily Eva Eve Frances Frank Gander George Glen Goose Grace Gwen Hamp Hank Hap Helen Hickory Ida (Tachikawa Ki-36) Ida (Tachikawa Ki-55) Irving Jack Jake Jane Jean Jerry Jill Jim Judy Kate Kate 61 Laura Lily Liz Lorna Loise Louise Luke Mabel Mary Mavis Myrt Nate Nell Nick Norm Oak Oscar Pat Patsy Paul Peggy Perry Pete Pine Rex Rita Rob Rufe Ruth Sally Sally III Sam Sandy Slim Sonia Spruce Stella Steve Susie Tabby Tess Thalia Thelma Theresa Thora Tina Tillie Toby Tojo Tony Topsy Val Willow Zeke Zeke 32

Nonexistent aircraft thought to be in Japanese service	Adam Ben Doris Gus Harry Ione Joe Joyce Julia June Norma Omar Ray

Foreign aircraft erroneously thought to be in Japanese service	Bess (Heinkel He 111) Doc (Messerschmitt Bf 110) Fred (Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5) Irene (Junkers Ju 87A) Janice (Junkers Ju 88A-5) Mike (Messerschmitt Bf 109E) Millie (Vultee V-11GB) Trixie (Junkers Ju 52/3m) Trudy (Focke Wulf Fw 200 Kondor)

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Records	Airspeed Altitude Distance Endurance Firsts Large Most-produced aircraft Most-produced rotorcraft

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