Mitsubishi Ki-57

Ki-57

MC-20-I, with a nickname Asagumo (morning cloud), used by Asahi Shimbun
Role	Transport aircraft Paratroop transport Passenger aircraft
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited)
Designer	Mitsubishi Jukogyo KK Design Team
First flight	August 1940
Introduction	1942
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Imperial Japanese Airways
Produced	1940-1945
Number built	406
Developed from	Mitsubishi Ki-21

The Mitsubishi Ki-57 was a Japanese passenger transport aircraft, developed from the Ki-21 bomber, during the early 1940s. See below for synonyms.

Development

MC-20-II with a nickname Hakutsuru (white crane) during the Sino-Japanese war.

In 1938, when the Ki-21 heavy bomber began to enter service with the Imperial Japanese Army, its capability attracted the attention of the Imperial Japanese Airways. In consequence a civil version was developed and this, generally similar to the Ki-21-I and retaining its powerplant of two 708 kW (950 hp) Nakajima Ha-5 KAI radial engines, differed primarily by having the same wings transferred from a mid to low-wing configuration and the incorporation of a new fuselage to provide accommodation for up to 11 passengers. This transport version appealed also the navy, and following the flight of a prototype in August 1940 and subsequent testing, the type was ordered into production for both civil and military use.^[1]

This initial production Ki-57-I had the civil and military designations of MC-20-I and Army Type 100 Transport Model 1, respectively. A total of 100 production Ki-57-Is had been built by early 1942, and small numbers of them were transferred for use by the Japanese navy in a transport role, then becoming redesignated L4M1. After the last of the Ki-57s had been delivered production was switched to an improved Ki-57-II, which introduced more powerful 805 kW (1,080 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-l02 14-cylinder radial engines installed in redesigned nacelles and, at the same time, incorporated a number of detail refinements and minor equipment changes. Civil and military designations of this version were the MC-20-II and Army Type 100 Transport Model 2, respectively. Only 406 were built before production ended in January 1945. Both versions were covered by the Allied reporting name "Topsy".^[2]

Variants

Ki-57-I Army Type 100 Transport Model 1: Powered by two 708 kW (950 hp) Nakajima Ha-5 KAI radial engines and a redesigned fuselage to accommodate 11 passengers. About 100 aircraft of this type were built including the civil version.
MC-20-I: Same as above but built for civil use with Imperial Japanese Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK).
Ki-57-II Army Type 100 Transport Model 2:Powered by two 805 kW (1,080 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-l02 14-cylinder radial engines installed in redesigned nacelles. Minor equipment and detail refinements were also incorporated. 306 aircraft of this type were produced before the end of production in January 1945.
MC-20-II: Same as above but built for civil use with Imperial Japanese Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK).
L4M1: A small number of Ki-57-Is were transferred for test by the Japanese navy as transports and were redesignated L4M1.

Operators

A wrecked Ki-57 on Honshu in late 1945

Wartime

Military operators

Japan

Manchukuo

Manchukuo Imperial Air Force

Civil operators

Japan

Imperial Japanese Airways (Dai Nippon Koku KK)
Asahi Shimbun
Osaka Mainichi Shimbun
Tyuka Koku Kaisya (in China)

Manchukuo

Manchukuo National Airways (in Manchuria)

Reorganized National Government of China

One MC-20 used as presidential transport

Second Philippine Republic

One MC-20 used as presidential transport

Post-war

China

The last Ki-57 was used as a trainer and retired in 1952.

Japan

Imperial Japanese Airways (till October 1945)^[3]

Netherlands

Captured aircraft, used by the KNIL.

Accidents and incidents

On December 20, 1940, an Imperial Japanese Airways MC-20-I (J-BGON, Myuko) crashed into Tokyo Bay off Chiba during CAB's test flight, killing all 13 on board including 8 CAB inspectors.
On June 21, 1941, a Manchurian Air Transport MC-20 (M-604) crashed into the Sea of Japan, killing all 18 on board.

Specifications (Ki-57-II)

Data from Japanese AIrcraft of the Pacific War^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator and radio operator)
Capacity: 11 passengers
Length: 16.10 m (52 ft 9⅞ in)
Wingspan: 22.60 m (74 ft 1¾ in)
Height: 4.86 m (15 ft 11⅜ in)
Wing area: 70.08 m² (754.3 ft²)
Empty weight: 5,585 kg (12,313 lb)
Loaded weight: 8,173 kg (18,018 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 9,120 kg (20,106 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mitsubishi Ha-102 Zuisei 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 805 kW (1,080 hp)(at take-off) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 470 km/h (254 kn, 292 mph) at 5,800 m (19,000 ft)
Range: 3,000 km (1,622 nmi, 1,865 mi)
Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,250 ft)
Wing loading: 116.6 kg/m² (23.9 lb/ft²)
Climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft): 15 min 45 s

References

Notes

↑ Francillon 1979, pp. 182–183.
↑ Francillon 1979, pp. 183–184.
↑ Francillon 1979, p. 184.
↑ Francillon 1979, pp. 184–185.

Bibliography

Francillon, Ph.D., René J. The Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Aircraft in Profile number 172). Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1967.
Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970. ISBN 0-370-00033-1 (2nd edition 1979, ISBN 0-370-30251-6; 3rd edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-801-1).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mitsubishi Ki-57.

Classic Airplane Museum MC-20 Japanese
JCAL MC-20 Japanese

Aircraft produced by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation

Company designations

Imperial Japanese Army short designations

Imperial Japanese Navy short designations

Carrier fighters	A5M A6M A7M
Carrier Torpedo Bombers	B1M B2M B4M B5M
Reconnaissance aircraft	C1M C5M
Carrier dive bombers	D3M
Observation seaplanes	F1M
Land-based Attack Bombers	G1M G3M G4M G6M G7M
Interceptors	J2M J4M J8M
Transports	L4M
Trainers	K3M K6M K7M
Patrol Aircraft	Q2M

World War II Allied reporting names

Japanese Self-Defense Force designations

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service 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

World War II Allied reporting names for Japanese aircraft

Aircraft in Japanese service

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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