Ki-79b Unit: 22nd
shimbu-tai Serial: 26 The plane equipped by radio and bombs racks.
It was used as light bomber.
While manufacturing the Nakajima Ki-27 fighter under licence, in
1942, the Mansyu Hikoki Seizo KK (Manchurian Aeroplane
Manufacturing Co Ltd), at Harbin, undertook the redesign of this
aircraft as an advanced trainer. Designated Army Type 2 Advanced
Trainer, the aircraft was built in four versions: the Ki-79a
single-seat trainer powered by a 510 hp Hitachi Ha-13a; the
similarly powered Ki-79b tandem two-seat trainer; the single-seat
Ki-79c, powered by a Hitachi [Ha-23] 22; and the two-seat Ki-79d
with a [Ha-23] 24. All powerplants were versions of the basic type.
All Ki-79 variants had open cockpits, but whereas the Ki-79a and b
had all-metal airframes, the Ki-79c and d were built of wood and
steel.
Armament: One fixed forward-firng 7.7 mm (0.303 in)
machine-gun.
Dimensions: Span 11.5 m ( 37 ft 8 3/4 in); length 7.85 m (25 ft 9
1/16 in).
Weights: Empty 1,300 kg (2,866 lb).
Performance: Maximum speed 340 km/h (211 mph). normal range 920 km
(572 miles).
If this was a training aircraft, why was there a forward-firing machine gun fitted?Was firing a gun part of the training for the student pilot?
ReplyDeleteIn one of the strangest episodes of the B-29 bombing campaign, three JAAF Mansyu Ki-79 fixed-gear advanced fighter trainers circled the dangling American, making two very close passes. With nothing to lose, Halloran waved to them. Cpl Hideichi Kaiho of the 39th Training Unit acknowledged Halloran's friendly gesture with a salute on his second circuit, and two of his comrades left. Kaiho circled around for the third time, gave another salute, confirmed Halloran's landing point, then went on his way. Maj Tetsuo Watabe, Kaiho's commander, stressed the importance of military propriety in his instructions to his men. `We have Bushido, just as the westerners have chivalry!'
ReplyDeleteThe Ki-79 was also used by Indonesian forces fighting the Dutch on Java and Sumatra, where a number of aircraft were reconstructed after being found on Japanese scrap-heaps. A Ki-79b became the first aircraft to be flown by the Indonesians.