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Aircraft History
Built by Kawasaki at their Kagamigahara plant in April 1943, with "Kou" armament of 2 x 12.7mm fuselage; 2 x 7.7mm wings. Aircraft
had two vertical
fuselage bands in white. There was one eagle marking on the left side of the cockpit,
and white fuselage band indicating the 2nd company. Hinomarus
were outlined in white then over painted, and red four-pointed stars
over each wing gun port.
This aircraft was flown by Captain
Shogo Takeuchi, commander of the 2nd
Company
68th
Sentai. Takeudchi was later KIA at Hansa
Bay flying another Ki-61.
Wartime History
Abandoned at Cape
Gloucester, probably
due to mechanical trouble, probably around November 1943. It was found
hidden at the airstrip on December 30, 1943 by USMC at the airstrip
and reported to intelligence. Submerged up to its wings in recent floods.
Technical Evaluation In Australia
Known as the 'Cape Gloucester Ki-61' this is aircraft
was dismantled and shipped aboard an LST to Eagle
Farm. Assigned TAIU code XJ003, stripped to bare metal and American markings were applied. It was refurbished and tested during the first half of 1944. Flight tests in Australia were cut short due to metal
cuttings in the engine.
Technical Evaluation In USA
It was sent to Anacostia NAS in June 1944. It was concluded that the aircraft
was a pleasant aircraft to fly but 'a great deal of
maintenance
was required
during the trials it seems likely that the Japanese find it difficult to
keep the 'Tony' in commission." Other components went to other places
for testing. The pilot's armor plating (10.3mm armor) were conducted at
Aberdeen Proving Ground. It could be easily defeated by .50 caliber fire
and in one test at close range even failed to stop a .30 caliber round.
These tests were carried out directly against the freestanding armor.
Believed to have been scrapped at the end of the war, or in the later
1940s.
References
Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien by
Richard M. Bueschel has photos and history of this aircraft. Richard
Dunn's Tuluvu's
Air War covers details about the capture of this fighter. Thanks to Jim Long for manufacture data.
Setting Suns page 99
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Last Updated
October 1, 2009
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