Kawasaki Ki-5

Ki-5

Manufacturer: Kawasaki Kōkūki Kogyo KK
First flight: February 1934
Primary user: IJA Air Force
Produced: 4

The Kawasaki Ki-5 (川崎 キ5, Ki-go) was an experimental low-wing monoplane fighter aircraft designed for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. It first flew in February 1934, but was never produced for actual use.

Design & Development

The Ki-5 was initially produced by Kawasaki Kōkūki Kōgyō KK in response to Japanese army specifications for a high-performance fighter to replace the existing Type 92. It was the first all-metal, cantilever monoplane fighter aircraft to be built in Japan. It was designed around the Kawasaki Ha-9, a Japanese development of the BMW IX, itself a development from the BMW VII A 7.3 liquid-cooled engine, with a nominal rating of 634 kW (850 hp). It also had the innovation of using an inverted gull wing design, to improve downward visibility for the pilot and to be able to use a simple, short undercarriage.

However, the Ki-5 design quickly proved unsatisfactory in flight testing. Test pilots complained of stability and handling problems, and the engine was never able to produce enough power for the Ki-5 to attain its design speed parameter of 380 km/h (240 mph).

The project was cancelled on 9 September 1934, after a total of four units were produced. However, the design effort on the Ki-4 later paid off dividends with the designs for the future Ki-28, Ki-60 and Ki-61.

Operators

Japan

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force

Specifications

Data from Famous Aircraft of the World, no.76: Japanese Army Experimental Fighters (1)

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 7.78 m (25.54 ft)
Wingspan: 10.60 m (34.78 ft)
Height: 2.60 m (8.53 ft)
Wing area: 18 m� (193.75 ft�)
Empty weight: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,870 kg (4,122 lb)
Useful load: 370 kg (822 lb)
Powerplant: 1x� Kawasaki Ha-9 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled piston V12 engine, 634 kW (850 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 360 km/h at 2,400 m (240 mph at 7,874 ft)
Range: 1,000 km (621 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,400 m (30,840 ft)
Wing loading: 103.9 kg/m� (21.27 lb/ft�)
Power/mass: 0.35 kW/kg (0.45 hp/kg; 0.21 hp/lb)
Time to altitude: 8.0 min to 5,000 metres (16,000 ft)

Armament

Guns: 2x� 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns

Comparable aircraft

Supermarine Type 224

Bibliography

Mikesh, Robert C.; Shorzoe Abe (1990). Japanese Aircraft, 1910-1941. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1557505632.
Unknown Author(s). Famous Aircraft of the World, no.76: Japanese Army Experimental Fighters (1). Tokyo, Japan: Bunrin-Do Co. Ltd., August 1976.

Kawasaki Ki-5 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia