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Japan's Mitsubishi Ki-51 ground attack1
Army Type 99
Allied Name: "Sonia"1
Mitsubishi Ki-51, "Sonia" ground attack:
Mitsubishi Ki-51, "Sonia" ground attack1:
Mitsubishi Ki-51, "Sonia" ground attack:
Design
The Mitsubishi Ki-51 met a 1937 requirement for an aircraft that could take off from short strips near the front lines.1
Wings
The wings were mounted low in the fuselage.1
Main Armament
The early production aircraft had 7.7 mm MG in the wings and these were later replaced by 12.7 mm MGs.1 At the same time additional fuel tanks were added to the wing leading edges.1
Field Modifications
In the field the Ki-51 could be modified for either ground attack or reconnaissance.1
Prototype
In June and August 1939 the two prototypes were first flown.1
Production
Mitsubishi produced Ki-51s until March 1944 and Tachikawa until July 1945.1
- Prototypes: 21
- Service trials: 111
- Ki-51: 2,3721
- Manufacturers: Mitsubishi (1,462)1, Tachikawa Army Air Arsenal (913)1
- Total: 2,3851
- Ki-71 Prototypes: 31
- Manufacturer: Tachikawa Army Air Arsenal1
Variants
- Ki-51:
- Ki-51a: Service trial aircraft with cameras.1
- Ki-71: Prototype.1 Reconnaissance.1 Undercarriage was retractable.1 Had a Mitsubishi Ha-112-II engine (1,500 HP).1
Usage
Sino-Japanese War
The Ki-51 was first used in China.1
Dutch Post World War II
The Dutch confiscated some abandoned Ki-51s and used them in the Indonesian Air Force.1
| Mitsubishi Ki-511 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Ground attack1 Reconnaissance1 |
| Crew | 21 |
| Engine (Type) | Mitsubishi Ha-26-II1 |
| Cylinders | Radial 141 |
| Cooling | |
| Net HP | 9501 |
| Propeller blades | 31 |
| Dimensions | |
| Span | 39' 8.5"1 12.1 m1 |
| Length | 30' 2.5"1 9.21 m1 |
| Height | 8' 11.5"1 2.73 m1 |
| Wing area | |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 4,129 lb1 1,873 kg1 |
| Loaded | 6,169 lb1 2,798 kg1 |
| Maximum loaded | 6,415 lb1 2,910 kg1 |
| Performance | |
| Speed @ 9,845' / 3,000 m |
263 mph1 423 kph1 |
| Cruising speed | |
| Climb to 16,405' / 5,000 m |
9.9 minutes1 |
| Service ceiling | 27,130'1 8,270 m1 |
| Range | 660 miles1 1,062 km1 |
| Armament | |
| Wings - early aircraft | 2: 7.7 mm MG1 |
| Wings - later aircraft | 2: 12.7 mm MG1 |
| Rear cockpit | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 |
| Bomb load | 441 lb1 200 kg1 |
| Bomb load - suicide mission | 551 lb1 250 kg1 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
