Kokusai Ki-76 - Misplaced Pages

Japanese liaison/observation aircraft

Ki-76

General information
Type	Liaison/observation
Manufacturer	Kokusai
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Number built	937 including a single prototype
History
Introduction date	1942
First flight	1941
Retired	1945

The Kokusai Ki-76, or Liaison Aircraft Type 3 (in Japanese: 三式指揮連絡機), was a Japanese high-wing monoplane artillery spotter and liaison aircraft that served in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Stella".

Design and development

In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force ordered the Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo to produce an artillery spotting and liaison aircraft. The resulting Ki-76 was inspired by, and similar to, the German Fieseler Fi 156 "Storch", although not a direct copy. Like the Storch, it was a high-winged monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. However, rather than the slotted flaps used by the German aircraft, the Ki-76 used Fowler flaps, while it was powered by Hitachi Ha-42 radial engine rather than the Argus As 10 inline engine of the Storch.

First flying in May 1941, the Ki-76 proved successful when evaluated against an example of the Fi-156, and was ordered into production as the Army Type 3 Command Liaison Plane in November 1942.

Operational history

The Ki-76 remained in service as an artillery spotter and liaison aircraft until the end of the war. Ki-76s were also used as anti-submarine aircraft, operating from the Japanese Army's escort carrier, the Akitsu Maru, being fitted with an arrestor hook and carrying two 60 kg (132 lb) depth charges.

Operators

Japan

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force

Specifications (Ki-76)

Data from Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 9.65 m (31 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
Height: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 29.4 m (316 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,110 kg (2,447 lb)
Gross weight: 1,530 kg (3,373 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 1,623 kg (3,578 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Hitachi Ha42 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 231 kW (310 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 178 km/h (111 mph, 96 kn) at sea level
Range: 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi)
Service ceiling: 5,630 m (18,470 ft)

Armament

Guns: 1× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun in rear cockpit
Bombs: 2× 60 kg (132 lb) depth charges (some variants)

References

Francillon 1979, p. 147.
Francillon 1979, p. 148.
Francillon 1979, pp. 148–149.
Jackson 2002, p. 224
Francillon 1979, p. 149

Sources

Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-30251-6. OCLC 6124909. (new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, ISBN 0-85177-801-1.)
Jackson, Robert (2002). The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. Parragon. ISBN 0-7525-8130-9..

v t e Kokusai aircraft
Powered aircraft	Ki-59 Ki-76 Ki-105
Gliders	Ku-7 Ku-8
World War II Allied reporting names	Buzzard Cypress Gander Goose Stella Theresa

v t e 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-147 Ki-148 Ki-167 Ki-174 Ki-200 Ki-201 Ki-202 Ki-230 Ki-337

v t e World War II Allied reporting names for Japanese aircraft
Aircraft in Japanese service	Abdul Alf Ann Babs Baka Belle Betty Bob Buzzard Cedar Cherry Clara Claude Cypress Dave Dick Dinah Dot Edna Emily Eva Eve Frances Frank Gander George Glen Goose Grace Gwen Hamp Hank Hap Helen Hickory Ida (Ki-36) Ida (Ki-55) Irving Jack Jake Jane Jean Jerry Jill Jim Judy Kate Kate 61 Laura Lily Liz Lorna Loise Louise Luke Mabel Mary Mavis Myrt Nate Nell Nick Norm Oak Oscar Pat Patsy Paul Peggy Perry Pete Pine Rex Rita Rob Rufe Ruth Sally Sally III Sam Sandy Slim Sonia Spruce Stella Steve Susie Tabby Tess Thalia Thelma Theresa Thora Tina Tillie Toby Tojo Tony Topsy Val Willow Zeke Zeke 32
Foreign aircraft thought to be in Japanese service	Bess (Heinkel He 111) Doc (Messerschmitt Bf 110) Fred (Focke Wulf Fw 190) Irene (Junkers Ju 87) Janice (Junkers Ju 88) Mike (Messerschmitt Bf 109) Millie (Vultee V-11) Trixie (Junkers Ju 52) Trudy (Focke-Wulf Fw 200)

World War II Allied reporting names for Japanese aircraft

Aircraft in Japanese service

Foreign aircraft
thought to be in Japanese service

Bess (Heinkel He 111)
Doc (Messerschmitt Bf 110)
Fred (Focke Wulf Fw 190)
Irene (Junkers Ju 87)
Janice (Junkers Ju 88)
Mike (Messerschmitt Bf 109)
Millie (Vultee V-11)
Trixie (Junkers Ju 52)
Trudy (Focke-Wulf Fw 200)

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