| Ki-51 | |
|---|---|
 Mitsubishi Ki-51 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Light bomber/dive bomber |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Jukogyo KK |
| Primary user | Imperial Japanese Army Air Service |
| Number built | 2,385 [1] |
| History | |
| First flight | mid-1939 |
The Mitsubishi Ki-51 (Army designation "Type 99 Assault Plane"; Allied reporting name Sonia) was a light bomber/dive bomber in service with the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It first flew in mid-1939. Initially deployed against Chinese forces, it proved to be too slow to hold up against the fighter aircraft of the other Allied powers. However, it performed a useful ground-attack role in the China-Burma-India theater, notably from airfields too rough for many other aircraft. As the War drew to a close, the Japanese began using them in kamikaze attacks. Total production was around 2,385.
Contents
- Variants
- Operators
- Surviving aircraft
- Specifications (Ki-51)
- See also
- Notes
- Bibliography
- External links
In 1941, Manchuria Aircraft Company produced a prototype Ki-71, which had its engine replaced with a Ha-112 and its fixed landing gear changed to retractable ones in order to improve performance. However, the performance improvement was not as great as expected, and the prototype was never put into practical use. [2]
The Ki-51 was used from the latter part of the Second Sino-Japanese War through the entire Pacific War, and were active in a wide range of locations from mainland China to the southern front (Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, Burma, New Guinea, Philippines, etc.). Positive traits of the Ki-51 included high low-altitude maneuverability, good takeoff and landing performance from rough ground, and good maintainability, making the Ki-51 a highly practical aircraft that could withstand heavy use on the battlefield. [3] In the latter half of the war losses increased as the basic design was undeniably outdated. When compared to late war fighters, it had relatively low horsepower and slow speed. Also, like other Japanese Army aircraft, it was a combat aircraft with a relatively mediocre bomb load and armament.
Some Ki-51s were modified to carry a 250 kg bomb under the fuselage, and were used as an anti-ship attack aircraft or kamikaze aircraft. On the day Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic bomb, a Ki-51 was responsible for the last Japanese sinking of a US warship, sinking the submarine USS Bullhead with all hands.
