DEZE SET BESTAAT UIT 2 MODELLEN!

In 1935, the Imperial Japanese Army held a competition between Nakajima, Mitsubishi and Kawasaki to design a low-wing monoplane to replace the Kawasaki Ki-10 (Army Type 95 Fighter) biplane. The new fighter was to have also a better performance than the experimental Mitusbishi Ki-18.

The results were the Nakajima Ki-27, the Kawasaki Ki-28, and the Mitsubishi Ki-33 (a modification of the Mitsubishi A5m carrier- based fighter). The Nakajima design was based on its earlier Ki-11 monoplane fighter which lost to the Ki-10 in the Type 95 Fighter competition. When the follow-up Nakajima Ki-12 proposal with a liquid-cooled engine and retractable landing gear was deemed too complex by the Japanese officials, the Ki-27 was designed by Koyama Yasushi to have an air-cooled radial engine and fixed landing gear. The aircraft had the Nakajima trademark wing with a straight leading edge and tapered trailing edgewhich would reappear again on the Ki-43, Ki-44 and Ki-84.

The Ki-27 made its first flight on 15 October 1936. Although it had a slower top speed and worse climb performance than its competitors, the Army chose the Nakajima design for its outstanding turning ability granted by its remarkably low wing loading. The Army ordered 10 pre-production samples (Ki-27a) for further testing, which featured an enclosed cockpit with sliding canopy and larger wings.

The type was officially accepted into service in 1937 as the Army Type 97 Fighter. In addition to Nakajima, the Ki-27 was also manufactured by Tachikaw aircraft Compagny Ltd and Manshuko Hikoki Seizo KK, with a total of 3,368 built before production ended in 1942.

Zes uitvoeringen mogelijk;

Ki27-Koh, 1st Flight Regiment Commander, Lt.Col. Toshio Kato, Kagamihara Air Base, June 1939.
Ki27-koh, 1st Flight Regiment, 2nd Company, Capt. keisuke Yamada, Kagamihara Air Base, June 1939.
Ki27-otsu, 1st Flight Regiment, 1st Company, Capt.Shigetoshi Inoue, Nomonghan, August 1939.
Ki27-otsu, 4th Flight Regiment.
Ki27-otsu, 5th Flight Regiment, 1st Company, Kashiwagi Air Base, 1939 - 1941.
Ki27-otsu, 24th Flight Regiment, 3rd Company, Capt. Toshio Sakagawa, Manchou, Januari 1940.

Afmeting: