Kokusai Ki-59

Ki-59

A Kokusai Ki-59 light personnel transport.
Role	Light transport monoplane
Manufacturer	Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo K.K
First flight	1941
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built	59
Variants	Kokusai Ku-8

The Kokusai Ki-59 (一式輸送機, Isshiki-yusōki) was an early 1940s light transport monoplane built by Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo K.K for the Imperial Japanese Army as a development of the Teradako-ken TK-3 which had first flown in 1938.

Development

The Teradako-ken TK-3 was a prototype eight-to-ten passenger light transport monoplane built by Nippon Koku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha as a short-range transport for civil use at the request of Imperial Japanese Airways to replace its aging fleet of Airspeed Envoys and Fokker Super Universals. The first of two prototypes flew in June 1938, but was unable to meet the required performance requirements and the project was cancelled. In 1939, the Imperial Japanese Army revived the project to meet its urgent requirement for a light transport and liaison aircraft and instructed Nippon to develop the design as the Ki-59.^[1]

The Ki-59 was a high-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear and conventional single vertical tail surfaces. It was powered by two 450 hp (336 kW) Hitachi Ha-13a radial engines and other modifications to the design were made to meet Army requirements. The Ki-59 was ordered into production in 1941 with the designation Army Type 1 Transport, and an additional 59 units were produced. After the start of World War II, the aircraft was given the Allied reporting name Theresa. Despite the more powerful engines and modifications sponsored by the Japanese Army, the Ki-59 remained a poor performer and saw little service before being replaced by the more capable Tachikawa Ki-54.^[1] A small number were transferred to Manchukuo National Airways.

Near the end of 1941 one Ki-59 was modified into a glider with the removal of the engines and the landing gear replaced by underfuselage skids. It was designated the Ku-8-I or Army Experimental Glider.^[2] This was further developed as the Ku-8-II or Army Type 4 Large Transport Glider which became the only operationally-used Japanese assault glider. It was named 'Gander' by the Allies.

Variants

TK-3: Prototype civil transport with two 640 hp (477 kW) Nakajima Kotobuki 3 radial engines, two built.
Ki-59 (Army Type 1 Transport) ("Theresa"): Production military transport with two 450 hp (336 kW) Hitachi Ha-13a radial engines, 59 built.
Ku-8-I (Army Experimental Glider): Experimental conversion to glider configuration.
Ku-8-II (Army Type 4 Large Transport Glider) ("Gander"): Assault-glider variant.

Operators

Japan

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force

Manchukuo

Manchukuo National Airways

Specifications (Ki-59)

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: 3
Capacity: Eight passengers
Length: 12.5 m (41 ft 0⅛ in)
Wingspan: 17 m (55 ft 9¼ in)
Height: 3.05 m (10 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 38.4 m² (413 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,880 kg (6,349 lb)
Gross weight: 4,120 kg (9,083 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Hitachi Ha-13a radial engine, 336 kW (450 hp) each

Performance

Cruising speed: 300 km/h (186 mph)
Range: 800 km (497 miles)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kokusai Ki-59.

Notes

1 2 Francillon 1979, p. 146.
1 2 Francillon 1979, p. 147.

Bibliography

Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2258.

Aircraft produced by Kokusai

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

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-148 Ki-167 Ki-174 Ki-200 Ki-201 Ki-202 Ki-230

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 (Tachikawa Ki-36) Ida (Tachikawa 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

Nonexistent aircraft thought to be in Japanese service	Adam Ben Doris Gus Harry Ione Joe Joyce Julia June Norma Omar Ray

Foreign aircraft erroneously thought to be in Japanese service	Bess (Heinkel He 111) Doc (Messerschmitt Bf 110) Fred (Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5) Irene (Junkers Ju 87A) Janice (Junkers Ju 88A-5) Mike (Messerschmitt Bf 109E) Millie (Vultee V-11GB) Trixie (Junkers Ju 52/3m) Trudy (Focke Wulf Fw 200 Kondor)

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