Ki-27 file photo [2173]

Ki-27

CountryJapan
ManufacturerNakajima Aircraft Company
Primary RoleFighter
Maiden Flight15 October 1936

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe Ki-27 Army Type 97 Fighters were the Japanese Army's first monoplane fighters, replacing the venerable biplane Ki-10 Type 95 Fighters produced by Kawasaki. Yasushi Koyama was the chief engineer behind the design. They performed superbly in the war on continental Asia, particularly at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol where Soviet fighters were helpless against the maneuverability of the Ki-27 fighters; the Soviets scored a few victories largely due to the Ki-27 aircraft's shortcomings in armor. Ki-27 aircraft were superseded by the Ki-43 design, but remained in service as bomber escorts during the opening stages of the Pacific War. Shortly after, they were slowly transferred away from the front lines, relegated to rear area patrol and training duties. Combining production numbers by Nakajima and Tachikawa, a total of 3,368 Ki-27s were built in Japan. A small number of them were built by the Manshu Aircraft Company in the Japanese-sponsored puppet state of Manchukuo in northeastern China, all of which were designated Ki-79 and were all in the configuration of trainers.

ww2dbaseThe Allied code name for the Ki-27 design was Nate.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Oct 2006

SPECIFICATIONS

Ki-27a
MachineryOne Nakajima Ha-1 Otsu air-cooled radial engine rated at 650hp
Armament2x7.7mm Type 89 machine guns
Crew1
Span11.31 m
Length7.53 m
Height3.35 m
Wing Area18.61 m²
Weight, Empty1,174 kg
Weight, Loaded1,598 kg
Weight, Maximum1,790 kg
Speed, Maximum444 km/h
Speed, Cruising350 km/h
Rate of Climb15.30 m/s
Service Ceiling10,040 m
Range, Normal630 km

Photographs

Ki-27 fighter resting on an airfield, date unknownTwo Ki-27 aircraft in flight, date unknownJapanese Ki-27 fighters in China, 1938Japanese Army Ki-27 aircraft at an airfield in northeastern China, 1939
See all 10 photographs of Ki-27 Fighter



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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. lazyrabbit says:
23 Jul 2022 01:58:17 AM

"particularly at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol where Soviet fighters were helpless against the maneuverability of the Ki-27 fighters"
lack of combat experience and correct tactics were main reasons of Soviet defeat at early stage of Nomonhan air war. Another factor were outdated I-15bis biplanes which can't hold against superior Ki-27. I-16 type 10 could (and did) fight on par
"the Soviets scored a few victories largely due to the Ki-27 aircraft's shortcomings in armor"
Soviets depleted Ki-27 Sentais in such degree that Japanese pulled to Nomonhan about all fighters they had, including obsolete Ki-10s. Total score of Ki-27 lost in Nomonhan air combat ONLY was 66. And you name it "a few"???

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Ki-27 fighter resting on an airfield, date unknown
See all 10 photographs of Ki-27 Fighter


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