Kawasaki Ki-56
military transport aircraft
The Kawasaki Ki-56 (Japanese: 一式貨物輸送機, Type 1 Freight Transport) was a Japanese, two-engine light transport aircraft used during World War II. It was known to the Allies by the reporting name Thalia. One-hundred twenty-one were built between 1940-43.
Design and development
The Kawasaki Ki-56 was derived from the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra aircraft that the Kawasaki Kokuki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (The Kawasaki Aircraft Engineering Company Limited) had built under licence. In September 1939, Kawasaki was asked by the Koku Hombu to design an improved version as Ki-56. A number was also built by Tachikawa Hikoki K.K.
Operational history
The Japanese invasion of Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies campaign began with a paratroop drop from Ki-56 transports on Airfield P1 and the oil refineries near Palembang. Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane fighters flying from P1 to locate the Japanese invasion fleet passed the incoming Ki-56s but thought them to be friendly Lockheed Hudsons (also developed from the Lockheed Model 14) returning from a raid. The defending anti-aircraft gunners at P1 were equally fooled, until parachutes began to open. Once the AA guns opened fire, one transport was shot down, another force-landed, and others veered off course. The paratroop drop was effective, and the airfield and oil installations were overrun.
Accidents and incidents
On March 28, 1946, a Dalstroi Aviation Ki-56 (514) crashed on takeoff from Zyrianka, Russia due to crew error, killing the pilot.
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