Warplanes of Japan: Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien

Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien

(IJAAF Photo)

The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (飛燕, "flying swallow") is a Japanese Second World War fighter aircraft. Used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service, it was designated the "Army Type 3 Fighter" (三式戦闘機). Allied intelligence initially believed Ki-61s were Messerschmitt Bf 109s and later an Italian Macchi C.202, which led to the Allied reporting name of "Tony", assigned by the United States War Department. The design originated as a variant of the Kawasaki Ki-60, which never entered production. The Ki-61 became the only mass-produced Japanese fighter of the war to use a liquid-cooled inverted V engine. Over 3,000 Ki-61s were produced. Initial prototypes saw action over Yokohama during the Doolittle Raid on 18 April 1942, and continued to fly combat missions throughout the war. (Wikipedia)

(IJAAF Photos)

Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien Army Type 3 Fighters.

(USAAF Photo)

Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien Army Type 3 Fighter captured with flight test markings.

(USMC Photo)

Kawasaki Ki-61-1-Tei Hien Army Type 3 Fighter, captured and flown by USMC VMF 322 at Okinawa in May 1945.  This aircraft is painted in a very colourful finish of dark blue and white with the USMC emblem in red on the vertical fin.  The rudder and fin are painted in red.  

Kawasaki Ki-61-1a Ko Hien Army Type 3 Fighter  (Serial No. 263), codenamed Tony.  This aircraft was originally seizou bangou 263 captured at Cape Gloucester and test flown as 'XJ 003'at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Australia and designated TAIC 9, before being shipped to the USA.  Although seizou bangou (?) is often referred to as a 'serial number' the term means, literally, 'manufacturer production series number' and as stencilled on the airframe was coded by one of three known methods to provide a level of deception about how many aircraft had been produced. This aircraft was shipped to the TAIU at Anacostia in the USA.  Of the three Ki-61s brought to the USA in 1945, USAAF FE-313 and FE-316 were scrapped at park Ridge ca. 1950, and TAIC 9 crashed at  Yanceyville, North Carolina on 2 July 1945.  (USAAF Photos)

Kawasaki Ki-61-1a Hien Army Type 3 Fighter  (Serial No. 263) assigned USAAF code number XJ003 and TAIC 9, test flown in the USA post war.  (USAAF Photos)

(USAAF Photos)

Kawasaki Ki-61-1a Hien Army Type 3 Fighter  (Serial No. 2210), This aircraft was the last remaining Tony in Japan and was put on display at Yakota Air Base, which is still a functioning USAF base today.  It was initially set up on the base in Japanese markings after being captured at Yakota at the end of the war.  Sometime in 1947, it was deemed offensive to American personnel and repainted in bogus USAF markings (with the new red bar used in USAF flashes after 1 January 1947).  Apparently it was easier to mark them as American at that time than to dispose of them.  In 1953, the Tony was returned to the Japanese people through civilian representatives of the Japan Aeronautic Association (Nippon Kohkuh Kyohkai).  They moved it to Hibiya Park in Tokyo near the Imperial Palace for display.

(Hunini Photos)

(TRJN Photo)

Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Tony), Kobi Port terminal, Japan.

 (Goshimini Photo)

Kawasaki Ki-61-II-Kai (Serial No. 5017 ) is on static display at the Tokko Heiwa Kaikan Museum in Chiran Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.

Kawasaki Ki-61-II-Kai (Serial No. unknown). owned by Kermit Week’s Fantasy of Flight museum at Polk, Florida.   It is currently stored and in need of restoration.

Kawasaki Ki-61-I-Otsu (Serial No. 640), being restored to flying condition and will become part of the Military Aviation Museum collection in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

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