Tachikawa Ki-55

The Tachikawa Ki-55 was a Japanese advanced trainer.

Design and development
The excellent characteristics of the Tachikawa Ki-36 made it potentially ideal as a trainer. This led to the development of the Ki-36 with a single machine-gun. After successful testing of a prototype in September 1939, the type was put into production as the Army Type 99 Advanced Trainer.

In all 1,389 were constructed before production ended in December 1943 with Tachikawa having built 1078 and Kawasaki 311.

Both the Ki-55 and the Ki-36 were given the Allied nickname 'Ida.'

Variant

 * Ki-55 : Two-seat advanced trainer aircraft.
 * Ki-72 : improved version. Not built.

Operators

 * Republic of China Air Force operated captured aircraft.
 * People's Liberation Army Air Force operated more than 30 captured aircraft at the end of 1945. These Ki-55s were used until the last 14 retired in 1953.
 * Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
 * People's Liberation Army Air Force operated more than 30 captured aircraft at the end of 1945. These Ki-55s were used until the last 14 retired in 1953.
 * Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
 * Imperial Japanese Army Air Force


 * Kumagaya Army Flying School
 * Mito Army Flying School
 * Tachiarai Army Flying School
 * Utsonomiya Army Flying School


 * Republic of Korea Air Force operated ex-Japanese aircraft.
 * Manchukuo
 * Manchukuo Air Force
 * Royal Thai Air Force
 * Royal Thai Air Force
 * Royal Thai Air Force

Francillon also mentions deliverance to the Japanese satellite air force of Cochinchina, which means the southernmost third part of present Vietnam