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The Kokusai Ki-76, or Liaison Aircraft Type 3 (in Japanese: 三式指揮連絡機), was a Japanese high-wing monoplane artillery spotter and liaison aircraft that served in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Stella".

Ki-76
Role	Liaison/observation Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Kokusai
First flight	1941
Introduction	1942
Retired	1945
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Number built	937 including a single prototype

Design and development

In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force ordered the Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo to produce an artillery spotting and liaison aircraft. The resulting Ki-76 was inspired by, and similar to, the German Fieseler Fi 156 "Storch", although not a direct copy.[1] Like the Storch, it was a high-winged monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. However, rather than the slotted flaps used by the German aircraft, the Ki-76 used Fowler flaps, while it was powered by Hitachi Ha-42 radial engine rather than the Argus As 10 inline engine of the Storch.

First flying in May 1941, the Ki-76 proved successful when evaluated against an example of the Fi-156, and was ordered into production as the Army Type 3 Command Liaison Plane in November 1942.[2]

Operational history

The Ki-76 remained in service as an artillery spotter and liaison aircraft until the end of the war. Ki-76s were also used as anti-submarine aircraft, operating from the Japanese Army's escort carrier, the Akitsu Maru, being fitted with an arrestor hook and carrying two 60 kg (132 lb) depth charges.[3]

Operators

 Japan

• Imperial Japanese Army Air Service

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Air Force

Specifications (Ki-76)

Data from Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft,[4] Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 9.65 m (31 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
• Height: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 29.4 m² (316 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,110 kg (2,447 lb)
• Gross weight: 1,530 kg (3,373 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,623 kg (3,578 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Hitachi Ha42 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 231 kW (310 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 178 km/h (111 mph, 96 kn) at sea level
• Range: 750 km (470 mi, 400 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 5,630 m (18,470 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun in rear cockpit
• Bombs: 2× 60 kg (132 lb) depth charges (some variants)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
• IMAM Ro.63
• Kobeseiko Te-Gō
• Repülőgépgyár Levente II
• Westland Lysander

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of military aircraft of Japan

References

• Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-30251-6. OCLC 6124909. (new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, ISBN 0-85177-801-1.)
• Jackson, Robert, The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, Parragon, 2002. ISBN 0-7525-8130-9.

На других языках

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[de] Kokusai Ki-76

Die Kokusai Ki-76 (der Codename der Alliierten für diese Maschine lautete Stella) ist ein japanisches Verbindungs- und Artilleriebeobachtungsflugzeug aus der Zeit des Zweiten Weltkriegs.

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- [en] Kokusai Ki-76

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[fr] Kokusai Ki-76

Le Kokusai Ki-76, ou Avion de liaison et commandement de type 3 (en japonais : « 三式指揮連絡機 »), était un avion de liaison et d'observation japonais qui servit pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Sa désignation auprès des Alliés était « Stella ».

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[it] Kokusai Ki-76

Il Kokusai Ki-76 è stato un aereo da osservazione e collegamento sviluppato dall'azienda aeronautica giapponese Nippon Kokusai Koku Kogyo nei primi anni quaranta per il Servizio aeronautico dell'esercito imperiale giapponese (Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun Kōkū Hombu), durante la seconda guerra mondiale, utilizzato estesamente fino al termine del conflitto. Al velivolo venne assegnato dagli alleati il nome in codice Stella[2]

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[ru] Kokusai Ki-76

Ki-76 — одномоторный подкосный моноплан с верхним расположением крыла.

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