FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Mitsubishi Ki-30 Type 97 (allied code name "Ann") was developed for the Imperial Japanese Army to replace the Kawasaki Ki-3 light bomber (it was a biplane, very obsolete). It had modern (by 1938 standards) monoplane, stressed-skin construction with skirted, fixed landing gear and tailwheel. It was used mainly as a ground attack aircraft in northern and central China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It also saw action in the undeclared 1939 border conflict between Japan and the Soviet Union known as the Battle of Bhalkhyn Gol or the Nomonhan Incident depending on the belligerent perspective. From pilot accounts, the Ki-30 was easy to fly and was a stable platform for its role, but it was slower and less maneuverable than most fighters. It was only effective if it had a fighter escort. When Japan entered WW II, the Ki-30 was withdrawn from front-line service and used as a trainer aircraft. Mitsubishi produced 618 Ki-30s and 68 were built by Tachikawa. There is 60 seconds of archival footage of the Ki-30 that gives a sense of how the plane was used (no death, terror or destruction is shown): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ZYbIls8L8

MITSUBISHI Ki-30 Type 97 "Ann"

 

 

 Class: Light Bomber

 Crew: 2

 Engine: Nakajima Ha-5 KAI 14-cylinder, twin-row radial (950 hp)

 Max Speed: 263 mph at 13,125 ft

 Climb Rate: 1,640 ft/min

 Service Ceiling: 28,115 ft

 Range: 1,066 miles

 Armament: 1 x .303 inch machine gun (flexible mount rear-firing)
                       1 x .303 inch machine gun (port wing mount)
                       880 lb bombload

 

  Model Scale:  1:100



















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