Tachikawa Ki-54

The Tachikawa Ki-54 was a Japanese twin-engine advanced trainer used during World War II. The aircraft was named Hickory by the Allies.

History
The Ki-54 was developed in response to an Imperial Japanese Army requirement for a twin-engine advanced trainer, principally for crew training. The prototype first flew in summer 1940 and, on completing trials, entered production in 1941 as Army Type 1 Advanced Trainer Model A (Ki-54a). The Ki-54a was soon followed by the Ki-54b as Army Type 1 Operations Trainer Model B and Ki-54c as Army Type 1 Transport Model C. The Ki-54b and -c enjoyed successful careers until the end of the war. A few captured aircraft were flown after the war by various users.

Operators

 * Imperial Japanese Army Air Force used them for training as per their design.
 * Manchukuo
 * Manchukuo Air Force Three were provided by Japan as VIP transports.
 * [[File:Flag of the Republic of China-Nanjing (Peace, Anti-Communism, National Construction).svg|23px|link=Reorganized National Government of China]] China-Nanjing
 * Nanjing air force
 * Republic of China Air Force Nationalist Chinese (captured).
 * People's Liberation Army Air Force Communist Chinese (captured): Four captured Ki-54s were used, including in 1951 to train the first class of female pilots in China. They were retired in 1952.
 * French Indochina
 * Armée de l'Air At least seven Ki-54 were recovered by the French in French Indochina between 1945 and 1947, after the Japanese surrender.
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * One aircraft operated briefly by No. 273 Squadron RAF during September and October 1945 in French Indochina.
 * Armée de l'Air At least seven Ki-54 were recovered by the French in French Indochina between 1945 and 1947, after the Japanese surrender.
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * One aircraft operated briefly by No. 273 Squadron RAF during September and October 1945 in French Indochina.

Variants

 * Ki-54a - unarmed pilot trainer
 * Ki-54b - armed crew trainer
 * Ki-54c - eight-passenger light transport, communications aircraft. Civil designation Y-59.
 * Ki-54d - maritime reconnaissance/ASW, carried 8x 60-kg (132-lb) depth charges
 * Ki-110 - one prototype Ki-54c of all-wood construction, destroyed in US bombing attack
 * Ki-111 - projected fuel tanker (none built)
 * Ki-114 - projected fuel tanker of all-wood construction (none built)

Surviving aircraft

 * A Ki-54 fuselage is in Australia in storage at the Australian War Museum Annex. It was previously part of a playground at the RAAF Fairbairn base kindergarten.
 * Another Ki-54 fuselage is stored in China at the Chinese Aviation Museum.
 * An unrestored Ki-54 is on display at the Misawa Aviation & Science Museum, Japan, it was found at the bottom of Lake Towada in Aomori Prefecture on 13 August 2010. It was recovered on 5 September 2012 and has been restored for display.