TACHIKAWA KI-17 JAFF PRIMARY TRAINER

The Tachikawa Ki-17 was a Japanese training and training aircraft in a mixed biplane structure with a fixed undercarriage from the interwar period and World War II. The drive was provided by a single radial motor Hitachi Ha-12 with 150 hp. The prototype flight took place in 1935. Serial production continued in the years 1936-1944, ending with the production of about 560 copies of this aircraft. The Tachikawa Ki-17 was commissioned by the Imperial Japanese Army Command that needed a new basic training aircraft. Externally, the Ki-17 was very similar to another Tachikawa aircraft: the Ki-9, but had different dimensions, a different wingspan, and was also powered by a completely different engine with much less power. Its performance was also inferior to that of the Ki-9. During World War II, the Tachikawa Ki-17 was one of the most important basic training aircraft for pilots of the Imperial Army. It was characterized by simple construction, low production costs, but also relatively good flight safety and considerable horizontal stability. A certain number of these machines also served in the Thai aviation.