KI-51 SONIA RECONNAISSANCE

The Mitsubishi Ki-51 is a Japanese single-engine low-wing dive bomber with a fixed landing gear and classic tail from the Second World War, known as the Allied Sonia. The drive unit was a Nakajima Ha-26 II engine with a capacity of 950KM. In the summer of 1939 11 Ki-51 prototypes were delivered to pilots in China and were put through trials, which were completed at the end of the same year. Aircraft of this type were intended for reconnaissance and tactical attack aircraft, and many of them were equipped with film cameras. At the end of the war, they were used as kamikaze planes. Until the end of June 1945. About 2,385 of this type were produced. The Ki-51 was rarely used in clashes with allied machines, because due to its poor performance, it was easily looted by them. However, it was successfully used in China and for jungle fights on the Sino-Indo-Burmese border. Technical data: length: 9.21 m, wingspan: 12.1 m, height: 2.73 m, maximum speed: 424 km / h, climb speed: 8.4 m / s, maximum range: 1060 km, maximum ceiling: 8270 m, armament: fixed - 3 machine guns cal.7.7 mm, suspended - up to 200 kg of bombs.