![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Manchurian_Aircraft_Manufacturing_Company_Logo.png/220px-Manchurian_Aircraft_Manufacturing_Company_Logo.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Ki-27_2.jpg/250px-Ki-27_2.jpg)
The Manchuria Airplane Manufacturing Company[1] (traditional:滿洲國飛行機製造株式會社; shinjitai: 満州国飛行機製造株式会社 Japanese Hepburn: Manshū Koku Hikōki Seizō Kabushiki Kaisha; Chinese pinyin: Mǎnzhōu Guó Fēixíngjī Zhìzào Zhūshì Huìshè) was an aircraft company in Manchukuo in the 1930s and 1940s, producing a variety of mostly military aircraft and aircraft components. It was named Manshū or Mansyuu in short.
History
[edit]The Manchuria Airplane Manufacturing Company was established in late 1938 under the supervision of the Japanese government[2] as a subsidiary of the Nakajima Aircraft Company of Japan.[citation needed] Its main plant was located in Harbin, Manchukuo.
From 1941 to 1945, Manshū produced a total of 2,196 airframes (eighth among Japanese airframe manufacturers),[3] of which 798 were combat aircraft. The company also produced 2,168 aircraft engines (sixth among Japanese aircraft engine manufacturers).[4] In addition, Manshū provided repair services for a variety of aircraft in the Manchukuo Air Force and for Imperial Japanese Army Air Force units stationed in Manchukuo.
Licensed production
[edit]Manshū produced a variety of Japanese aircraft under license production agreements:
- Kawasaki Ki-10 (World War II Allied reporting name "Perry") fighter
- Kawasaki Ki-32 (Allied reporting name "Mary") light bomber
- Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu (Allied reporting name "Nick") twin-engined fighter
- Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Allied reporting name "Tony") fighter
- Kawasaki Type 88 (KDA-2) light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft
- Mitsubishi Ki-15 (Allied reporting name "Babs") reconnaissance aircraft
- Mitsubishi Ki-30 (Allied reporting name "Ann") light bomber
- Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Allied reporting name "Dinah") reconnaissance aircraft
- Manshū Super Universal (license built Fokker Super Universal)
- Nakajima Ki-27 (Allied reporting name "Nate") light fighter (1,379 units)
- Nakajima Ki-34 (Allied reporting name "Thora") transport
- Nakajima Ki-43Ia Hayabusa (Allied reporting name "Oscar") fighter
- Nakajima Ki-44Ia Shoki (Allied reporting name "Tojo") fighter
- Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Allied reporting name "Frank") advanced fighter (94 units)
- Nakajima Ki-116 advanced fighter, also known as Manshū Ki-116
- Nakajima Type 91 (NC) fighter
- Tachikawa Ki-9 (Allied reporting name "Spruce") intermediate trainer
- Tachikawa Ki-54 (Allied reporting name "Hickory") advanced trainer
- Tachikawa Ki-55 (Allied reporting name "Ida") advanced trainer
Independent designs
[edit]Manshū also developed a number of aircraft independently:
- Manshū Hayabusa I, II, and III airliner (30 units)
- Manshū Ki-79 advanced trainer version of Nakajima Ki-27
- Manshū Ki-71 dive bomber prototype (Allied reporting name "Edna")
- Mansyū Ki-98 advanced twin-boom high-altitude interceptor project
Among the Manshū independent designs, however, only the Ki-79 advanced trainer reached mass production, as the Army Type 2 Advanced Trainer.[5]
References
[edit]- Notes
- Bibliography
- Francillon, Rene (1979). Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-313-X.
- Gunston, Bill (1999). Illustrated Directory of Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Zenith Press. ISBN 0-7603-0722-9.