Kawasaki Ki-32 "Mary"

Kawasaki · Japan · first flew 1937 · bomber

The Kawasaki Ki-32 was a Japanese single-engine light bomber that saw combat service in China before the outbreak of the Pacific War, powered by an unusual liquid-cooled inline engine.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsMid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage11.66 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

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Spot it by:

A mid-wing monoplane with a liquid-cooled inline engine and the characteristic chin radiator bath; the fixed undercarriage with large fairings and two-man tandem crew distinguish it from radial-engined contemporaries.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Entering service in 1938, the Ki-32 was used extensively during the Second Sino-Japanese War for ground attack and tactical bombing. By the time of Pearl Harbor it was obsolete but continued in secondary roles and training.

Variants

The Ki-32 was produced in one basic variant with minor production changes; no major sub-types were developed.

Where you'll see it

Served with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service primarily in China from 1938; withdrawn from front-line service by 1942 but used as a trainer.

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