Tachikawa Ki-77
Tachikawa Aircraft · Japan · first flew 1942 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Tachikawa Ki-77 was a twin-engine long-range record-breaking aircraft designed by Hidemasa Kimura at the University of Tokyo, built by Tachikawa Aircraft. Its exceptionally high-aspect-ratio laminar-flow wing gave it a range exceeding 16,000 km.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Extreme aspect-ratio wing — 29.44 m span on a 15.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extreme aspect-ratio wing — 29.44 m span on a 15.3 m fuselage
- Smooth laminar-flow wing with no armament blisters
- Twin-engine long-range research aircraft with a glazed nose
The grotesquely long wingspan relative to fuselage length is unmistakable; the wing-to-fuselage ratio resembles a sailplane far more than a conventional twin-engine aircraft.
Specifications
- The Tachikawa Ki-77 has a length of 15.3 m (50 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 29.44 m (97 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 440 km/h (273 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown on 18 November 1942, the Ki-77 achieved a world closed-circuit distance record of 16,435 km in 57 hours and 9 minutes in July 1944 — a feat kept secret during the war. Two aircraft were built; both were lost before the end of hostilities, one over the Indian Ocean en route to Germany.
Variants
Only two examples were completed. A planned propaganda flight to Berlin via India was aborted when the first aircraft was lost over the Indian Ocean.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Japanese Army Air Force in the long-range research and propaganda flight role, never as a combat aircraft.
Related aircraft
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