Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi, estimated assembly date of late April 1943. This aircraft was the assault version of the Ki-51, with armor plate and bomb racks. Assigned to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) to ? Sentai.

Wartime History
Likely, assigned to 26th Sentai, although a small possibility it was assigned to one of the other units that also operated the Ki-51. Abandoned at Alexishafen Airfield, estimated to be unserviceable before May 1, 1944.

Wreckage
Inspected by Allied intelligence personnel after the area was captured by the Allies, and at least one nameplate was recovered from the wreckage, and reported in Japanese Aircraft Plates and Markings Card (JAPMC) #15319.

In the 1970s, Charles Darby also located this manufacture number on scraps of metal from this wreckage, at the eastern edge of Danip Airstrip (Alexishafen II, Figher Strip).

Charles Darby adds:
"The other Ki-51s [955, 1081, 1242] that I was able to identify consisted of little more than scraps of wreckage that could have been carried in the trunk of a car, and all were close to the main road [eastern edge] at the [Danip] fighter strip."

References
Production Record of the Type 99 Assault / Recon Plane by Jim Long
Japanese Aircraft Plates and Markings Card (JAPMC) #15319

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Last Updated
November 9, 2019