IJAAF & IJNAF wrecked aircraft #4 - Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida" & Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate"

This next short film features two of my most favorite IJAAF types, a Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida" ground attack and co-operation and a Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" fighter (or is it a Mansyu Ki-79? What do you think?) found on Kikaijima Island, right next to the "Suisei" of the previous post. Unfortunately, their tail markings are not visible and therefore their units cannot be discerned.

Note the RED IFF stripes on the Ki-36, not unusual for an aircraft in overall hairyokushoku. Of course I can already hear the voices saying that it's "dark orange yellow" or that the film is panchromatic or that there is a small cloud right above the plane when the film was shot...yada yada. 

Anyway, here's the video.

We reserved a whole page in our Eagle Eye #1, explaining the differences between the Ki-36 direct cooperation and the Ki-55 trainer and how to tell the two types apart but it seems there are still people who don't get it.

So, in a nutshell, here they are:

1. 

The Ki-36s were ALWAYS overall hairyokushoku because that's how they left the factory.

The Ki-55s were ALWAYS trainer orange, again, because that's how they left the factory.

Yes, both types received camouflage on the upper surfaces, in most cases at the depot, so it's difficult to tell them apart if they have green top camo. Which brings us to...

2. 

The Ki-55s ALWAYS had their cowlings (and almost always the spats) painted in anti-glare, some say dark blue or brown, I strongly believe it was semi-gloss black. The same with all other IJAAF a/c with anti-glare pannels (I'm talking about the color, not the glossiness).

The Ki-36s NEVER had their cowling or legs painted in anti-glare, just like "Sonia" never had. 

So, yes, the Ki-55 trainer in the Bangkok museum should have its cowling painted black. There is actually a photo, which I will not share here, showing exactly the same a/c after the war with a black cowling.

3. 

The Ki-36s ALWAYS had windows on the fuselage sides for the machine gunner to take photos from.

The Ki-55s NEVER had fuselage side windows because the rear pilot could face only forward where the second set of controls was.

4. 

The Ki-36s almost always had radio antennas. The planes that didn't, usually had them removed.

The Ki-55s almost never had radio antennas.

5. 

The Ki-55s never had any bomb racks or rear flexible machine guns.

6. 

The presence or absence of spats is NOT indicative of the type. There are many, many Ki-55s with spats and many, many Ki-36s without. Why do I mention this? Because Francillon on p.252 says:

"All unnecessary equipment was removed to conserve weight, as were the observation windows under the fuselage and the wheel spats. Designated Ki-55, the trainer was adopted..." Note that he doesn't mention the fuselage side windows.