Nakajima Ki-6

The Nakajima Ki‑6 was a Japanese license‑built version of the Douglas DC‑2, produced by the Nakajima Aircraft Company during the early 1930s. First flown in 1934, the Ki‑6 entered service with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service as a transport and reconnaissance platform, and a small number were also employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Structurally the aircraft retained the all‑metal, low‑wing monoplane design of the DC‑2, featuring a tapered wing, retractable landing gear and twin Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial engines delivering about 850 horsepower each. Its spacious fuselage accommodated up to ten passengers, or could be re‑configured for cargo, medical evacuation or photographic duties. The Ki‑6’s reliable performance, with a maximum speed near 300 km/h and a range of roughly 1,600 km, made it well suited for long‑distance liaison work across Japan’s extensive island chain and the occupied territories of Manchuria and China. Although only a few dozen were built before production shifted to the more advanced Ki‑57, the Ki‑6 demonstrated the value of imported western designs adapted to Japanese manufacturing standards, and it helped establish Nakajima’s reputation as a versatile aircraft builder during the pre‑war era.

Nakajima

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