Mitsubishi Ki-21 IIa Sally 2024-11-27

The IJAAF never had any true heavy bombers, but one medium type was common, the Ki-21 ‘Sally’. The Japanese classed what other air forces would call a medium bomber, as a heavy bomber. Japanese Imperial Army Air Force front line units from mid-1940 were equipped with the Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIa variant with the more powerful 1,118 kW (1,500 hp) Mitsubishi Ha-101 air-cooled engines and larger horizontal tail surfaces, which was a development of the earlier Ki-21-I deployed in 1938. This became the main version operated by most IJAAF heavy bomber squadrons at the beginning of the Pacific War, and played a major role in many early campaigns. On 8 December 1941, the 5th, 14th and 62nd Sentai, based in Taiwan began operations over the Philippines attacking American targets at Aparri, Tuguegarao, Vigan and other targets in Luzon. On 20 December the Ki-21s of the 12th, 60th, 62nd and 98th Sentai clashed with P-40s of the American Volunteer Group over Kumming, while on 23 December they faced a mix of RAF F2A 'Buffaloes' from No.67 Squadron and aircraft from the A.V.G. during raids on Rangoon and Mingaladon where twenty Ki-21s were shot down at a cost of two Allied pilots. The 3rd, 12th, 60th and 98th Sentai, based in French Indochina, struck British and Australian targets in Thailand and Malaya, bombing Alor Star, Sungai Petani and Butterworth, under escort by Nakajima Ki-27 and Ki-43 fighters. However, starting with the operations over Burma in December 1941 and early 1942, the Ki-21 began to suffer heavy casualties from the A.V.G. Curtiss P-40s and RAF Hawker Hurricanes. Some of the Ki-21-IIa version were still on front line use as late as 1943.

Credits

Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, VC, paint textures, aircraft flight files, and .dp
Wolfi: Crew figures and special thanks for guidance on what the cockpit looked like, based on his Ki-57 Topsy model.
Allen: Japanese bombs (included in zip file)
Gauges by: Robert L. Clark, FDG2 and Microsoft