The was a licensed-produced version of the

Fokker Super Universal ] The Fokker Super Universal was an airliner produced in the United States in the late 1920s, an enlarged and improved version of the Fokker Universal, fitted with cantilever wings and an enclosed cockpit. It was subsequently also manufactured und ...

transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipelin ...

built by

Nakajima Aircraft Company The was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer and aviation engine manufacturer throughout World War II. It continues as the car and aircraft manufacturer Subaru. History The Nakajima Aircraft company was Japan's first aircraft manufactur ...

in the 1930s. Initially used as an airliner, the militarized version was used by the

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...

in a variety of roles, ranging from medical evacuation to transport and

training aircraft A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristi ...

. It was used extensively in combat zones in Manchukuo and in China during the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

Design and development

The Ki-6 originated as the Model 8 Super Universal, launched by Fokker in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

in 1927 as a further development of its successful

Fokker Universal The Fokker Universal was the first aircraft built in the United States that was based on the designs of Dutch-born Anthony Fokker, who had designed aircraft for the Germans during World War I. About half of the 44 Universals that were built betwe ...

. The Super Universal was slightly larger and could carry six passengers rather than four. In addition, the aircraft was equipped with a more powerful engine and a

cantilever A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cant ...

high-wing. In total, about 200 Super Universals are thought to have been built. Due to its rugged durability, long-range flight ability and large cargo capacity, the Fokker Super Universal was extensively used in

bush flying Bush flying refers to aircraft operations carried out in the bush. Bush flying involves operations in rough terrain where there are often no prepared landing strips or runways, frequently necessitating that bush planes be equipped with abnormally ...

and was well regarded for its versatility. The first flight took place in March 1928. Shortly after, the type entered production at a new factory in Glendale, California. The Super Universal remained in production until January 1931. The Super Universal caught the attention of a number of civil

airline An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in wh ...

s from 1928 onwards. There was also interest from the United States military, although no order was placed. Fokker received export orders from Colombia,

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

and Japan and a license production agreements were made with the

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

subsidiary of

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public i ...

and with Nakajima Aircraft Company in Japan.

Operational history

The first Super Universal was brought to Japan in components and was assembled by Nakajima for

Japan Air Transport was the national airline of the Empire of Japan from 1928 to 1938. History Commercial aviation began in Japan with the privately held Japan Air Transport Institute, which pioneered passenger service between Sakai, Osaka and Tokushima on Shikok ...

, the

national airline A flag carrier is a transport company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given sovereign state, enjoys preferential rights or privileges accorded by the government for international operations. Hist ...

of the

Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of Japan, 1947 constitu ...

from 1928 to 1938. Under license production, Nakajima replaced the engine with a Bristol Jupiter

radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ...

, also license-built in Japan, and later by its own

Nakajima Kotobuki The Nakajima Ha1 Kotobuki (寿, "Longevity") was an aero-engine developed by Nakajima. It was a radial piston developed under licence from the Bristol Jupiter. Design and development In 1917, Chikuhei Nakajima set up the "Airplane Institute" a ...

engine. Nakajima's production began in September 1930, with the first aircraft delivered in March 1931. Production ended in October 1936, but the total number of aircraft built is unknown. Nakajima also sub-licensed additional production to its subsidiary Manshūkoku Hikōki Seizo KK in Manchukuo, which also produced an unknown number of units. The first military Super Universals were introduced into service following Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931 when the

commandeered seven Super Universals from the Japan Air Transport Company. In 1932, the

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) or Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF; ja, 大日本帝國陸軍航空部隊, Dainippon Teikoku Rikugun Kōkūbutai, lit=Greater Japan Empire Army Air Corps) was the aviation force of the Im ...

decided to acquire its own transports, which it designated as the Army Type 95 Training Aircraft under the former aircraft naming nomenclature system, or Ki-6 under the new system. The first aircraft was delivered as a

flying ambulance Air medical services is a comprehensive term covering the use of air transportation, aeroplane or helicopter, to move patients to and from healthcare facilities and accident scenes. Personnel provide comprehensive prehospital and emergency and cri ...

fitted with two stretchers and three seats. This was followed by an order for 20 trainers to be used for training pilots, gunners, bombardiers and wireless operators. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service also ordered 20 Ki-6s, re-designating the aircraft as the Navy Fokker Land-Based Reconnaissance Aircraft or in short C2N1 when used for land-based operations and an additional 30 Navy Fokker Reconnaissance Seaplane or in short C2N2, which were fitted with a floatplane. The naval version had a larger cabin and was used on

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...

and

military transport Military supply-chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services for military materiel applications. Military supply chain management includes sub-suppliers, suppliers, internal info ...

missions. The aircraft built in Japan were used for both civil and military roles with some remaining in operation until after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

Variants

* Nakajima Super Universal : Civilian transport * Ki-6 (Army Type 95 Training Aircraft) : Military transport for the IJAAF * C2N1 (Navy land-based reconnaissance aircraft) : Land-based recon and military transport for the IJN * C2N2 (Navy reconnaissance seaplane) : Land-based recon and military transport for the IJN * Manshū Super Universal : Civil and military transport built in Manchukuo (

Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer M ...

)

Operators

Civilian operators

* , the

of the

from 1928 to 1938. * , the

of the

from 1938 to 1945. * Manchukuo National Airways

Military operators

* Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service *

Manchukuo Air Force The Manchukuo Imperial Air Force (') ( was the air force of the Empire of Manchuria, a puppet state of Imperial Japan. The air force's predecessor was the Manchukuo Air Transport Company (later renamed the Manchukuo National Airways), a parami ...

Specifications (Ki-6)

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

Fokker Aircraft site
{{Japanese Navy short aircraft designations High-wing aircraft Ki-06, Nakajima Ki-06, Nakajima Ki-006 Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1930

Design and development

Operational history

Variants

Operators

Civilian operators

Military operators

Specifications (Ki-6)

See also

References

Bibliography

External links