The Ki-10 was designed by Japanese aeronautical engineerTakeo Doi,[1] who had succeeded Richard Vogt as chief designer for Kawasaki. The design was in response to a requirement issued by the Imperial Japanese Army for a new fighter, and was the winner of a competition against Nakajima's Ki-11. Although the low-wing monoplane offered by Nakajima was more advanced, the Army preferred the more maneuverable biplane offered by Kawasaki. In order to overcome the speed disadvantage the Kawasaki team used a metal three-blade propeller in the third prototype, while flush-head rivets were used in an attempt to reduce drag.[2]
The Kawasaki design had unequal-span biplane wings, braced by struts, and with upper-wing ailerons.[1] The structure was of all-metal construction, which was then fabric-covered. Armament consisted of two 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 89 machine guns, synchronized to fire through the propeller. The initial production version was powered by a liquid-cooled 633 kW (850 hp) Kawasaki Ha9-IIaV-12.[citation needed]
On September 21, 1937, Major Hiroshi Miwa, formerly hired as a military flight instructor for Zhang Xueliang's Fengtian Army air corps and well known in the Chinese military aviation circles of the time, commanded a flight of 7 Ki-10 fighters of the 1st Daitai-16th Hiko Rentai, on an escort of 14 Mitsubishi Ki-2 bombers to attack the city of Taiyuan where they encountered Chinese air forceV-65C Corsairs and Curtiss Hawk IIs, shooting down a few, but Major Miwa himself was shot down and fatally wounded by Captain Chan Kee-Wong,[3] commander of the 28th Pursuit Squadron of the 5th Pursuit Group flying a Curtiss Hawk.[4]
At the beginning of the Pacific War, the Ki-10 was retired to training and secondary missions, but later returned to front-line service, performing short-range patrol and reconnaissance missions in Japan proper and China in January–February 1942.[citation needed]
Ki-10 : Prototype for Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (4 built in early 1935).
Ki-10-I (Army Fighter Type 95-I): Initial production version (300 built December 1935 - October 1937)
Ki-10-II : Prototype of modified Mark I, increased in length (1 built May 1936)
Ki-10-II (Army Fighter Type 95–2): Improved production version (280 built June 1937 - December 1938)
Ki-10-I KAI : Prototype Ki-10-I with modifications to engine and radiator (1 built October 1936)
Ki-10-II KAI : Prototype - Aerodynamic modification of Ki-10-II, now designated Ki-10-I-KAI, with 634 kW (850 hp) Kawasaki Ha9-IIb engine (2 built November 1937)
^Gustavsson, Hakans. "Chinese biplane fighter aces - Chan Kee-Wong". Biplane Fighter Aces - China. Retrieved 2020-11-21. Chan saw Miwa dive at him from above. Chan countered by pulling his nose up to face Miwa head-on. Anticipating that Miwa would need to pull out of his dive after they pass each other, Chan pulled into a tight chandelle. He was into his manoeuvre even before Miwa passed him head-on. As a result, Chan was able get turned around and was above and behind Miwa when he began to pull out of his dive... Chan shot up Miwa's Ki-10, sending it crashing into a field near Ta Meng.
