Japanese wreck needs identification help!

[kevinsoundmixer]

Please help me identify this Japanese aircraft I dove on today in Dumaguete, Philippines. From my research so far I learned that during the war the Japanese used the Dumaguete airfield as a training base for pilots, and they used Nakajima Ki-27, Ki-36 and Ki-55 planes here. The wreck is at the end of the runway in about 43 meters of water. My friends dove with me today and due to the difficulty in finding the wreck itself, and the depth, which necessitated careful decompression stops, we were only afforded a few precious minutes to examine the remains. Local fishermen pulled up a Type 89 7.7mm gun from the wreck, which was a common weapon installed in these type of aircraft, and then we photographed a small mass of mechanical metal, with many gears. I'd love to say definitively

what aircraft this is if possible. Thanks for your help!

 

[Shinpachi]

If the Type89 7.7mm fixed gun was found only one, the airframe would be a Ki-36.

 

[kevinsoundmixer]

If the Type89 7.7mm fixed gun was found only one, the airframe would be a Ki-36.

Thank you for responding. Acoording to my research. the Ki-55 airplane also only had a single machine gun. Perhaps we've narrowed it down to these two planes?

 

[Shinpachi]

Ki-55 was a trainer and no trainers in Philippine.
Wasn't it Ki-51 you mean?

 

[kevinsoundmixer]

There was a training school for Japanese pilots here in Dumaguete, the 31st Kyoiku Hikoutai. I was infomred by another historian that this school had many trainers including Ki-79 (two seat version of the Ki-27), Ki-36 (Ki-55 was a variant), and Ki-54.

 

[Shinpachi]

If the airframe is either Ki-36 or Ki-55 and If the landing gear has no spats, the airframe is to be the Ki-55.

Ki-36 spats

 

[kevinsoundmixer]

If the airframe is either Ki-36 or Ki-55 and If the landing gear has no spats, the airframe is to be the Ki-55.

Ki-36 spats
View attachment 710352

Wow! Fanstastic detail, thank you! Do you have more of the blueprints to this aircraft? I'd love to attempt to identify the gear mechanism in the photo I posted.

 

[Shinpachi]

Ki-36 and its engine manuals.
I think the gear set of your photo shows the rear shaft and acc. attachments of the engine.

 

[kevinsoundmixer]

Thank you Shinpachi! I'll go over these docs and study them carefully!