Boeing Stearman Model 75, part three. The Stearman in Asia.

 

The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 is an American biplane-two seater trainer of the 1930s that was employed all around the world in various countries, among the following Asiatic ones:

• China: In 1942 the United States sold China 150 Boeing-Stearman PT-17 primary trainer (Model A75L5) under the Lend-Lease programme. They were to serve in the trainer role at the Kuomintang Air Force School which was moved to the Lak River airport in Punjab, India (actually the closest military installation of the time that we could find there was RAF Lahore).
  After the end of World War 2, in 1946, the Chinese PT-17s flew over the so-called 'Hump Route' (the Himalayas) and returned to Chinese soil to serve as trainers for students at the Jiangqiao Aviation School. 
  In 1947 the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) bought twenty-two additional A75L5s, the first two of which were powered by the Lycoming O-435-11 engine which was considered unsuitable by Boeing due to their lack of horsepower. The ROCAF agreed that the remaining 20 aircraft would be powered by the Continental R-680-4 radial engine which yielded 220 hp of power. 
  Mister Yun Duo, who was the director of the Kuomintang Air Force's Third Aircraft Factory located at Taichung, Taiwan, copied the design of the PT-17 in 1947. 
  This copy was commonly known as CJ-1 (from Chinese 'Chū jiào' - meaning 'Primary Trainer-). These CJ-1s were made out of surplus American material left over by the Americans in Taiwan and they were powered by the Continental engine.
  The CJ-1 flew officially for the first time in February 1948 and was quickly followed by a rapid and steady mass production system, where production was supervised by ROCAF's officials.
  A total of 104 CJ-1s were manufactured and sent to various academies on Chinese mainland, most of which were sent back to Taiwan in 1949 when the Kuomintang evacuated to Taiwan and most of the CJ-1s -and surviving PT-17s- were assigned to the Gangshan Air Force Academy to serve as primary trainers. They remained there until 1958 when they were withdrawn from ROCAF's inventory.
  On the other side, it is known that at least one PT-17 was in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force at Jiangqiao in 1950, but further details are unknown.
  
  
• Iran: According to some sources, the PT-17 was also employed by the Imperial Iranian Air Force in the 1950s, however we couldn't find any reliable source, so the drawing should be considered as speculative.
  
  
• Philippines: In 1937 (though some sources claim it was one year before or even later), the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) acquired an unknown number of the Stearman Model 73L-1 and L-3 (of which a total of 10 machines were manufactured) and 27 Stearman Model 76D-1 and D-3s (AKA BT-1) which makes a total of 37 Stearmans serving with the PAAC.
  This version was armed, as it was equipped with a defensive machine gun at the observer's position and had provision to carry small bombs under the fuselage. In 1941 they were know to be in service with the 1st (School) Squadron at Zablán Field and the 7th Squadron, at Maniquis Field, of the PAAC, however, given the situation of the PAAC, they were very unlikely to have seen any action when Japan invaded the Philippines in December 1941.
  After World War 2, in 1947 with the creation of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), many PT-17s  were acquired to serve at the PAF's school and even some surviving Model 73s were put into service with that same school. They were kept in service until the mid-to-late 1950s.

Sources:

1st en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2nd http://cwlam2000.epizy.com/cafx82.htm (translated)

3rd http://www.stearman.at/boeing_stearman_technical_data.html

Mitsubishi Ki-57, foreign users

 

The Mitsubishi Ki-57 was a Japanese transport aircraft that was developed from the Ki-21 bomber. It was used by Japan but also by many other countries, like the following ones:

• People's Republic of China: After World War II and the subsequent follow-up of the Chinese Civil War, the Red Army of China took over many Ki-57 transports, left over by the Japanese, mostly in Manchuria, left overs at Changchun airfield. They were employed during the last part of the conflict in the mainland, mainly as trainers, in the flight academy that the Red Army of China (forerunner of the People's Liberation Army) had set in that region. After the war ended, in 1949, they were still being used as trainers until 1952, when they were written off due to their age.
• Republic of China: Just like their Communist foes, the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) used some captured MC-20s (the civilian version of the Ki-57 military transport) after the Japanese retreat in 1945. Those were captured mainly in the Mukden airfield, they were also used during the latest stages of the Chinese Civil War, however, they were mostly either destroyed or captured by the Red Army when the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan. 
• Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China: The Japanese collaborationist puppet government had, theoretically, one MC-20 in strength which was used as the presidential transport of Wang Jingwei (president of the collaborationist government). Further details are unknown and, as we couldn't find graphical information, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Dutch East Indies: In order to repatriate and liberate Allied civilian and soldiers prisoners of war the Rescue of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees (RAPWI) commission, set up a RAPWI-Air transport company. This was founded by Captain Arens, a former KNILM (the official airline of the Dutch East Indies) pilot and was composed of dozens of left-over Japanese airplanes, among them four Ki-57 machines as well as Japanese airmen. A number of those repatriation flights were conducted by Japanese pilots, often accompanied by Dutch soldiers. For example, one of those service repatriation flights was set up between the cities of Bali and Bandung.
• Manchukuo: The Manchukuo National Airways, more known by its Japanese acronym MKKK (a paramilitary organization working for the Japanese Kwantung Army), had in inventory a total of 20 MC-20 machines. These were supplied by Japan and were used as transport and VIP aircraft. During the last stages of World War II, they were taken over by the Manchukuo Imperial Air Force and flew with Japanese markings, though they kept their Manchurian numbers and pilots. Most of them were either destroyed during the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria or captured and given to the Chinese Red Army.
• Second Philippine Republic: The Japanese puppet government set up in the Philippines had one MC-20 which was used as the presidential transport of José P. Laurel (the president of that republic). As we couldn't find further info nor pics of this aircraft, the drawing should be considered as speculative.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-57

2. http://cwlam2000.epizy.com/manchu_x.htm#6、三菱陸軍百式運輸機_/_MC-20_（1945）（Mitsubishi_Ki-57_,_MC-20）(M-600,_601,602,_603,_604,_605...) (translated as much as we could)

3. https://www.ipms.nl/artikelen/nedmil-luchtvaart/vliegtuigen-m/vliegtuigen-m-mitsubishi-ki57 (translated)

4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_M-.html

Mitsubishi Ki-30 Foreign users, part one

The Mitsubishi Ki-30 was a Japanese light bomber of World War II that also served with other countries.

• France: After the end of the World War II, many Ki-30s were left behind in Indochina. French authorities pushed them into service and some of them served in liaision duties in the First Indochina War, with the Escadrille de Liaison 99 (Liaison Flight 99). Their fate is unknown, but they were most probably destroyed and/or scrapped.
• China: As the Ki-30 served in mainland China during World War II, and specially in the Manchurian region, when the region was taken over by the USSR in 1945 and handed over to Chinese Communists, three Ki-30s that were based there were taken over by Chinese Communist authorities, that set up a flying school using (along with many other types) Ki-30s in the city of Harbin (capital city of Manchuria). They served during the 1945-1949 period of the Chinese Civil War as trainers and were withdrawn from service in the early 1950s.
  EDIT: It seems that the Republic of China Air Force, also employed them, we found some photos and profiles and updated the drawings. Apparently, they were employed during the late stages of World War II in China and the subsequent Chinese Civil War.
• Indonesia: As another theatre of operation where the Ki-30s served was the Indonesia islands, some of them were captured by Indonesian rebels when the Japanese authorities left and pushed them into service with their newly created army. They served during the Indonesian National Revolution from 1945 until 1949. 

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-30
2. http://www.traditions-air.fr/index.htm (translated)

Mitsubishi Ki-51

The Mitsubishi Ki-51 was a Japanese light bomber which, in the inmediate post-war, served with many nations.

• China: After the Japanese withdrawal from mainland China tons of equipment were left behind. Both communist and nationalist armies took them and pushed them into service. They served through the late stages of the Chinese Civil War, in the post 1945 period. Apparently, initialy the nationalists captured them, but they were soon captured by the communists some time after 1945 and after the war they were kept in service by the People's Liberation Army's Air Force until 1953. 
•  France: As the Ki-51 was mainly used in the China-Burma-India Theatre of Operations, many of them were left behind in Indochina. After the Japanese withdrawal, local French authorities pushed some few of them into service (as most of them were damaged or derelicted beyond usage) and used them occasionaly in the First Indochina War in the liaison role, which, not in vain, they were assigned to a liaison squadron. 
• Indonesia: The Indonesian People's Security Force (IPSF), which was the Indonesian anti-Dutch militia that fought for independence, captured a small number of Ki-51s at numerous Japanese bases being the bigger one the one located at Malang, named Bugis Air Base which was evacuated on 18th September 1945. Most of the aircrafts were destroyed in the subsequent Indonesian Independence War which lasted from 1945 until 1949. It's known that at least one Ki-51 bombed Dutch troops on 29th July 1947.
• Democratic People's Republic of Korea: As Manchuria and Korea were important Japanese bases, after the USSR invaded in August 1945, they captured lots of Japanese equipment which, compared to Soviet ones, they were very outdated. As most of them were concentrated both in Harbin (capital of Manchuria), Port Arthur (nowadays Dalian) and Pyongyang, (which before the proclamation of North Korea was an important hub in the region) when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (AKA North Korea) was proclaimed on 9th September 1948, Soviet authorities allowed the newly Republic to have some Ki-51s. They were most probably used in the opening stages of the Korean War, however, most likely, they were destroyed soonly after. Anyway, we couldn't find any graphical evidence about them, the profile should be taken with a grain of salt.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Ki-51

2. https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=892