4 decal variants:

 

1. Ki-79 Ko, 17. Kyoiku Hikotai, Japan, April 1945

2. Ki-79 Otsu, Red Army of China, 1946

3. Ki-79 Ko, 1st Yasen Hojyu Hikotai, Sembawang, Singapore, August 1945

4. Ki-79 Otsu, unidentifed training unit captured by Sovier troops at Mukden, China, August 1945

The volume of the fuel tanks was reduced because the new engine had less fuel consumption. The aerodynamic wheel hoods were dropped and there was a fixed spur wheel at the end of the fuselage. In 1942, Rikugun Koku Hombu adopted this type under the designation: “continuation training aircraft type 2”. The Manshu factory supplied two versions: the Ki-79a Kó in a single-seat version, propulsion was provided by an air-cooled star nine-cylinder Hitachi Ha-13a 1 with a take-off power of 515 hp. The two-seater version differed by the installed seats behind each other and was designated the Ki-79b Otsu. The single-seater Ki-79a was armed with one Type 89 7.7 mm machine gun.

The Nakajima Hikoki KK factory in Japan ceased production of Ki-27 fighters as it began production of the more modern and powerful Nakajima Ki-43-I type. However, there was interest in the production of these simpler aircraft in Manchuria, so the Nakajima factory supplied production preparations for the Ki-27 to the Manshu Hikóki Seizó KK company in Harbin. Production continued there and produced another 1,379 aircraft. Manshu proceeded to further develop this type and thus appeared a training aircraft on which pilots could train and switch to the combat type without having to change the habits they had acquired during training. As the trainer required too powerful an engine, a weaker power unit was installed and the cockpit was now open. The installation of a smaller and lighter engine moved the center of gravity of the aircraft backwards, so it was necessary to extend the front part of the fuselage by 200 mm.