In 1935 the Japanese Army held a competition between Nakajima, Mitshubishi and Kawasaki to desing a low-wing monoplane.The results were Ki- 27, Ki- 28 and Ki -33, and the army chose the Nakajima aircraft for its outstanding tuen performace, and officially adopted it for use in 1937. The new Ki -27 was created as a modern, streamlined design, ther chief design engineer was Koyama Yasushi.