| Aichi | |
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HW100 - 45000
UAW55 - 105000 RRW100 - 175000 PKRR - 7500 |
Aichi Kokuki Aichi Kokuki Type - Limited company Industry - Aircraft manufacturing Founded - 1898; 124 years ago in Nagoya, Japan Fate - Integrated into Nissan Successor - Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd Products - Aircraft Parent - Nissan Website - Aichi Kokuki corporate website http://www.aichikikai.co.jp/en/ Aichi Kokuki KK (愛知航空機株式会社, Aichi Kōkūki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi Aircraft Co., Ltd.) was a Japanese aircraft manufacturer which produced several designs for the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, the company was reorganized as Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd (愛知機械工業) where they made small kei cars until 1966 when they were integrated into Nissan and developed the Nissan Sunny and Nissan Vanette. Aichi Watch and Electric Manufacturing The company was established in 1898 in Nagoya as Aichi Tokei Denki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Watch and Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). Aircraft production started in 1920, and the company relied initially on technical assistance from Heinkel, which influenced some of their designs. Later, with the prodding and support of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the company started making seaplanes using technology imported from Short Brothers in the UK. During the inter-war period, Aichi was the beneficiary of technology transferred from Heinkel Flugzeugwerke of Germany. At the time, a team from the League of Nations occasionally visited German aircraft manufacturers to monitor the ban on military aircraft research and production. A Japanese military attache who was a member of the monitoring team, let Heinkel know, confidentially and in advance, of the planned visits. Heinkel thus succeeded in continuing its design on the aircraft ordered by Aichi Aircraft without being spotted. In 1943 the aircraft division was spun off as Aichi Kokuki Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Aircraft Co., Ltd.). Aircraft Company designations AB - "Aichi Biplane" AB-1 - 1929 four-seat biplane/floatplane airliner AB-2 - 1930 reconnaissance floatplane prototype AB-3 - 1932 carrier-based reconnaissance floatplane based on the AB-2 AB-4 - 1932 night reconnaissance flying boat AB-5 - Japanese-built version of the Heinkel He 62 AB-6 - 1933 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, lost to the Kawanishi E7K AB-7 - company designation for the E8A AB-8 - 1932 carrier-based attack bomber prototype, lost to the Kugisho B3Y AB-9 - company designation for the D1A AB-10 AB-11 - version of D1A with retractable landing gear, not built AB-12 - company designation for the E10A AB-13 - company designation for the F1A AB-14 - company designation for the E11A AM - "Aichi Monoplane" AM-7 - planned monoplane version of E8A AM-10 - planned monoplane version of F1A AM-15 - light sport plane (project only) AM-16 - planned night reconnaissance flying boat; design resembled the Grumman G-21 AM-17 - company designation for the D3A AM-18 - company designation for the E12A AM-19 - company designation for the E13A AM-20 - company designation for the C4A AM-21 - company designation for the H9A AM-22 - company designation for the E16A AM-23 - company designation for the B7A AM-24 - company designation for the M6A AM-25 - company designation for the S1A AM-26 - company designation for the B8A Fighter Type H Carrier Fighter - 1926 carrier-based floatplane fighter; license-built Heinkel HD 23 Torpedo bomber B7A 流星 Ryūsei (Shooting Star) - 'Grace' 1941 torpedo/dive bomber B8A Mokusei (Wooden Star) - torpedo bomber (project only) Dive bomber D1A/D2A - 'Susie' 1934 dive bomber, based on the Heinkel He 66 D3A - 'Val' 1940 carrier-based dive bomber Reconnaissance aircraft Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1925 prototype reconnaissance seaplane, lost to the Nakajima E2N Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1928 reconnaissance floatplane; modified Heinkel HD 25 Type 2 Single-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1928 reconnaissance floatplane; Japanese-built Heinkel HD 26 C4A - carrier-based high-speed reconnaissance aircraft (project only) E3A - 1929 reconnaissance floatplane, improved Heinkel HD 56 E8A - 1933 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, lost to the Nakajima E8N E10A - 'Hank' 1936 reconnaissance biplane flying boat E11A - 'Laura' 1937 maritime patrol biplane flying boat E12A - 1937 reconnaissance floatplane prototype E13A - 'Jake' 1941 reconnaissance floatplane E16A 瑞雲 Zuiun (Auspicious Cloud) - 'Paul' 1942 reconnaissance floatplane F1A - 1940 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, lost to the Mitsubishi F1M Flying boat H9A - 1940 flying boat trainer Trainer E13A1-K - floatplane trainer version of E13A M6A1-K 南山 Nanzan (South Mountain) - 1945 prototype trainer version of M6A Special purpose M6A 晴嵐 Seiran (Clear Sky Storm) - 1945 submarine-launched dive/torpedo bomber Night fighter S1A 電光 Denko (Bolt of Light) - 1944 night fighter prototype E13A1a-S/E13A1b-S - night-fighter versions of E13A Engines Aichi AC-1 - 1929 experimental nine-cylinder radial engine Aichi Atsuta (アツタ or 熱田) - licensed copy of the Daimler-Benz DB 601A inverted V12 Aichi Ha-70 - two Atsuta engines coupled together Aichi Machine Industry After the war, the company was reorganized, manufacturing kei cars under the Cony brand name in Japan. Its current descendant, Aichi Kikai Kōgyō Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd.), is integrated with the Nissan corporate structure. Automotive contributions Nissan engines Nissan A engine HR15DE / HR16DE CR12DE / CR14DE QG13DE / QG15DE / QG16DE / QG18DE Transmissions FS6R31 - with synchronous control. F30A / F50A / F70A MFA60 / MFA80 W60A FS5R30A MRA70 GR6 Vehicles manufactured Nissan Cherry Nissan Sunny Nissan Vanette Nissan Serena (Largo) Cony Guppy, a two-seat microcar Cony 360 Wide, a cabover keitora/Microvan/minitruck Cony Giant 360 [ja], predecessor to Cony 360 Cony 360 a passenger kei car Aichi AB-1 Role - Four passenger civil transport National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki Designer - Tokuichiro Gomei First flight - 1928 Primary user - Tokyo Koku KK Number built - 1 The Aichi AB-1 was a result of a 1926 government call for a small, Japanese-built, civil transport biplane able to operate from land or water. It won the contest in both roles but did not reach production as airlines moved from biplanes to monoplanes. Nonetheless, it remained in commercial use well into the 1930s. Design and development In February 1926 three manufacturers responded to a funded call from the Aircraft Bureau of the Department for a Japanese built, small passenger aircraft. All three designs were single-engined biplanes and all were based on earlier designs, only one of which was Japanese. Aichi's contestant was based on the Heinkel HD 25, a two seat reconnaissance seaplane that Aichi had built as the Navy Type 2 while military aircraft construction in post-world War I Germany remained forbidden. Alterations included a new engine, the passenger cabin, wings with slightly greater span, reduced stagger and revised struttage, a new vertical tail and optional additional landplane landing gear. The AB-1 had a wooden structure which was covered with a mixture of plywood and fabric. It was a single bay biplane with wings of rectangular plan out to rounded tips and with forward stagger, braced together with N-form interplane struts. The wing centre-section was held well above the fuselage on pairs of inverted V-struts on each side and another pair of single struts from the lower fuselage longerons to the forward wing spars. The ailerons were on the upper wings. It was powered by a 450-485 hp (336-362 kW), Aichi-built water-cooled Lorraine 12E Courlis. The flat-sided fuselage included open, tandem cockpits for the crew and a four seat passenger cabin below the upper wing with a pair of small windows on each side, the forward one in a rear-hinged door that opened ahead of the lower leading edge. The tail was conventional, with a tailplane mounted high on the fuselage and a cropped triangular profile fin. Both rudder and elevators were balanced. The AB-1 landplane had fixed, split axle landing gear with axles parallel to the ground, their inner ends hinged on a V-strut from the lower fuselage. Both its landing legs, with prominent shock absorbers, and its rearwards drag struts were mounted on the lower fuselage longerons. One of the Aircraft Bureau's requirements was for ready exchange between landplane and seaplane undercarriages. The floats added 2.26 m (7.4 ft) to the overall length and increased the empty weight by 21%. The extra drag and weight inevitably lowered performance, reducing cruise speed by 7% and climb rate to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) by 40%. Operational history The AB-1, along with the Mitsubishi MC-1 met the Air Bureau's requirements (the entrant from Nakajima crashed during tests) and the Aichi was the winner with first prize in its seaplane form and second as a landplane. Both designs were criticized, amongst other things, for providing a poor field of view for the pilot. This problem assisted the rise of monoplane transport aircraft, sealed when Japan Air Transport (J.A.T.) imported Fokker Super Universals for its fleet. As a result only one AB-1 was built, though J.A.T. did use it commercially as a landplane during 1929 while they waited for the Fokkers to arrive. After ending its J.A.T. duty, the AB-1 flew the Tokyo-Shimoda route on floats for many years, operated by Tokyo Koku (Tokyo Air). Operators Nihon Koku Yuso KK (Japan Air Transport Co., Ltd.) Tokyo Koku KK (Tokyo Air Co., Ltd.) Specifications (landplane) Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: two Capacity: four passengers Length: 9.90 m (32 ft 6 in) Wingspan: 15.11 m (49 ft 7 in) Height: 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in) Wing area: 59.2 m2 (637 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,680 kg (3,704 lb) Gross weight: 2,710 kg (5,975 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Aichi-Lorraine 12E Courlis water-cooled W-12, 336-362 kW (450-485 hp) Propellers: 2-bladed Performance Maximum speed: 196 km/h (122 mph, 106 kn) Cruise speed: 140 km/h (87 mph, 76 kn) Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) Time to altitude: 24 m to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) Aichi AB-2 AB-2 Role - Reconnaissance floatplane National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Designer - Tetsuo Miki First flight - 1930 Number built - 2 Variants - Aichi AB-3 The Aichi AB-2 was a prototype Japanese reconnaissance floatplane of the 1930s. It was a single-engined biplane, of which two examples were built, but no production followed. Design and development In 1929, Tetsuo Miki, a designer at Aichi Tokei Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Watch and Electrical Machinery Company) started the design of a catapult launched reconnaissance floatplane with the aim of replacing the Nakajima E2N aboard the Imperial Japanese Navy's warships. Miki's design was a small single-engined biplane. Its fuselage was of steel tube construction with fabric covering, while it had wooden wings that folded to the rear for storage aboard ship. Powerplant was a 330 hp (246 kW) Aichi AC-1, an experimental radial engine. The two-man crew sat in open cockpits, while the aircraft's undercarriage consisted of twin floats. The two prototypes were completed and flown in 1930. The AC-1 engine was not successful, however, and the project was abandoned after one of the prototypes was destroyed when an exhaust fire spread to the fuselage. The type did form the basis of the later Aichi AB-3 floatplane, of which a single example was built in 1932 for China. Specifications Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 8.24 m (27 ft 0 in) Wingspan: 11 m (36 ft 1 in) Height: 3.446 m (11 ft 4 in) Wing area: 36 m2 (390 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,115 kg (2,458 lb) Gross weight: 1,656 kg (3,651 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Aichi AC-1 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 250 kW (330 hp) Performance Maximum speed: 180.4 km/h (112.1 mph, 97.4 kn) Cruise speed: 130 km/h (81 mph, 70 kn) Stall speed: 71.9 km/h (44.7 mph, 38.8 kn) Endurance: 5.9 hr Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 20 min Armament Guns: 1× fixed forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.30 in) machine gun and 1 machine gun in rear cockpit Bombs: 2× 30 kg (66 lb) bombs Aichi AB-3 Aichi AB-3 Role - Reconnaissance floatplane National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Designer - Tetsuo Miki First flight - 1932 Primary user - China Number built - 1 Developed from - Aichi AB-2 The Aichi AB-3 was a Japanese ship-board reconnaissance floatplane of the 1930s. The AB-3, a single-seat, single-engined biplane, was designed to equip a light cruiser Ning Hai being built in Japan for the Chinese navy, a single aircraft being accepted by the Chinese. Development and design In 1928, the Republic of China Navy, keen to modernise its obsolete fleet, placed orders for a class of two light cruisers, the Ning Hai class, to be designed in Japan, with the lead ship to be built at the Harima shipyard in Japan, and the second ship, with Japanese help, in China. The ships were designed to carry two small seaplanes each, with a small hangar being provided for a folded aircraft, and the Japanese Navy placed an order with Aichi for a single seat floatplane to equip these ships. Aichi's designer, Tetsuo Miki based his design on his Aichi AB-2 two seat floatplane which was under design for the Imperial Japanese Navy, producing a small single-seat biplane of mixed wood and metal construction with single-bay wings, powered by a 130 hp (97 kW) Gasuden Jimpu radial engine. It had twin floats, and had detachable wings to aid storage aboard ship. The prototype AB-3 was completed in January 1932, and when flown for the first time in February that year proved to have excellent performance, exceeding the specification in all ways. Operational history The prototype was accepted by the Chinese navy, but no further production ensued, the Chinese instead building a similar aircraft of local design, the Naval Air Establishment Ning Hai, powered by the same engine that powered the AB-3. Specifications (AB-3) Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 1 Length: 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) Wingspan: 9 m (29 ft 6 in) Height: 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in) Wing area: 19.5 m2 (210 sq ft) Empty weight: 575 kg (1,268 lb) Gross weight: 790 kg (1,742 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Gasuden Jimpu seven-cylinder radial engine, 97 kW (130 hp) Performance Maximum speed: 194 km/h (121 mph, 105 kn) at sea level Cruise speed: 137 km/h (85 mph, 74 kn) at 500 m (1,640 ft) Range: 702 km (436 mi, 379 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,300 m (14,100 ft) Time to altitude: Climb to 3,000 m (9,840 ft):15 min 40 s Armament None Aichi AB-4 AB-4 Role - Night reconnaissance flying boat National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki First flight - May 1932 Primary users - Imperial Japanese Navy Nippon Koku Yuso Kenkyusho Number built - 6 The Aichi AB-4 was a Japanese flying boat of the 1930s. A single engined biplane, the AB-4 was intended to carry out night reconnaissance for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Six were built and accepted into service as the Experimental 6-Shi Night Reconnaissance Flying boat, three of which were converted to civil transports. Development and design In 1931, the Imperial Japanese Navy instructed the Aichi Tokei Denki Seizo KK. (Aichi Watch and Electric Machinery Company, Ltd), who had been involved in aircraft manufacture, particularly for the Navy, since 1920, to design a small catapult-launched night reconnaissance aircraft, intended to observe nocturnal shipping movements, spot naval gunfire during night engagements and to direct friendly submarines. The resulting design, designated AB-4 ("Aichi Biplane") by Aichi was a single-engined pusher biplane flying boat of all-metal construction. Its single-bay wings folded backwards for storage aboard ship, while its crew of three were housed in open cockpits. It was powered by a single Gasuden Urakaze water-cooled six-cylinder inline engine driving a two blade propeller. The first prototype flew in May 1932, and while handling was generally good, it had poor control during take-off and landing, and a poor view for the pilot. Despite this, a further five prototypes were ordered for evaluation. Operational history The six prototypes, designated Experimental 6-Shi Night Reconnaissance Flying Boat were subject to extensive testing and evaluation by the Japanese Navy. While the Navy decided not to order further production of the AB-4, it had a continued requirement for a dedicated night reconnaissance aircraft, which resulted in the Specification that led to the Aichi E10A, which entered service in 1936. In 1935, three of the six AB-4s were sold to the Japanese Airline Nippon Koku Yuso Kenkyusho, (NKYK). The first aircraft was converted to a cargo transport, while the second and third aircraft were converted to passenger airliners, with the pilot's cockpit moved to the extreme nose (replacing the existing gunners position) and an enclosed passenger cabin, for five and six passengers respectively, added. The third prototype replaced the Gasuden engine with a more powerful Napier Lion. The three AB-4s were used by NKYK in scheduled services from Osaka, and for sightseeing flights. One crashed into a factory chimney on 27 May 1937, killing all five aboard. Specifications (Experimental 6-Shi Night Reconnaissance Flying boat) Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 3 Length: 9.75 m (32 ft 0 in) Wingspan: 13.5 m (44 ft 3 in) AB-4 transport: 14 m (46 ft) Height: 3.94 m (12 ft 11 in) AB-4 transport: 3.9 m (13 ft) Wing area: 47.1 m2 (507 sq ft) AB-4 transport: 46.02 m2 (495 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,610 kg (3,549 lb) AB-4 transport: 1,740 kg (3,836 lb) Gross weight: 2,350 kg (5,181 lb) AB-4 transport: 2,550 kg (5,622 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,600 kg (5,732 lb) when catapult-launched Powerplant: 1 × Gasuden Urakaze 6-cylinder water-cooled inverted in-line piston engine 224-246 kW (300-330 hp) Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed-pitch pusher propeller Performance Maximum speed: 164 km/h (102 mph, 89 kn) Cruise speed: 113 km/h (70 mph, 61 kn) Stall speed: 84 km/h (52 mph, 45 kn) at 1,000 m (3,281 ft) Service ceiling: 3,500 m (11,500 ft) (AB-4 transport) Time to altitude: 2,800 m (9,186 ft) in 60 minutes 50 seconds AB-4 transport: 2,000 m (6,562 ft) in 23 minutes 20 seconds Wing loading: 50 kg/m2 (10 lb/sq ft) AB-4 transport: 49.2 kg/m2 (10 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.095 kW/kg (0.058 hp/lb) AB-4 transport: 0.1027 kW/kg (0.0625 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 1× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun on a flexible mount in the bow cockpit Bombs: Flares Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Aichi E10A Aichi E11A Aichi AB-6 AB-6 Role - Reconnaissance floatplane National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Designer - Tetsuo Miki First flight - 1933 Number built - 1 Developed from - Heinkel He 62 The Aichi AB-6, or Aichi Experimental 7-Shi Reconnaissance Seaplane, was a prototype Japanese reconnaissance floatplane. It was a single-engined, three-seat biplane intended for the Imperial Japanese Navy, but only one was built, the rival aircraft from Kawanishi, the E7K being preferred. Design and development In 1932, the Imperial Japanese Navy raised a specification for a long-range floatplane reconnaissance aircraft to replace its Yokosuka E1Y and E5Y operating from its seaplane tenders and battleships, requesting prototypes from Aichi and Kawanishi. Aichi's entry, the Aichi AB-6 or Aichi Experimental 7-Shi Reconnaissance Seaplane,[a] designed by Tetsuo Miki, was based on the Heinkel He 62, one example of which had been imported by Aichi the previous year for evaluation against a similar requirement. The AB-6 was a biplane with folding wings for storage aboard ship, of all-metal construction with fabric covering, and powered by a single Hiro Type 91 W12 engine. Its crew of three, pilot, observer and radio operator/gunner were accommodated in an enclosed cockpit. Operational history The prototype was completed in February 1933 and made its maiden flight from Nagoya harbor. While it had good handling in the air, its speed, take-off, and landing performance was disappointing, and the aircraft was modified to try to improve matters. It was fitted with revised wings, of different aerofoil section and with full-span leading edge slats. The original Hamilton-Standard two-bladed metal variable-pitch propeller was first replaced by a two-bladed wooden propeller and then a four-bladed wooden unit. Despite these changes, Kawanishi's design remained superior, and in 1934, was ordered into production as the Navy Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane, or Kawanishi E7K. Specifications (final configuration) Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 3 Length: 10.44 m (34 ft 3 in) Wingspan: 12.98 m (42 ft 7 in) Height: 4.80 m (15 ft 9 in) Wing area: 40.61 m2 (437.1 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,920 kg (4,233 lb) Gross weight: 3,020 kg (6,658 lb) Max takeoff weight: 3,300 kg (7,275 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Hiro Type 91 water-cooled W12 engine, 470 kW (630 hp) Performance Maximum speed: 230 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn) at sea level Cruise speed: 150 km/h (92 mph, 80 kn) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft) Stall speed: 81 km/h (50 mph, 44 kn) Endurance: 11.9 h Service ceiling: 4,850 m (15,910 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 14 min 54 s Armament Guns: 1× fixed, forward firing 7.7 mm machine gun, 1 flexibly mounted in rear cockpit and 1× under fuselage Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Kawanishi E7K Aichi E8A (Aichi AB-7) E8A Role - Reconnaissance floatplane National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Status - Prototype Number built - 2 The Aichi E8A (also designated Experimental 8-Shi Reconnaissance Seaplane or Aichi AB-7) was a prototype Japanese reconnaissance floatplane of the 1930s. It was a two-seat single engined biplane built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Only two were built. Design and development In 1933, the Imperial Japanese Navy issued a specification for a replacement for the Nakajima E4N shipboard reconnaissance floatplane. Aichi prepared two designs, the AM-7, a low-winged monoplane powered by a Bristol Mercury radial engine and the AB-7, a more conventional biplane, powered by a license-built Bristol Jupiter engine. The monoplane design was soon abandoned as its promised performance was little better than that of the aircraft it was meant to replace, but two examples of the AB-7 were built as the Experimental 8-Shi Reconnaissance Seaplane,[a] or E8A under the Short System designation system. The AB-7 was a single-bay biplane of wood and metal construction, fitted with a single main float that could be replaced be a wheeled undercarriage for operations from land. Its wings folded to the rear to allow easier storage aboard ship. The pilot sat in an open cockpit while the observer's cockpit was part-enclosed to protect him from the environment. The Aichi design was evaluated against competing aircraft from Kawanishi, the E8K, a low-winged monoplane similar to the Aichi AM-7, and Nakajima, the biplane E8N. While the E8A had similar performance to the E8N, the Nakajima biplane had superior maneuverability and handling, and was preferred to both the Nakajima and Kawanishi offerings, with over 700 E8Ns built. Specifications Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 8.85 m (29 ft 0 in) Wingspan: 10.50 m (34 ft 5 in) Height: 3.57 m (11 ft 9 in) Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Kotobuki 2-kai 1 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 430 kW (580 hp) Armament Guns: 1 × fixed forward firing 7.7 mm machine gun and 1× flexibly mounted machine gun in observers cockpit Aichi D1A (Aichi AB-9) D1A Role - Dive bomber National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki KK First flight - 1934 Retired - 1942 Status - Retired Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Number built - 590 The Aichi D1A or Navy Type 94/96 Carrier Bomber (Allied reporting name "Susie") was a Japanese carrier-based dive bomber of the 1930s. A single-engine, two-seat biplane based on the Heinkel He 50, the D1A was produced by Aichi for the Imperial Japanese Navy, remaining in service as a trainer at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The D1A was produced in two variants, the D1A1 (Navy Type 94 Carrier Bomber), and the D1A2 (Navy Type 96 Carrier Bomber, sometimes referred to as the D2A). Design and development The D1A came out of the Imperial Japanese Navy's need for an advanced carrier-based dive bomber, and in late 1934 the IJN ordered the finalisation of the Aichi AB-9 design which was produced as the early model D1A1. However, the D1A1 was not designed by Aichi Tokei Denki Kabushiki Kaisha [ja] aircraft company (later Aichi Kokuki), but by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke at the request of the Aichi company. The initial version designed by Heinkel was the He 50, a similar model equipped with floats instead of landing gear. The subsequent model, the He 66 was provided to Aichi who immediately began production of it as the D1A1. The design of the D1A, based on the Heinkel He 66, an export model of the He 50, was designed as a biplane constructed of metal, with a fabric covering, a fixed landing gear and a conventional type tail landing skid. Original models had 365 kW (490 hp) engines and it was not until later models that more powerful 433 kW (580 hp) engines were included in the construction. Operational history The D1A was primarily used in the Second Sino-Japanese War and up to the time Japan entered World War II in 1941. At the beginning of the Pacific War, all of the remaining D1A1s were decommissioned and most of the D1A2s were retired from the front lines and served primarily in training units. The exception was 68 of the D1A2 model that operated as a second-line support until being retired in 1942. Variants D1A1 Type 94 Powered by 433 kW (580 hp) Nakajima Kotobuki 2 Kai 1 or Kotobuki 3 radial engines; 162 built. D1A2 Type 96 (Sometimes referred to as the D2A) Improved version fitted with spatted wheels and a higher powered Nakajima Hikari 1 engine; 428 built. AB-11 Proposed development with retractable undercarriage. Not built. Operators 1. Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service 2. Manchukuo Manchukuo Imperial Navy Specifications (D1A2) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[5] Aircraft of World War II - 300 of the World's Greatest aircraft 1939-45 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in) Wingspan: 11.4 m (37 ft 5 in) Height: 3.41 m (11 ft 2 in) Wing area: 34.7 m2 (374 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,516 kg (3,342 lb) Gross weight: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,610 kg (5,754 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Hikari 1 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 540 kW (730 hp) for take-off 500 kW (670 hp) at 3,500 m (11,500 ft) Propellers: 2-bladed metal propeller Performance Maximum speed: 309 km/h (192 mph, 167 kn) at 3,200 m (10,500 ft) Cruise speed: 222 km/h (138 mph, 120 kn) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft) Range: 926 km (575 mi, 500 nmi) Service ceiling: 6,980 m (22,900 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 7 minutes 51 seconds Armament Guns: 2× fixed 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine guns 1× flexible 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun Bombs: 1× 250 kg (551 lb) bomb under fuselage 2× 30 kg (66 lb) bombs under wings Related development Heinkel He 50 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Curtiss SBC Helldiver Henschel Hs 123 Polikarpov R-5 Aichi D1A (Aichi AB-10) D1A Role - Dive bomber National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki KK First flight - 1934 Retired - 1942 Status - Retired Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Number built - 590 The Aichi D1A or Navy Type 94/96 Carrier Bomber (Allied reporting name "Susie") was a Japanese carrier-based dive bomber of the 1930s. A single-engine, two-seat biplane based on the Heinkel He 50, the D1A was produced by Aichi for the Imperial Japanese Navy, remaining in service as a trainer at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The D1A was produced in two variants, the D1A1 (Navy Type 94 Carrier Bomber), and the D1A2 (Navy Type 96 Carrier Bomber, sometimes referred to as the D2A). Design and development The D1A came out of the Imperial Japanese Navy's need for an advanced carrier-based dive bomber, and in late 1934 the IJN ordered the finalisation of the Aichi AB-9 design which was produced as the early model D1A1. However, the D1A1 was not designed by Aichi Tokei Denki Kabushiki Kaisha [ja] aircraft company (later Aichi Kokuki), but by Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke at the request of the Aichi company. The initial version designed by Heinkel was the He 50, a similar model equipped with floats instead of landing gear. The subsequent model, the He 66 was provided to Aichi who immediately began production of it as the D1A1. The design of the D1A, based on the Heinkel He 66, an export model of the He 50, was designed as a biplane constructed of metal, with a fabric covering, a fixed landing gear and a conventional type tail landing skid. Original models had 365 kW (490 hp) engines and it was not until later models that more powerful 433 kW (580 hp) engines were included in the construction. Operational history The D1A was primarily used in the Second Sino-Japanese War and up to the time Japan entered World War II in 1941. At the beginning of the Pacific War, all of the remaining D1A1s were decommissioned and most of the D1A2s were retired from the front lines and served primarily in training units. The exception was 68 of the D1A2 model that operated as a second-line support until being retired in 1942. Variants D1A1 Type 94 Powered by 433 kW (580 hp) Nakajima Kotobuki 2 Kai 1 or Kotobuki 3 radial engines; 162 built. D1A2 Type 96 (Sometimes referred to as the D2A) Improved version fitted with spatted wheels and a higher powered Nakajima Hikari 1 engine; 428 built. AB-11 Proposed development with retractable undercarriage. Not built. Operators 1. Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service 2. Manchukuo Manchukuo Imperial Navy Specifications (D1A2) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Aircraft of World War II - 300 of the World's Greatest aircraft 1939-45 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in) Wingspan: 11.4 m (37 ft 5 in) Height: 3.41 m (11 ft 2 in) Wing area: 34.7 m2 (374 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,516 kg (3,342 lb) Gross weight: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,610 kg (5,754 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Hikari 1 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 540 kW (730 hp) for take-off 500 kW (670 hp) at 3,500 m (11,500 ft) Propellers: 2-bladed metal propeller Performance Maximum speed: 309 km/h (192 mph, 167 kn) at 3,200 m (10,500 ft) Cruise speed: 222 km/h (138 mph, 120 kn) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft) Range: 926 km (575 mi, 500 nmi) Service ceiling: 6,980 m (22,900 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 7 minutes 51 seconds Armament Guns: 2× fixed 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine guns 1× flexible 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun Bombs: 1× 250 kg (551 lb) bomb under fuselage 2× 30 kg (66 lb) bombs under wings Related development Heinkel He 50 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Curtiss SBC Helldiver Henschel Hs 123 Polikarpov R-5 Aichi E10A (Aichi AB-12) E10A Role - Night reconnaissance flying boat National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki First flight - 1934 Introduction - 1936 Retired - 1941 Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Number built - 15 The Aichi E10A was a Japanese night reconnaissance flying boat of the 1930s. A single-engined biplane, 15 were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Type 96 Night Reconnaissance Seaplane, serving from 1936 but were retired in 1941 before the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Development and design In 1934, based on experience of testing the Experimental 6-Shi Night Reconnaissance Flying boat, the Imperial Japanese Navy drew up a specification for a new night reconnaissance aircraft, intended to shadow enemy fleets during the cover of darkness, with orders being placed with Aichi and with Kawanishi. Aichi's design, with the company designation AB-12, was a single-engined biplane flying boat of all-metal construction. Its two-bay wings folded rearwards to save space on board ship, while its crew of three were accommodated in an enclosed cabin. It was powered by a pusher water-cooled Aichi Type 91 engine, driving a four-blade wooden propeller. The first prototype flew in December 1934, and when tested proved to have superior stability to the competing Kawanishi E10K, and so was ordered into production. Operational history The AB-12 entered service in August 1936 with the Japanese Navy as the Type 96 Night Reconnaissance Seaplane, with the short designation E10A. Fifteen aircraft were built, remaining in service until 1941, being phased out before the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite this, it was assigned the Allied code name Hank. Specifications (E10A) Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 3 Length: 11.219 m (36 ft 10 in) Wingspan: 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in) Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) Wing area: 52.1 m2 (561 sq ft) Empty weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb) Gross weight: 3,300 kg (7,275 lb) Powerplant: × Aichi Type 91 W-12 water-cooled piston engine, 370 kW (500 hp) to 485 kW (650 hp) Propellers: 4-bladed wooden fixed-pitch pusher propeller Performance Maximum speed: 206 km/h (128 mph, 111 kn) at sea level Cruise speed: 106 km/h (66 mph, 57 kn) at 1,000 m (3,281 ft) Range: 1,852 km (1,151 mi, 1,000 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,120 m (13,520 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in 17 minutes 42 seconds Wing loading: 63.2 kg/m2 (12.9 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.113 kW/kg (0.069 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 1× 7.7 mm machine gun flexibly mounted in nose Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Aichi AB-4 Aichi E11A Supermarine Walrus Aichi F1A (Aichi AB-13) F1A Role - Reconnaissance floatplane National origin - Empire of Japan Manufacturer - Aichi First flight - 1936 Number built - 2 The Aichi F1A (designated AB-13 by its designers and manufacturers at Aichi) was a prototype Japanese floatplane of the 1930s. A single-engined biplane, the F1A was intended as a short-range observation aircraft suitable for operation off the Imperial Japanese navy's warships, but only two were built, the Mitsubishi F1M being selected instead. Design and development The F1A was designed by Aichi in response to a 1935 specification, issued to Aichi, Kawanishi and Mitsubishi for a replacement for the Imperial Japanese Navy's Nakajima E8N floatplanes, which were used for short-ranged reconnaissance and observation missions from the Navy's warships. Aichi at first considered a low-winged monoplane design, the AM-10, to meet this requirement, but this was rejected in favour of a more conventional biplane design, the AB-13. The AB-13 was a small single-bay biplane of mixed construction. It had wooden stressed-skin wings with plywood skinning that folded to allow easy storage aboard ship, while combat flaps were fitted as the aircraft was required to have sufficient maneuverability for air combat as well as its normal observation missions. The fuselage was of metal construction, with the pilot sitting in an open cockpit, but the observer's position being enclosed. Both float and wheeled undercarriages were designed, with the seaplane having a single main float, while the landplane version had a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Power was provided by a single Nakajima Hikari radial engine. Operational history Two prototypes of the AB-13, designated Experimental 10-Shi[a] Observation Aircraft and with the short system designation F1A were built, the first a floatplane and the second with wheeled undercarriage, both being completed in 1936. Although Mitsubishi's competing F1M1 prototypes had poor stability both on the water and in the air, they had superior performance to Aichi's design. Mitsubishi redesigned its aircraft as the F1M2, eliminating its handling problems, and it was selected for production in 1940. Specifications (Floatplane) Data from Japanese Aircraft, 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in) Wingspan: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in) Height: 4.10 m (13 ft 5 in) Wing area: 28.0 m2 (301.399 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,400 kg (3,086 lb) Gross weight: 2,100 kg (4,629 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,380 kg (5,247 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Hikari 1 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 610 kW (820 hp) Performance Maximum speed: 386 km/h (240 mph, 207.8 kn) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft) Stall speed: 95.4 km/h (59.3 mph, 51.5 kn) Range: 1,449 km (900 mi, 783 nmi) at 185 km/h (100 knots, 115 mph) Endurance: 8 hr 30 min Service ceiling: 9,275 m (30,430 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 4 min 26 s Armament Guns: 2× fixed forward firing 7.7 mm machine guns, 1 machine gun in rear cockpit Aichi E11A (Aichi AB-14) E11A Type 98 Reconnaissance Seaplane Role - Gunnery Spotting Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki First flight - June 1937 Status - retired Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Number built - 17 The Aichi E11A (九八夜偵, Kyū-hachi Yatei) was an Imperial Japanese Navy flying boat used during the first year of World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the type was "Laura"; the Japanese Navy designation was "Type 98 Reconnaissance Seaplane". The Type 98 was quite similar to the earlier E10A Type 96, whose allied name was "Hank". "Lauras" were rare - only 17 were built. It was designed to be launched from cruisers or battleships in order to spot their shellfire at night. The Type 98s were soon diverted to communications and transport duties. Variants E11A1 : Night reconnaissance flying boat for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Production version. Specifications (Aichi E11A1) Data from Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats General characteristics Crew: 3 Length: 10.71 m (35 ft 2 in) Wingspan: 14.49 m (47 ft 6 in) Height: 4.52 m (14 ft 10 in) Empty weight: 1,927 kg (4,248 lb) Gross weight: 3,297 kg (7,269 lb) Max takeoff weight: 3,297 kg (7,269 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Hiro Type 91 Model 22 W-12 water-cooled piston engine, 460 kW (620 hp) Propellers: 4-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller Performance Maximum speed: 217 km/h (135 mph, 117 kn) at 2,400 m (7,874 ft) Range: 1,945 km (1,209 mi, 1,050 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,425 m (14,518 ft) Armament Guns: 1 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Aichi E10A Type 96 Aichi D3A (Aichi AM-17) D3A Role - Carrier-based dive bomber Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki KK First flight - January 1938 Introduction - 1940 Retired - 1945 Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Number built - 1,495: (479 D3A1), (1016 D3A2) Developed into - Yokosuka D3Y Myōjo The Aichi D3A Type 99 Carrier Bomber (Allied reporting name "Val")[a] is a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber. It was the primary dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and was involved in almost all IJN actions, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Aichi D3A was the first Japanese aircraft to bomb American targets in the war, commencing with Pearl Harbor and U.S. bases in the Philippines, such as Clark Air Force Base. They sank more Allied warships than any other Axis aircraft. Design and development In mid-1936, the Japanese Navy issued the 11-Shi specification for a monoplane carrier-based dive bomber to replace the existing D1A biplane then in service. Aichi, Nakajima, and Mitsubishi all submitted designs, with the former two subsequently being asked for two prototypes each. The Aichi design started with low-mounted elliptical wings inspired by the Heinkel He 70 Blitz. It flew slowly enough that the drag from the landing gear was not a serious issue, so the fixed gear was used for simplicity. The aircraft was to be powered by the 529 kW (709 hp) Nakajima Hikari 1 nine-cylinder radial engine. The first prototype was completed in December 1937, and flight trials began a month later, after which it was designated as D3A1. Initial tests were disappointing. The aircraft was underpowered and suffered from directional instability in wide turns, and in tighter turns it tended to snap roll. The dive brakes vibrated heavily when extended at their design speed of 200 knots (370 km/h), and the Navy was already asking for a faster diving speed of 240 knots (440 km/h). The second aircraft was extensively modified before delivery to try to address the problems. Power was increased by replacing the Hikari with the 626 kW (839 hp) Mitsubishi Kinsei 3 in a redesigned cowling, and the vertical tail was enlarged to help with the directional instability. The wings were slightly larger in span and the outer sections of the leading edges had wash-out to combat the snap rolls, and strengthened dive brakes were fitted. These changes cured all of the problems except the directional instability, and it was enough for the D3A1 to win over the Nakajima D3N1. In December 1939, the Navy ordered the aircraft as the Navy Type 99 Carrier Bomber Model 11 (kanjō bakugekiki, usually abbreviated to 艦爆 kanbaku). The production models featured slightly smaller wings and increased power in the form of the 746 kW (1,000 hp) Kinsei 43 or 798 kW (1,070 hp) Kinsei 44. The directional instability problem was finally cured with the fitting of a long dorsal fin-strake which started midway down the rear fuselage, and the aircraft actually became highly maneuverable. In June 1942, an improved version of D3A1, powered by a 969 kW (1,299 hp) Kinsei 54, was tested and designated as D3A2 or the Model 12. The extra power reduced range, so the design was further modified with additional fuel tanks to bring the total tankage to 900 L (240 US gal), giving it the range needed to fight effectively over the Solomon Islands. Known to the Navy as the Model 22, it began to replace the Model 11 in front-line units in the autumn of 1942, and most Model 11s were then sent to training units. While some late production models of D3A1 were fitted with a propeller spinner, it became a standard with D3A2. Equipment The pilot position was equipped with a Type 95 telescopic gunsight in the earlier models and a Type 99 in the later models, which were used for aiming the bomb during the dive. The observer/navigator position was equipped with a Type 97 Mk1 drift sight, which was a long vertical tube located in the front-left of the observer's seat. In addition, the observer position was equipped with a drift meter that was mounted on the floor in the front-right of the observer's seat. The observer also operated a Type 96 Mk2 radio set that was mounted in front of the observer's seat and behind the pilot's seat. On top of the radio set was a Type 3 reflector compass for precise navigation. Armament was two fixed forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 97 machine guns, and one flexible 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun at the rear end of cockpit, which was operated by the observer. Normal bomb load was a single 250 kg bomb (e.g., Type 99 No 25 semi-AP or Type 98 No 25 land bomb) carried under the fuselage, swung out under the propeller on release by a trapeze. Two additional 60 kg bombs (e.g., Type 99 No 6 semi-AP or Type 2 No 6 land bomb) could be carried on wing racks located under each wing outboard of the dive brakes. Initially, D3A dive bombers were painted in silver. During the summer of 1941, the paint finish changed to light olive grey. The color changed again in early 1942 to dark green. Operational history An individual D3A dive bomber was commanded by the senior ranking crew member aboard, which could be the observer rather than the pilot. This was in contrast to US Navy, where the pilot was almost always the commander of a dive bomber. For example, Petty Officer First Class Kiyoto Furuta was serving as a pilot to Lieutenant Takehiko Chihaya during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and later on to Lieutenant Keiichi Arima during the two carrier battles of the Solomon Islands campaign, both of whom were observers. The D3A1 first saw combat operation in November 1939, one month prior to its official acceptance as the Navy Type 99 dive bomber. Nakajima sent several examples to the 14th Air group operating at Haikou on Hainan island in South China. These D3A1s were commanded by Lieutenant Sadamu Takahashi and supported the Imperial Japanese Army in the capture of Nanning, which was intended to cut the supplies coming from French Indochina. After the capture of Nanning, they continued to be operated in the area in 1940. In May 1940, 12th Air Group became the second front-line unit to be equipped with the new D3A1 dive bombers. They first participated in the capture of Yichang and conducted anti-shipping operations on Yangtze river, west of Yichang, in order to cut the Chinese supplies coming from Chongqing. In September, D3A1 from the 12th Air Group started to fly missions against Chongqing, which was the Chinese capital at the time. After the invasion of Indochina in autumn 1940, 14th Air Group operated at Hanoi and flew missions against Kunming and Burma Road. The D3A1 commenced carrier qualification trials aboard the aircraft carriers Akagi and Kaga during 1940, while a small number of aircraft made their combat debut from land bases over China. Starting with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the D3A1 took part in all major Japanese carrier operations in the first 10 months of the war. They achieved their first major success against the Royal Navy during their Indian Ocean raid in April 1942. D3A1 dive bombers scored over 80% hits with their bombs during attacks on two heavy cruisers and an aircraft carrier during the operation. Before the Indian Ocean raid, the established doctrine regarding attacks against ships was to arm all D3A1 dive bombers with semi-AP bombs. On 5 April 1942, an IJN carrier force attacked Colombo on Ceylon with half of its complement, while the other half was kept in reserve for strikes against ships. Since a second strike against Colombo was deemed necessary, the dive bombers of the reserve force were rearmed from semi-AP bombs to land bombs. When British heavy cruisers were spotted soon afterwards, the reserve force was sent with a portion of D3A1 dive bombers armed with land bombs. In the subsequent attack, land bombs unintentionally proved very effective in suppressing the anti-aircraft fire from the ships. As a result, the doctrine was modified in order to intentionally equip the first few D3A1 dive bombers with land bombs. This new method was already implemented for the attack that sank HMS Hermes just four days later, and continued to be used from then on. During 1942, dive bombing attacks by carrier-based D3A1 and D3A2 bombers significantly contributed to sinking of three US fleet carriers: Lexington at the Battle of the Coral Sea, Yorktown at the Battle of Midway and Hornet at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. In addition, they damaged the carrier Enterprise both at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. Besides carrier-based units, D3A dive bombers also operated from land bases during the Solomon Islands campaign, where they participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign, Operation I-Go, Operation SE and Operation RO, and during the New Guinea campaign, where they participated in the Battle of Milne Bay and Battle of Buna-Gona. The main land-based unit to operate D3A dive bombers during these campaigns and battles was the 2nd/582nd Air Group. During the course of the war, D3A dive bombers often combined their attacks upon enemy warships with the IJN Nakajima B5N Kate torpedo bomber; consequently enemy vessels were often sunk by a combination strike of bombs and torpedoes. However, there were occasions when just the D3A's would make the attacks, or at least score the sinking hits. Discounting the Pearl Harbor strike, which also used the B5N for level bombing and torpedo attacks, D3A dive bombers were credited with sinking the following Allied warships: USS Peary, American destroyer, 19 February 1942 - Australia (Darwin) USS Pope, American destroyer, 1 March 1942 - Java Sea USS Edsall, American destroyer, 1 March 1942- Indian Ocean USS Pecos, American oiler, 1 March 1942- Indian Ocean HMS Cornwall, British heavy cruiser, 5 April 1942 - Indian Ocean HMS Dorsetshire, British heavy cruiser, 5 April 1942 - Indian Ocean HMS Hector, British armed merchant cruiser, 5 April 1942 - Indian Ocean HMS Tenedos, British destroyer, 5 April 1942 - Indian Ocean HMS Hermes, British aircraft carrier, 9 April 1942 - Indian Ocean HMAS Vampire, Australian destroyer, 9 April 1942 - Indian Ocean USS Sims, American destroyer, 7 May 1942 - Pacific Ocean USS De Haven, American destroyer, 1 February 1943 - Pacific Ocean (Ironbottom Sound) USS Aaron Ward, American destroyer, 7 April 1943 - Pacific Ocean (Ironbottom Sound) USS Kanawha, American oiler, 8 April 1943 - Pacific Ocean (Tulagi, Solomon Islands) USS Brownson, American destroyer, 26 December 1943 - Pacific Ocean USS Abner Read, American destroyer, sunk by kamikaze 1 November 1944 - Pacific Ocean USS William D. Porter, American destroyer, sunk by kamikaze 10 June 1945 - Japan (Okinawa) As the war progressed, there were instances when the dive bombers were pressed into duty as fighters in the interceptor role, their maneuverability being enough to allow them to survive in this role. When the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei became available, the D3A2s ended up with land-based units or operating from the smaller carriers, which were too small to handle the fast-landing Suisei. When American forces recaptured the Philippines in 1944, land-based D3A2s took part in the fighting, but were hopelessly outdated and losses were heavy. By then, many D3A1s and D3A2s were operated by training units in Japan, and several were modified with dual controls as Navy Type 99 Bomber Trainer Model 12s (D3A2-K). During the last year of the war, the D3A2s were pressed back into combat for kamikaze missions. Operators Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Surviving aircraft One D3A is currently under restoration at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California. There are two unrestored D3As on display at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. Specifications (D3A2 Model 22) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 10.195 m (33 ft 5 in) Wingspan: 14.365 m (47 ft 2 in) Height: 3.847 m (12 ft 7 in) Wing area: 34.9 m2 (376 sq ft) Empty weight: 2,570 kg (5,666 lb) D3A1: 2,408 kg (5,309 lb) Gross weight: 3,800 kg (8,378 lb) D3A1: 3,650 kg (8,050 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi Kinsei 54 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 970 kW (1,300 hp) for take-off (1,200 hp (890 kW) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft) / 1,100 hp (820 kW) at 6,200 m (20,300 ft)) Other engines 710 hp (530 kW) Nakajima Hikari I - 1st prototype 840 hp (630 kW) Mitsubishi Kinsei 3 - 2nd prototype 1,000 hp (750 kW) Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 - D3A1 Model 11 (early production) 1,070 hp (800 kW) Mitsubishi Kinsei 44 - D3A1 Model 11 (late production) Propellers: 3-bladed metal constant-speed propeller Performance Maximum speed: 430 km/h (270 mph, 230 kn) at 6,200 m (20,300 ft) D3A1: 387 km/h (240 mph; 209 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft) Cruise speed: 296 km/h (184 mph, 160 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft) Range: 1,352 km (840 mi, 730 nmi) D3A1: 1,472 km (915 mi) Service ceiling: 10,500 m (34,400 ft) D3A1: 9,300 m (30,500 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 5 minutes 48 seconds D3A1: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 6 minutes 27 seconds Wing loading: 108.9 kg/m2 (22.3 lb/sq ft) D3A1: 104.6 kg/m2 (21.4 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 3.9 kg/kW (6.4 lb/hp) D3A1: 4.9 kg/kW (8 lb/hp) Armament Guns: 2x forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 97 aircraft machine guns in the forward fuselage upper decking + 1x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 92 machine gun on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit Bombs: 1x 250 kg (550 lb) under the fuselage and 2x 60 kg (130 lb) bombs under the wings Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era ANBO VIII Blackburn Skua Breda Ba.65 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Douglas SBD Dauntless Fairey Barracuda Junkers Ju 87 Loire-Nieuport LN.401 Saab 17 Vultee A-31 Vengeance Yokosuka D3Y Yokosuka D4Y Aichi E13A (Aichi AM-19) E13A Role - Reconnaissance floatplane Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki KK First flight - mid-late 1939 Introduction - 1941 Retired - 1945 Primary users - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Royal Thai Navy Number built - 1,418 The Aichi E13A (Allied reporting name: "Jake") was a long-range reconnaissance seaplane used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1941 to 1945. Numerically the most important floatplane of the IJN, it could carry a crew of three and a bombload of 250 kg (550 lb). The Navy designation was "Navy Type Zero Reconnaissance Seaplane" (零式水上偵察機). Operational history In China, it operated from seaplane tenders and cruisers. Later, it was used as a scout for the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and was encountered in combat by the United States Navy during the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway. It was in service throughout the conflict, for coastal patrols, strikes against navigation, liaison, officer transports, castaway rescues, and other missions, along with some kamikaze missions in the last days of war. One Aichi E13A was operated by Nazi Germany alongside two Arado Ar 196s out of the base at Penang. The three aircraft formed the East Asia Naval Special Service to assist the German Monsun Gruppe as well as local Japanese naval operations. Eight examples were operated by the French Navy Air Force during the First Indochina War from 1945-1947, while others were believed to be operated by the Naval Air Arm of the Royal Thai Navy before the war. One example captured by New Zealand forces was flown by RNZAF personnel in theatre, but sank and was not repaired after a float leaked. Variants An Aichi E13A, probably from Kamikawa Maru's air unit, possibly photographed at Deboyne Islands during the Battle of the Coral Sea. E13A1 Prototypes and first production model, later designated Model 11 E13A1-K Trainer version with dual controls E13A1a Redesigned floats, improved radio equipment E13A1a-S Night-flying conversion E13A1b As E13A1a, with Air-Surface radar E13A1b-S Night-flying conversion of above E13A1c Anti-surface vessel version equipped with two downward-firing belly-mounted 20 mm Type 99 Mark II cannons in addition to bombs or depth charges Production Constructed by Aichi Tokei Denki KK: 133 Constructed by Watanabe (Kyushu Hikoki KK): 1,237 Constructed by Dai-Juichi Kaigun Kokusho: 48 Operators France French Navy Aeronavale French Air Force - Captured Japanese aircraft Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine Thailand Royal Thai Navy People's Republic of China People's Liberation Army Air Force - surplus or derelict Japanese aircraft Surviving aircraft The wrecks of a number of sunken aircraft are recorded. The wreckage of one aircraft is located on-land at an abandoned seaplane base at Lenger Island, off Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. One E13A was raised from where it sank and is displayed at the Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum, Kakamigahara, Gifu, Japan. However, it is reportedly in poor condition, lacking its engine, tail floats and one wing. Specifications (E13A1) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War General characteristics Crew: 3 Length: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in) Wingspan: 14.5 m (47 ft 7 in) Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) Wing area: 36 m2 (390 sq ft) Empty weight: 2,642 kg (5,825 lb) Gross weight: 3,640 kg (8,025 lb) Max takeoff weight: 4,000 kg (8,818 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi MK8 Kinsei 43 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 790 kW (1,060 hp) for take-off 805 kW (1,080 hp) at 2,000 m (6,562 ft) Propellers: 3-bladed metal propeller Performance Maximum speed: 376 km/h (234 mph, 203 kn) at 2,180 m (7,152 ft) Cruise speed: 222 km/h (138 mph, 120 kn) at 2,000 m (6,562 ft) Range: 2,089 km (1,298 mi, 1,128 nmi) Endurance: 14+ hours Service ceiling: 8,730 m (28,640 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in 6 minutes 5 seconds Wing loading: 101.1 kg/m2 (20.7 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.2163 kW/kg (0.1316 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 1× flexible, rearward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun for observer Some aircraft fitted 2× 20mm Type 99-2 cannons in a downwards firing position in the belly Bombs: 250 kg (551 lb) of bombs Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Arado Ar 196 Aichi E16A Curtiss SOC Seagull Kawanishi E15K Northrop N-3PB Vought OS2U Kingfisher Yokosuka E14Y Aichi H9A (Aichi AM-21) H9A Role - Flying boat trainer Manufacturer - Aichi First flight - September 1940 Introduction - 1942 Retired - 1945 Primary user - IJN Air Service Number built - 31 The Aichi H9A (二式練習飛行艇, Navy Type 2 Training Flying Boat) was an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service flying boat used during the first years of World War II for crew training. An uncommon type, it was not encountered by Allied forces until spring 1945, and was never assigned an Allied reporting name. Design and development The H9A was a twin-engined, parasol-wing flying boat, designated by Aichi as their AM-21 design, and was designed in response to an Imperial Japanese Navy requirement for an advanced seaplane trainer for future crew members of the four-engined Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat. Design work started in January 1940 and the first of three prototypes was flown in September 1940. The aircraft had a normal crew of five (pilot, co-pilot, observer, flight engineer and a radio-operator) but seating was provided for an additional three pupil crew members. Operational history From May - June 1942, the Aichi H9A was employed in a variety of second-line roles, including anti-submarine missions along the Japanese coasts, transport, paratroop training and liaison. Variants H9A Prototypes 3 aircraft built by Aichi. H9A1 Serial version, 24 aircraft built by Aichi and an additional 4 by Nippon Hikoki. Operators Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Specifications (H9A1) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War; Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats General characteristics Crew: 5 Capacity: 3 pupils Length: 16.95 m (55 ft 7 in) Wingspan: 24 m (78 ft 9 in) Height: 5.25 m (17 ft 3 in) Wing area: 63.3 m2 (681 sq ft) Empty weight: 4,900 kg (10,803 lb) Gross weight: 7,000 kg (15,432 lb) Max takeoff weight: 7,500 kg (16,535 lb) Powerplant: 2 × Nakajima Ha-1 Kotobuki 42 or 43 9-cyinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 530 kW (710 hp) each for take-off 455 kW (610 hp) at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) Propellers: 3-bladed propellers Performance Maximum speed: 317 km/h (197 mph, 171 kn) at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) Cruise speed: 222 km/h (138 mph, 120 kn) at 1,000 m (3,281 ft) Range: 2,148 km (1,335 mi, 1,160 nmi) Service ceiling: 6,780 m (22,240 ft) Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in 11 minutes 14 seconds Wing loading: 110.6 kg/m2 (22.7 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.151 kW/kg (0.092 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 1× flexible, 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun in bow and dorsal hatches Bombs: 2× 250 kg (551 lb) bombs or depth charges Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Consolidated PBY Catalina Kawanishi H6K Short Sunderland Aichi E16A (Aichi AM-22) E16A Zuiun Role - Reconnaissance Floatplane Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki First flight - 22 May 1942 Introduction - February 1944 Primary user - IJN Air Service Produced - 1944-1945 Number built - 256 The Aichi E16A Zuiun (瑞雲 "Auspicious Cloud", Allied reporting name "Paul") was a two-seat reconnaissance seaplane operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Design and development The Aichi E16A originated from a 1939 specification for a replacement for the Aichi E13A, which at that time had yet to be accepted by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS). Disagreements about the requirements in the 14-Shi specification prevented most manufacturers from submitting designs, but in 1941 a new 16-Shi specification was drafted by the IJNAS around the Aichi AM-22 design which had already been made by Aichi engineers Kishiro Matsuo and Yasuhiro Ozawa. The first AM-22, which first got the experimental designation Navy Experimental 16-Shi Reconnaissance Seaplane and later the short designation E16A1, was completed by May 1942 and was a conventional, low-wing monoplane equipped with two floats and had the unusual (for a seaplane) feature of being equipped with dive brakes, located in the front legs of the float struts, to allow it to operate in a secondary role as a dive bomber. Variants E16A1 Experimental Type 16 reconnaissance seaplane (16試水上偵察機, 16-Shi Suijō Teisatsuki) Initial named Experimental Type 14 two-seat reconnaissance seaplane (14試2座水上偵察機, 14-Shi 2-Za Suijō Teisatsuki). 3 prototypes produced. Mounted 1,300 hp (970 kW) Mitsubishi MK8A Kinsei 51 engine, 2 × forward-firing 7.7 mm (.303in) Type 97 machine guns, 1 × rearward-firing 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun. E16A1 Zuiun Model 11 (瑞雲11型, Zuiun 11-gata) General production model. Mounted 1,300 hp (970 kW) Mitsubishi MK8N Kinsei 54 engine, 2 × forward-firing 20 mm Type 99-2 cannons, 1 × rearward-firing 13 mm Type 2 machine gun. E16A2 Provisional name Zuiun Model 12 (仮称瑞雲12型, Kashō Zuiun 12-gata) Initial named Zuiun Model 22. Single prototype with a 1,560 hp (1,160 kW) Mitsubishi MK8P Kinsei 62 radial engine. One plane converted from E16A1, incomplete. Operators Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service - Naval vessel Battleship Ise, supplied from 634th Kōkūtai Battleship Hyūga, supplied from 634th Kōkūtai - Air unit Kitaura Kōkutai Yokosuka Kōkutai 634th Kōkutai 801st Kōkutai 301st Reconnaissance Hikōtai 302nd Reconnaissance Hikōtai Specifications (E16A1 Zuiun Model 11) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 10.833 m (35 ft 6 in) Wingspan: 12.81 m (42 ft 0 in) Height: 4.791 m (15 ft 9 in) Wing area: 28 m2 (300 sq ft) Empty weight: 2,945 kg (6,493 lb) Gross weight: 3,900 kg (8,598 lb) Max takeoff weight: 4,553 kg (10,038 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi MK8D Kinsei 54 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 970 kW (1,300 hp) for take-off 895 kW (1,200 hp) at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) 820 kW (1,100 hp) at 6,200 m (20,341 ft) Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller Performance Maximum speed: 439 km/h (273 mph, 237 kn) at 5,500 m (18,045 ft) Cruise speed: 333 km/h (207 mph, 180 kn) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft) Range: 1,176 km (731 mi, 635 nmi) Ferry range: 2,420 km (1,500 mi, 1,310 nmi) Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft) Rate of climb: 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in 4 minutes 40 seconds Wing loading: 139.3 kg/m2 (28.5 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.2491 kW/kg (0.1515 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 2 fixed forward-firing 20 mm (0.787 in) Type 99 Mark 2 machine guns in the wings 1 flexible rearward-firing 13 mm (0.512 in) Type 2 machine gun for the observer Bombs: 250 kg (551 lb) of bombs Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Aichi E13A Arado Ar 196 Curtiss SC Seahawk Vought OS2U Kingfisher Aichi B7A (Aichi AM-23) B7A Ryusei Role - Torpedo bomber and Dive bomber National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki First flight - May 1942 Retired - September 1945 Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Produced - 1941-1945 Number built - 114 total The Aichi B7A Ryusei (流星, Ryūsei, "Shooting Star", Allied reporting name "Grace") was a large and powerful carrier-borne torpedo-dive bomber produced by Aichi Kokuki for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during the Second World War. Built in only small numbers and deprived of the aircraft carriers it was intended to operate from, the type had little chance to distinguish itself in combat before the war ended in August 1945. Design and development The B7A Ryusei (originally designated AM-23 by Aichi) was designed in response to a 1941 16-Shi requirement issued by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service for a carrier attack bomber that would replace both the Nakajima B6N Tenzan torpedo plane and the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei dive bomber in IJN service. It was intended for use aboard a new generation of Taihō-class carriers, the first of which was laid down in July 1941. Because the deck elevators on the Taihōs had a larger square area than those of older Japanese carriers, the longstanding maximum limit of 11 m (36 ft) on carrier aircraft length could now be lifted. Chief Engineer Toshio Ozaki (name often seen as Norio Ozaki, but this is incorrect because the Kanji for both first names are the same and often confused) chose a mid-wing arrangement for the B7A to provide for an internal bomb-bay and to ensure enough clearance for the plane's 3.5 m (11 ft) four-bladed propeller. This in turn necessitated the adoption of an inverted gull wing, reminiscent of the F4U Corsair, in order to shorten the length of the main landing gear. The wing featured extendable ailerons with a ten-degree range of deflection, enabling them to act as auxiliary flaps. Dive brakes were fitted underneath just outboard of the fuselage. The B7A's outer wing panels were designed to fold upwards hydraulically for carrier stowage, reducing its overall span from 14.4 m (47 ft) to approximately 7.9 m (26 ft). Selection of a powerplant was dictated by the Japanese Navy which requested that Aichi design the aircraft around the 1,360 kW (1,825 hp) Nakajima NK9C Homare 12 18-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine. This was expected to become the Navy's standard aircraft engine in the 1,340 kW (1,800 hp) to 1,641 kW (2,200 hp) range. One production model B7A2 was later fitted with a 1,491 kW (2,000 hp) Nakajima Homare 23 radial engine and plans were also made to fit the 1,641 kW (2,200 hp) Mitsubishi MK9 radial to an advanced version of the Ryusei (designated B7A3 Ryusei Kai) but the latter effort never came to fruition. The B7A had a weight-carrying capacity stemming from its requirements, resulting in a weapons load no greater than its predecessors. The presence of an internal bomb bay with two high-load-capability attachment points allowed the aircraft to carry two 250 kg (550 lb) or six 60 kg (132 lb) bombs. Alternatively, it could carry a single externally mounted Type 91 torpedo, weighing up to 848 kg (1,870 lb). Defensive armament initially consisted of two 20mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons in the wing roots and one flexible 7.92mm Type 1 machine-gun mounted in the rear cockpit. Later production models of the B7A2 featured a 13mm Type 2 machine-gun in place of the 7.92mm gun. Despite the plane's weight and size, it displayed fighter-like handling and performance, beating the version of the A6M Zero in service at the time. It was fast and highly maneuverable. Given the codename "Grace" by the Allies, the B7A first flew as a prototype in May 1942, but teething problems with the experimental NK9C Homare engine and necessary modifications to the airframe meant that the type did not enter into production until two years later in May 1944. Nine prototype B7A1s were built and 80 production version B7A2s completed by Aichi before a severe earthquake in May 1945 destroyed the factory at Funakata where they were being assembled. A further 25 examples were produced at the 21st Naval Air Arsenal at Omura. Operational history In June 1944, the Taihō was the only Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier then modern enough to operate the B7A Ryusei in its intended role. Other Japanese carriers lacked the modern arresting gear necessary to assist the recovery of aircraft weighing over 4000 kg. However, Taiho was sunk during the Battle of the Philippine Sea before enough B7As were even available to embark. Afterward, the B7A was relegated to operating from land bases, primarily with the Yokosuka and 752nd Air Groups. The Japanese completed only one other carrier capable of operating the B7A, the Shinano, which was sunk by an American submarine in November 1944, just ten days after being commissioned. Variants B7A1 One prototype and eight supplementary prototypes. B7A2 Two-seat torpedo-dive bomber aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Navy; 105 built. B7A2 Experimental One aircraft fitted with a 1,491 kW (2,000 hp) Nakajima Homare 23 radial engine. B7A3 Proposed version with a 1641 kW (2,200 hp) Mitsubishi MK9A (Ha-43). Not built. Number built According to Model Art (2000), p. 72. Funakata Factory, Aichi Kokuki, Nagoya, work number 3201-3289. January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - Sub total 1942 - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - 1 - 1 1943 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 6 1944 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 5 - 5 - 9 - 26 1945 - 7 - 12 - 11 - 13 - 8 - 3 - 2 - 0 - . - . - . - . - 56 21st Naval Air Arsenal, Imperial Japanese Navy, Ōmura, work number 1-25. January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - Sub total 1944 - . - . - . - 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 4 - 1 - 0 - 0 - 8 1945 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 4 - 1 - . - . - . - . - 17 Operators Japan à) Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Yokosuka Naval Air Group 131st Naval Air Group 752nd Naval Air Group 1001st Naval Air Group 5th Attack Squadron, a part of 131st/752nd Naval Air Group Specifications (B7A2) Data from Aircraft of World War II - 300 of the World's Greatest aircraft 1939-45, Aichi B7A Ryusei (Shooting Star), Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 11.49 m (37 ft 8 in) Wingspan: 14.4 m (47 ft 3 in) Height: 4.075 m (13 ft 4 in) Wing area: 35.4 m2 (381 sq ft) Empty weight: 3,810 kg (8,400 lb) Gross weight: 5,625 kg (12,401 lb) Max takeoff weight: 6,500 kg (14,330 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima NK9C Homare 12 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,361 kW (1,825 hp) for take-off 1,245 kW (1,670 hp) at 2,400 m (7,874 ft) 1,163 kW (1,560 hp) at 6,550 m (21,490 ft) Propellers: 4-bladed constant-speed propeller, 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) diameter Performance Maximum speed: 567 km/h (352 mph, 306 kn) at 6,550 m (21,490 ft) Range: 3,038 km (1,888 mi, 1,640 nmi) Service ceiling: 11,250 m (36,910 ft) Rate of climb: 9.6 m/s (1,890 ft/min) Time to altitude: 4,000 m (13,123 ft) in 6 minutes 55 seconds Wing loading: 158.9 kg/m2 (32.5 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.242 kW/kg (0.147 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) Type 99 Model 2 cannon in the wings 1× 7.92 mm (0.312 in) Type 1 machine gun or 13 mm (0.512 in) Type 2 machine gun in the rear cockpit Bombs: 800 kg (1,764 lb) of general ordnance or 1× 800 kg (1,764 lb) torpedo Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Douglas BTD Destroyer Douglas A-1 Skyraider Fairey Spearfish Blackburn Firebrand Aichi M6A (Aichi AM-24) M6A Seiran Role - Submarine-launched dive / torpedo bomber Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki KK First flight - November 1943 Introduction - 1945 Retired - 1945 Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Produced - 1943-1945 Number built - 28 (inc. 2 M6A1-K landplane prototypes) The Aichi M6A Seiran (晴嵐, "Clear Sky Storm") is a submarine-launched attack floatplane designed for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It was intended to operate from I-400 class submarines whose original mission was to conduct aerial attacks against the United States. Design and development From the late 1920s, the Imperial Japanese Navy had developed a doctrine of operating floatplanes from submarines to search for targets. In December 1941, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, proposed constructing a large fleet of submarine aircraft carriers (also designated STo or sen-toku - special submarine) whose purpose was to mount aerial attacks against American coastal cities. The submarines would surface to launch their aircraft by catapult, submerge to avoid detection, then surface again to retrieve the aircrews who would ditch their planes nearby. By June 1942, the plan was to build a fleet of eighteen such submarines. This was later cut to nine, then five and finally just three as Japan's wartime fortunes declined. To equip the submarine aircraft carriers, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service requested that Aichi design a folding attack aircraft with a range of 1,500 km (810 nmi) and a speed of 555 km/h (300 kn). Aichi was already manufacturing under license, the D4Y1 Suisei (Judy), a relatively small single-engined carrier dive bomber with exceptionally clean lines and high performance. Detailed engineering studies commenced in an effort to modify the Suisei for use aboard the I-400 submarines but the difficulties in doing so were eventually judged insurmountable and a completely new design was initiated. Aichi's final design, designated AM-24 by Aichi and given the military designation M6A1, was a two-seat, low-winged monoplane powered by a 1,050 kW (1,410 hp) Aichi AE1P Atsuta 30 engine (a licence-built copy of the Daimler-Benz DB 601 liquid-cooled V12 engine). The original specification dispensed with a traditional undercarriage but it was later decided to fit the aircraft with detachable twin floats to increase its versatility. If conditions permitted, these would allow the aircraft to land next to the submarine, be recovered by crane and then re-used. The floats could be jettisoned in flight to increase performance or left off altogether for one-way missions. The Seiran's wings rotated 90 degrees and folded hydraulically against the aircraft's fuselage (with the tail also folding down) to allow for storage within the submarine's 3.5 m (11 ft) diameter cylindrical hangar. Armament was a single 850 kg (1,870 lb) torpedo or an equivalent weight in bombs. One 13 mm (0.51 in) Type 2 machine gun was mounted on a flexible mounting for use by the observer. As finalized, each I-400 class submarine had an enlarged watertight hangar capable of accommodating up to three M6A1s. The Seirans were to be launched from a 26 m (85 ft) compressed-air catapult mounted on the forward deck. A well-trained crew of four men could roll a Seiran out of its hangar on a collapsible catapult carriage, attach the plane's pontoons and have it readied for flight in approximately 7 minutes. In order to shorten the launching process and eliminate the need for time-consuming engine warm-ups, the Seirans were to be catapulted from a cold start. This necessitated heating the engine oil for each plane to approximately 60 °C (140 °F) in a separate chamber and pumping it, as well as hot water, through the engine just prior to launch while the planes were still in the hangar. In this way, the aircraft's engine would be at or near normal operating temperature immediately upon getting airborne. The idea was borrowed from the Germans who planned on using a similar launch method for the aircraft of their unfinished carrier Graf Zeppelin. The first of eight prototype Seirans was completed in October 1943, commencing flight testing in November that year. A problem with overbalance of the auxiliary wings was eventually solved by raising the height of the tail fin. Further testing was sufficiently successful for production to start in early 1944. In order to aid pilot conversion to the Seiran, two examples of a land based trainer version fitted with a retractable undercarriage were built. These were given the designation M6A1-K Nanzan ("Southern Mountain"). Besides the difference in landing gear, the vertical stabilizer's top portion, which was foldable on the Seiran, was removed. Operational history The first production examples of the Seiran were completed in October 1944. Deliveries were slowed by an earthquake near Nagoya on 7 December 1944, and by an American air-raid on 12 March 1945. Construction of the STo submarines was stopped in March 1945, after two submarine aircraft carriers had been completed and a third finished as a fuel tanker. These were supplemented by two smaller Type AM submarines, originally designed as command submarines carrying reconnaissance floatplanes, but capable of carrying two Seirans. Owing to the reduced carrier submarine force, production of the Seiran was halted, with a total of 28 completed (including the prototypes and the M6A1-Ks). The new submarines and aircraft were assigned to the 1st Submarine Flotilla, comprising the two STo submarines, the I-400 and the flagship I-401, each carrying three Seirans together with two type AMs, the I-13 and I-14. The 1st Submarine Flotilla commenced training with the Seirans in January 1945, the crews gradually learning how to handle the submarines and aircraft. Launching all three Seirans took longer than expected: 30 minutes if floats were fitted, although this could be reduced to 14.5 minutes if the floats were not used. The first mission of the Seiran squadron, which was named the Shinryuu Tokubetsukougeki-tai (神龍特別攻撃隊, meaning "God-Dragon Special Attack Squad") was to be a surprise air strike on the Gatun locks of the Panama Canal, to cut the main supply line for US forces in the Pacific. When the force was finally ready to set off on their mission against Panama, Japan's increasingly desperate situation led to a change in plan, with the target for the attack, called Operation Hikari (Splendour), being switched to the American base at Ulithi Atoll where forces, including aircraft carriers, were massing in preparation for attacks on the Japanese Home Islands. The flotilla departed Japan on 23 July 1945 and proceeded towards Ulithi. On 16 August, the flagship I-401 received a radio message from headquarters, informing them of Japan's surrender and ordering them to return to Japan. All six Seirans on board the two submarines, having been disguised for the operation as American planes in violation of the laws of war, were catapulted into the sea with their wings and stabilizers folded (for the I-401) or pushed overboard (for the I-400) to prevent capture. Variants M6A1 Prototypes powered by Atsuta 30 or 31 1,044 kW (1,400 hp) engine and removable floats, 8 built. M6A1 Seiran (Shisei-Seiran) Special Attack Bomber, 18 built. M6A1-K Nanzan (南山, "South Mountain")('Shisei-Seiran Kai) Prototypes of training version, retractable wheeled landing gear, 2 built. M6A2 Prototype modification, powered by Mitsubishi Kinsei MK8P 62 1,163 kW (1,560 hp) engine, 1 built. Operators Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Naval Air Technical Arsenal / 1st Naval Technical Arsenal 631st Naval Air Group Surviving aircraft A single M6A1 has been preserved and resides in the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. It is located in the Washington, DC suburb of Chantilly, Virginia near Dulles International Airport. The Seiran was surrendered to an American occupation contingent by Lt Kazuo Akatsuka of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who ferried it from Fukuyama to Yokosuka. The US Navy donated it to the Smithsonian Institution in November 1962. Restoration work on the Seiran began in June 1989 and was completed in February 2000. Specifications (M6A1) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Aichi M6A1 Seiran General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 11.64 m (38 ft 2 in) Wingspan: 12.262 m (40 ft 3 in) Height: 4.58 m (15 ft 0 in) Wing area: 27 m2 (290 sq ft) Empty weight: 3,301 kg (7,277 lb) Gross weight: 4,040 kg (8,907 lb) Max takeoff weight: 4,445 kg (9,800 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Aichi AE1P Atsuta 30 or Atsuta 31 V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,000 kW (1,400 hp) for take-off 999 kW (1,340 hp) at 1,700 m (5,577 ft) 962 kW (1,290 hp) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft) Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller Performance Maximum speed: 474 km/h (295 mph, 256 kn) at 5,200 m (17,060 ft) Cruise speed: 296 km/h (184 mph, 160 kn) at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) Range: 1,188 km (738 mi, 641 nmi) Service ceiling: 9,900 m (32,500 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in 5 minutes 48 seconds Wing loading: 149.6 kg/m2 (30.6 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.3574 kW/kg (0.2174 hp/lb) Armament Guns: 1× 13 mm cabin-mounted Type 2 machine gun Bombs: 1× Type 91 torpedo or 2× 250 kg (551 lb) or 1× 850 kg (1,874 lb) bombs Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Arado Ar 231 Cox-Klemin XS Parnall Peto Yokosuka E14Y Aichi C4A Aichi C4A Role - Carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki Status - project only Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (intended) Number built - 0 The Aichi C4A, company designation Aichi AM-20, experimental designation Aichi 13-Shi High-speed Reconnaissance Aircraft, was a late 1930s project by Aichi for a carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraft. Design and development In the late 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS), having felt impressed at the performance of the Mitsubishi Ki-15 for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS), issued a requirement for a fast reconnaissance aircraft under the IJNAS designation 13-Shi High-speed Reconnaissance Aircraft. Aichi, drawing upon experience designing the Aichi D3A, proposed a single-engine, low wing monoplane powered by a radial engine and fitted with a closed cockpit with two seats in tandem, as well as a rear-mounted 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun. The design was known by the experimental designation and allocated the short designation C4A by the IJNAS. A full-scale mockup was completed in March 1939 for inspection by IJN officials. However, the IJN decided to shelve the C4A in favor of their own version of the Ki-15, the C5M. Aichi E3A E3A (HD 56) Role - Reconnaissance seaplane National origin - Germany/Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki Design group - Heinkel First flight - 1929 Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Number built - 12 The Aichi E3A was a reconnaissance seaplane developed in Germany as the Heinkel HD 56 to operate from warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, which designated it the Type 90-1 Reconnaissance Seaplane. It was a conventional single-bay biplane with staggered wings braced by N-type interplane struts. The pilot and gunner sat in tandem, open cockpits. Design and development Aichi Tokei Denki requested a design for a reconnaissance seaplane from Heinkel to enter in an IJN competition. Heinkel built a single HD 56 prototype that was evaluated against the Nakajima E4N and the Kawanishi E5K. The Heinkel design was announced the winner in 1931, on the condition that Aichi would address some shortcomings, particularly a lack of range. Refined versions of the "losing" Nakajima and Kawanishi designs would eventually see production, with the Nakajima design being built in far greater numbers. Modifications to the HD 56 by Aichi included reductions in length and span, the replacement of the prototype's Wright Whirlwind with a locally-built Hitachi Tempu, and numerous detail changes. Flight tests were carried out at Nagoya in August 1931, and the type was accepted into service the following year. E3As were still in service aboard Sendai class cruisers at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Specifications (E3A1) Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 8.45 m (27 ft 9 in) Wingspan: 11.1 m (36 ft 5 in) Height: 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in) Wing area: 34.5 m2 (371 sq ft) Empty weight: 1,118 kg (2,465 lb) Gross weight: 1,600 kg (3,527 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Gasuden / Hitachi Type 90 Amakaze 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 224 kW (300 hp) (天風) Propellers: 2-bladed propeller Performance Maximum speed: 197 km/h (122 mph, 106 kn) Cruise speed: 125 km/h (78 mph, 67 kn) Range: 753 km (468 mi, 407 nmi) Endurance: 6 hours Service ceiling: 4,710 m (15,450 ft) Rate of climb: 2.7 m/s (530 ft/min) Armament Guns: 1 × fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine gun in forward fuselage 2=1 × trainable, rearward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine gun for gunner Bombs: 2 × 30 kg (66 lb) bombs Aichi S1A S1A Denko Role - Night fighter National origin - Japan Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki KK Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Number built - 2 prototypes (incomplete) The Aichi S1A Denko (電光, Bolt of Light) was a Japanese night fighter, intended to replace the Nakajima J1N1-S Gekkou (Allied code name Irving). Like the Gekkou, it was to be equipped with radar to counter the B-29 air raids over Japan. Development time for the S1A increased while trying to overcome design shortcomings, such as the insufficient power of the Navy's requested Nakajima Homare engines, resulting in no aircraft being completed before the war ended. Design and development The Denko's service weight exceeded ten thousand kilograms because the aircraft was full of special equipment including oxygen injection, but the turbocharger's remote location from the engine caused many problems. Because the initial prototypes' engines did not pass Navy standards only two aircraft were ever manufactured. Two more had been planned before cancellation that would have used the more powerful Mitsubishi HI MK9A Ru or MK10A Ru engines. Additionally, the Tōnankai earthquake occurred in December 1944 with the aircraft factories and prototypes badly damaged as a result. On 9 June 1945 the airstrikes on Aichi Kokuki and Aichi Tokei Denki Seizo Co., Ltd blew up the S1A first prototype and forced movement of the second to the Gifu large Sadakazu factory to be assembled, but on 9 July another airstrike destroyed the second prototype. To date the Aichi S1A is still the most massive fighter developed in Japan's naval history. Specifications (S1A1 Denko) Data from Japanese Aircraft of the pacific War General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 49 ft 6.5 in (15.1 m) Wingspan: 57 ft 5 in (17.5 m) Height: 15 ft 1.5 in (4.61 m) Wing area: 505.902 sq ft (47.0 m2) Empty weight: 16,138 lb (7,320 kg) Gross weight: 22,443 lb (10,180 kg) Max takeoff weight: 25,375 lb (11,510 kg) Powerplant: 2 × Nakajima NK9K-S , 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each at take-off Propellers: 4-bladed Performance Maximum speed: 360 mph (580 km/h, 318 kn) Cruise speed: 273 mph (440 km/h, 240 kn) Range: 1,054 mi (1,697 km, 916 nmi) Ferry range: 1,553 mi (2,500 km, 1,373 nmi) Service ceiling: 39,370 ft (12,000 m) Wing loading: 44.4 lb/sq ft (126.6 kg/m2) Armament Guns: 2× fuselage-mounted forward-firing 30mm Type 5 cannon 2× fuselage-mounted forward-firing 20mm Type 99 model 1 cannon 2× dorsal turret-mounted 20mm Type 99 model 2 cannon Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Heinkel He 219 Kawasaki Ki-102 Mitsubishi Ki-83 Northrop P-61 Black Widow Aichi Experimental Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane (Mi-go) Aichi Experimental Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane (Mi-go) Role - Reconnaissance seaplane Manufacturer - Aichi Kokuki First flight - 1925 Primary user - Imperial Japanese Navy Number built - 4~ The Aichi Experimental Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane (Mi-go) was a prototype reconnaissance seaplane built by Aichi in the mid-1920s. Design and development The Mi-Go was built in response to an Imperial Japanese Navy requirement for a reconnaissance seaplane to replace the Hansa-Brandenburg W.33 in IJN service. The W.33 had been acquired by the IJN in 1922, but was unpopular with crews due to poor handling and limited visibility afloat. The Mi-Go differed from the W.33 in having floats connected to the wings, a wooden airframe, fabric covered wings, and much lighter weight. Four prototypes of the Mi-Go were built; tests of which showed it to be longitudinally unstable in flight, although the first prototype used Dornier bench-type aileron balances, and the IJN selected the rival Nakajima Type 15 Reconnaissance Seaplane (E2N) for production instead. Operators Japan Imperial Japanese Navy Specifications Data from Japanese Aircraft, 1910-1941 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 9.485 m (31 ft 1 in) Wingspan: 13.63 m (44 ft 9 in) Height: 3.28 m (10 ft 9 in) Empty weight: 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) Gross weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb) Max takeoff weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi Type Hi (Hispano ) V-8 water-cooled piston engine, 220 kW (300 hp) Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed-pitch propeller Performance Maximum speed: 180.57 km/h (112.20 mph, 97.50 kn) at sea level Cruise speed: 160 km/h (99 mph, 86 kn) Stall speed: 96.3 km/h (59.8 mph, 52.0 kn) Service ceiling: 4,800 m (15,700 ft) Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 18 minutes 19 seconds Wing loading: 25.4 kg/m2 (5.2 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 7.6 kg/kW (12.5 lb/hp) Armament Guns: 1 × flexible 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun |