Aichi E10A

E10A

National origin: Japan
Manufacturer: Aichi Kokuki
First flight: 1934
Introduced: 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. 15 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

Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941

General characteristics

Crew: 3
Length: 11.22m (36 ft 9½ in)
Wingspan: 15.50 m (50 ft 10¼ in)
Height: 4.50 m (14 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 52.10 m² (560.8 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,100 kg (4,629 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,300 kg (7,725 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Aichi Type 91 12-cylinder water-cooled w engine, 485 kW (650 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 206 km/h (111 knots, 128 mph) at sea level
Cruise speed: 106 km/h (57 knots, 66 mph) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Range: 1,852 km (1,000 nmi, 1,150 mi)
Service ceiling: 4,120 m (13,520 m)
Climb to 3,000 m (9,840 ft): 17 min 42 sec

Armament

Guns: 1x— 7.7 mm machine gun flexibly mounted in nose

Comparable aircraft

Aichi AB-4
Aichi E11A
Supermarine Walrus

Francillon, R.J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London:Putnam, 1970. ISBN 0 370 00033 1.
Mikesh, Robert and Abe, Shorzoe. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0 85177 840 2.

Aichi E10A Pictures and Aichi E10A for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia