Kawanishi K-11

National origin: Japan
Manufacturer: Kawanishi Aircraft Company
First flight: 1927
Number built: 2

The Kawanishi K-11 was a 1920s Japanese single-seat carrier fighter designed and built by the Kawanishi Aircraft Company to meet a Imperial Japanese Navy requirement. The type did not enter service and only two prototypes were built.

Development and design

The K-11 was a private venture programme designed to meet a 1926 Imperial Japanese Navy requirement for a single-seat carrier fighter to replace the Mitsubishi 1MF, competing against officially sponsored designs from Aichi (the Aichi Type H), Mitsubishi (the 1MF9) and Nakajima. The K-11 Experimental Carrier Fighter was an equal-span biplane with a conventional landing gear and powered by 500 hp (373 kW) BMW inline engine. It had a metal fuselage with fabric covering and wooden wings.

The first prototype made its maiden flight in July 1927, with a second prototype, with a modified fuselage and tail, being built in 1928. The type was not accepted by the Navy, however, with the Nakajima design being selected, entering production as the A1N. The two K-11s were used by Kawanishi as communications and liaison aircraft.

Specifications

Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 7.88 m (25 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.28 m (10 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 33.8 m (364 sq ft)
Empty weight: 1,170 kg (2,579 lb)
Gross weight: 1,750 kg (3,858 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— BMW VI water-cooled V12 engine, 370 kW (500 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 260 km/h; 160 mph (140 kn)
Endurance: 3.5 hours
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,528 ft)
Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 5 min 30 s

Armament

Guns: 2x— 7.7mm machine guns

Comparable aircraft

Aichi Type H
Mitsubishi 1MF9
Nakajima A1N

Bibliography

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Mikesh, Robert; Abe, Shorzoe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-41. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 85177 840 2.

Kawanishi K-11 Pictures

More airplane video.

Source: WikiPedia