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.
| Aichi C4A | |
|---|---|
| Role | Carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft Type of aircraft |
| National origin | Japan |
| Manufacturer | Aichi Kokuki |
| Status | project only |
| Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (intended) |
| Number built | 0 |
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.[1][2]
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.[2]
Aichi aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer designations | |
| Imperial Japanese Navy short designations | |
| World War II Allied reporting names | |
Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft designations (short system) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters (A) | |
| Torpedo bombers (B) | |
| Shipboard reconnaissance (C) | |
| Dive bombers (D) | |
| Reconnaissance seaplanes (E) | |
| Observation seaplanes (F) | |
| Land-based bombers (G) | |
| Flying Boats (H) | |
| Land-based Fighters (J) | |
| Trainers (K) | |
| Transports (L) |
|
| Special-purpose (M)1 | |
| Floatplane fighters (N) | |
| Land-based bombers (P) | |
| Patrol (Q) | |
| Land-based reconnaissance (R) | |
| Night fighters (S) |
|
1 X as second letter is for experimental aircraft or imported technology demonstrators not intended for service 2 Hyphenated trailing letter (-J, -K, -L, -N or -S) denotes design modified for secondary role | |
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