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.
E10A | |
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Role | Night reconnaissance flying boat Type of aircraft |
National origin | Japan |
Manufacturer | Aichi Kokuki |
First flight | 1934 |
Introduction | 1936 |
Retired | 1941 |
Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Number built | 15 |
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.[1]
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.[2]
The first prototype flew in December 1934,[1] and when tested proved to have superior stability to the competing Kawanishi E10K,[3] and so was ordered into production.[4]
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.[4] Despite this, it was assigned the Allied code name Hank.[5]
Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 [4]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Aichi aircraft | |
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Manufacturer designations | |
Imperial Japanese Navy short designations | |
World War II Allied reporting names |
Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft designations (short system) | |
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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) |
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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 |
World War II Allied reporting names for Japanese aircraft | |
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Aircraft in Japanese service |
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Foreign aircraft thought to be in Japanese service |