Aichi EI0AI Type 96 ("Hank")

---

The Aichi E10A was a Japanese night reconnaissance flying boat of the 1930s. 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 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. 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".    (info from Wikipedia)

Aichi EI0AI Type 96 Reconnaissance Seaplane

Type:           Reconnaissance Seaplane
Service: 	Japanese Navy Air Force (JNAF)
Crew:           three
Armament:       one flexible nose-mounted 7.7mm machine gun
Reference: 	Francillon: 567 (notation only)

Specifications:
        Length:         36' 9.5" (11.22 m)
        Height:         14' 9" (4.5 m)
        Wingspan:       50' 10.25" (15.5 m)
        Wing area:      560.8 sq. ft (52.10 sq. m)
        Empty Weight:   4629 lbs (2100 kg)
        Loaded Weight:  7725 lbs (3300 kg)

Propulsion:
        No. of Engines: 1
        Powerplant:     Aichi Type 91 12-cylinder water-cooled engine
        Horsepower:     650 kW

Performance:
        Range:          1000 nautical miles (1150 miles) or 1852 km
        Cruise Speed:   66 mph (57 kt) at 3300 ft (1000 m) 
        Max Speed:      128 mph (111 kt, 206 km/h) at sea level
        Climb to/in:    9840 ft (3000 m) in 17 min 42 sec
        Ceiling:        13520 ft (4120 m)

Production:		15 E10s total 

Additional information on this aircraft can be 
found at Wikipedia HERE.




(go to Aichi page) 

If you don't see the table of contents at the left of your screen, CLICK HERE to see the rest of this website!