Reports of a copy of the French Leo H-24-6 flying boat led to assignment of the code name ‘Tillie’. The aircraft was actually a Japanese original design powered by Junkers Jumo 205c engines that was dropped in the experimental stages.
Designed by the Hiro navy air arsenal in 1932, this twin-engined land-based heavy bomber was not a particularly successful venture, and only eight were built. The prototype made its first flight in March 1933, and a number of faults were revealed during the flight test programme. Most serious were a weakness of the basic airframe structure, and a tendency to wing flutter. Difficulties were also encountered with the original powerplant, which consisted of a pair of 600 hp Hiro Type 94 water cooled engines.
The G2H1 went into production in 1935 as Navy Type 95. The production version carried a crew of seven, was armed with four 7.7 mm (0.303¬in) Type 92 machine guns, and carried an internal bombload of six 250 kg (551 1b) or four 400 kg (881 1b) bombs. Only six were built by Hiro, because of the generally unsatisfactory nature of the aircraft. Two others were completed by Mitsubishi, with 900 hp 18 cylinder engines. In 1934, Mitsubishi evolved the Ka 9 long range reconnaissance monoplane based on the G2H1 design. The chief claim to fame of the two types was their influence upon the development of the highly successful Mitsubishi G3M bomber. The few G2H1s built took part in raids against mainland China during the Sino Japanese war. Before long, however, most of them were destroyed in a fire at their base on Cheju Island in the Korea Strait.
Span: 31.68 m (103 ft 11.25 in)
Length: 20.15 m (66 ft 11 in)
Gross weight: 11000 kg (24 251 lb)
Maximum speed: 245 km/h (152 mph).
Hiro’s Navy Type 90-1 three-engined flying-boat, built in the early 1930s, had Japanese-built Hispano-Suiza engines and bore a close resemblance to the German Rohrbach flying-boats.
In 1920, Shorts Bros. export some F.5 to Japan, which then bought a license. The arsenal of Yokosuka to build 10, Aichi 40 and arsenal Hiro 10 before developing in 1927 from F.5 Hiro Type 15 (Hiro H1H).
Japan
Hiro’s Navy Type 90-1 three-engined flying-boat, built in the early 1930s, had Japanese-built Hispano-Suiza engines and bore a close resemblance to the German Rohrbach flying-boats. In 1932 the company started work on a twin-engined land-based attack bomber, Hiro G2H1, which went into production in 1935 as Navy Type 95. Only eight were built, two by Mitsubishi, which subsequently developed a long-range reconnaissance version which influenced the design of the successful Mitsubishi G3M bomber.
The “rekonstruierte Hipssichflieger” – sometimes identified as the Hipssich Drachenflieger II, a development of the I – photographed at the flying field at Wiener Neustadt around the beginning of October 1910. At right, wearing a bowler, is Karl Hipssich. Hippsich was a German inventor living in Vienna with an interest in aviation who invented and patented an automatically stable Flying machine, or “Drachenflieger” rather.
Construction started at the end of 1908 where the actual building was done by the Viennese firm of Karl Köhler. On the left is the pilot of the machine Erich Köhler who had no pilots’ license at the time. He acquired German No. 347 on January 10, 1913 at Breslau when flying a Rumpler Taube.
First flown in 1986, the Super Sportster features detachable wings. In 1997 the kit, including engine, prop and instruments, sold for US$9587, and plans for US$150.
Speed max: 90 mph.
Cruise: 70 mph.
Range: 120 sm.
Stall: 31 mph.
ROC: 800 fpm.
Take-off dist: 50 ft.
Landing dist: 200 ft.
Service ceiling: 12,000 ft.
Engine: Rotax 447, 40 hp.
HP range: 40-50.
Fuel cap: 5 USG.
Weight empty: 260 lbs.
Gross: 550 lbs.
Height: 5.25 ft.
Length: 16.33 ft.
Wing span: 28 ft.
Wing area: 112 sq.ft.
Seats: 1.
Landing gear: tail wheel.
The Reliant single-seat high-wing LSA microlight was first flown in 1984 and was available for US$6884 in 1997. In 2007 the kit sold for US$9993.
In 1997 the Reliant SX kit sold for US$9587. The price includes engine, prop. And instruments. First flown in 1987, the wings of the SX were also detachable. The Reliant SX is a more powerful version.
Reliant
Speed max: 63 mph.
Cruise: 60 mph.
Range: 120 sm.
Stall: 24 mph.
ROC: 800 fpm.
Take-off dist: 50 ft.
Landing dist: 200 ft.
Service ceiling: 12,000 ft.
Engine: Rotax 277, 28 hp.
HP range: 28-40.
Fuel cap: 5 USG.
Weight empty: 254 lbs.
Gross: 500 lbs.
Height: 5.25 ft.
Length: 16.33 ft.
Wing span: 30 ft.
Wing area: 120 sq.ft.
Cockpit width: 23.6 in
Seats: 1.
Landing gear: tail wheel.
Reliant SX
Speed max: 100 mph.
Cruise: 75 mph.
Range: 120 sm.
Stall: 31 mph.
ROC: 1100 fpm.
Take-off dist: 50 ft.
Landing dist: 150 ft.
Engine: Rotax 447, 40 hp.
HP range: 40-50.
Fuel cap: 5 USG.
Weight empty: 285 lbs.
Gross: 600 lbs.
Height: 5.25 ft.
Length: 16.33 ft.
Wing span: 30 ft.
Wing area: 120 sq.ft.
Seats: 1.
Cockpit width: 23.6 in
Landing gear: tail wheel.
An LSA with detachable wings, the kit price was US$9387 and plans US$150 in 1997.
Speed max: 90 mph.
Cruise: 70 mph.
Range: 120 sm.
Stall: 31 mph.
ROC: 800 fpm.
Take-off dist: 50 ft.
Landing dist: 200 ft.
Service ceiling: 12,000 ft.
Engine: Rotax 447, 40 hp.
HP range: 40-50.
Fuel cap: 5 USG.
Weight empty: 280 lbs.
Gross: 550 lbs.
Height: 5.25 ft.
Length: 16.33 ft.
Wing span: 30 ft.
Wing area: 120 sq.ft.
Seats: 1.
Landing gear: tail wheel.
A single-seat parasol-wing LSA microlight first flown in 1986. Fitted with detachable wings.
The kit price in 1997 was US$6884 and plans US$150. In 2007 the kit price was US$9993 and plans US$250.
Speed max: 63 mph.
Cruise: 59 mph.
Range: 120 sm.
Stall: 24 mph.
ROC: 800 fpm.
Take-off dist: 50 ft.
Landing dist: 200 ft.
Service ceiling: 12,000 ft.
Engine: Rotax 277, 28 hp.
HP range: 28-40.
Fuel cap: 5 USG.
Weight empty: 240 lbs.
Gross: 500 lbs.
Height: 5.25 ft.
Length: 16.33 ft.
Wing span: 28 ft.
Wing area: 112 sq.ft.
Seats: 1.
Landing gear: tail wheel.
Cockpit width: 23.6 in
