Military

Aichi D1A

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Aichi Tokei Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, which was to become a significant aircraft design and construction company during World War II, had been established in Japan during 1899 as a manufacturer of electrical equipment and watches.

Aichi established a working relationship with Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in Germany and wishing to contend in early 1931 for an Imperial Japanese navy requirement for a two-seat carrier-based dive-bomber, requested Heinkel to design and build an aircraft to meet the navy’s specification. Required for operation with float or wheel landing gear, the resulting Heinkel He 50 prototype flew in the summer of 1931 with twin floats. A second version, with wheel landing gear, was supplied to Aichi under the export designation He 66.

The He 66 was a two-bay biplane of metal construction with metal and fabric covering. The braced tail unit was conventional, and landing gear of fixed tailskid type. As supplied it was powered by a 365kW Siemens SAM-22B (Jupiter VI) radial engine. Modifications carried out by Aichi included strengthening of the landing gear, and installation of a 418kW/580 hp Nakajima Kotobuki 2 Kai 1 radial engine. In this form the Aichi Special Bomber was successful in trials against competing prototypes from Nakajima and Yokosuka, and was ordered into production as the Navy Type 94 Carrier Bomber (Aichi D1A1) in 1934. By 1937 162 production aircraft built, had the radial engine enclosed by a Townend ring, and other modifications included the introduction of slightly swept wings, and replacement of the tailskid by a non-castoring tailwheel. The last 44 had 433kW Kotobuki 3 engines.

Aichi’s design team under Goake created an improved D1A2 with 730¬hp Nakajima, Hikaru 1 engine in a full length NACA cowl, spats and improved windshields. Production of this version totalled 428.

Aichi D1A2

The first A2 flew late in 1936 and by 1940 Aichi had delivered no fewer than 428 as Type 96 carrier bombers. Most saw action in China, one unit dive bombing and sinking the US gunboat Panay in the Yangtze in 1937.
Only a small number of D1A1s remained in use with training units at the time of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, on 7 December 1941. By December 1941 only 68 D1A2s were the serving in second-line units, and these were allocated the Allied codename ‘Susie’.

D1A1
Engine: Nakajima Kotobuki 2 Kai 19 cylinder radial 580 hp
Span: 11.4 m / 37 ft 4.75 in
Length: 9.3 m / 30 ft 6 in
Armament: two synchronized 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 92 machine guns, one 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 92 machine gun in the rear cockpit. 1 x 250 kg (551 lb) bomb under fuselage, 2 x 30 kg (66 lb) bombs under wings.

D1A2
Engine: 1 x Nakadjima “Hikari 1”, 545kW
Wingspan: 11.1 m / 36 ft 5 in
Length: 9.3 m / 30 ft 6 in
Height: 3.41 m / 11 ft 2 in
Wing area: 34.7 sq.m / 373.51 sq ft
Take-off weight: 2610 kg / 5754 lb
Empty weight: 1516 kg / 3342 lb
Max. speed: 310 km/h / 193 mph
Ceiling: 6800 m / 22300 ft
Range: 930 km / 578 miles
Crew: 2
Armament: 3 x 7.7mm machine-guns, 1 x 250-kg bomb, 2 x 30-kg bombs

Aichi E16A Zuiun

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The E16A (“Auspicious Cloud”) floatplane was devised as a direct successor to the E13A “Jake” series. The E16A has crew accommodations for a pilot and a rear-cockpit gunner. Pontoons were fitted underside in place of traditional landing gears. Standard armament was 2 x 20mm forward-fixed cannons in the wings and a single 7.7mm machine gun for the rear gunner. An under fuselage position was utilized for strike runs, though the primary use of the aircraft was of carrier-based reconnaissance.

The first prototype flew in 1942, entering service in 1943, and first saw service during the Philllipines campaign. The E16A was intended as a reconnaissance type, but was often used as a ground attack aircraft and dive bomber. Allied code named ‘Paul’.

E16A1

The Aichi E16A was powered by a single Mitsubishi three-blade MK8D Kinsei 54 14-cylinder radial piston engine and could achieve a service ceiling of nearly 33,000 feet while reaching speeds of over 270 miles per hour. 256 total examples of the E16A were ever produced and of only made up of the single E16A-1 model designation.

Aichi E13A1 / Watanabe E13A

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E13A1

A naval staff specification issued to Aichi, Kawanishi and Nakajima in 1937 for a three-seat reconnaissance seaplane to replace the six-year-old Kawanishi E7K2 float biplane resulted in the Aichi E13A monoplane (of which 1,418 were produced). A prototype was completed late in 1938 and after competitive trials with the Kawanishi E13K in December 1940 was ordered into production as the Navy Type 0 Reconnaissance Seaplane Model 1.

The E13A was a three-crew low-wing monoplane aircraft with pontoons fitted in place of traditional landing gear systems.

Japanese cruisers and seaplane tenders carried the first aircraft from 1941, carrying a single 250kg bomb. The E13 flew a series of raids on the Hankow-Canton railway and soon afterwards E13A1 floatplanes accompanied the Japanese 8th Cruiser Division for reconnaissance patrols during the strike against Pearl Harbour in December 1941.

Though limited in number at first, the E13A series made some initial carrier-based land-strikes and reconnaissance missions that promoted the use of this aircraft type. As such, the floatplane would be fielded regularly with future cruiser groups and mounted to catapults on Japanese battleships. Standard armament would consist of 1 x 20mm downward-firing cannon and a single 7.7mm machine gun in the rear cockpit. External stores were limited to a single 551lb bomb or depth charge as needed.

As production switched to Kyushu Hikoki KK at Zasshonokuma and accelerated, the seaplanes (codenamed ‘Jake’ by the Allies) were embarked in the battleships and cruisers of the Kantais (fleets), including the battleship Haruna and cruisers Chikuma and Tone of Vice Admiral Nagumo’s Carrier Striking Force at the Battle of Midway.

In all, it is estimated that by mid-1943 more than 250 E13A1s were at sea aboard Japanese ships.

The Aichi E13A would serve through to the end of the war, though limited by the power of the new generation of American carrier-based fighters. “Jakes would later be relegated to Kamikaze attacks. In the end, there were 1,418 production models.

Aichi E13A — Palau

First coded ‘June’ when it was thought to be a bomber, ‘Jake’ wasn’t identified as a reconnaissance aircraft until examples were captured. For a while both names were used but ‘Jake’ seemed easier to remember and became the sole code identification.

Gallery

Aichi E13A1a (Jake)
Engine: 1 x Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 14-cylinder radial, 1,080hp.
Length: 37.07ft (11.3m)
Wingspan: 47.57ft (14.50m)
Height: 15.42ft (4.70m)
Empty Weight: 5,825lbs (2,642kg)
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 8,818lbs (4,000kg)
Maximum Speed: 234mph (377kmh; 204kts)
Maximum Range: 1,298miles (2,089km)
Service Ceiling: 28,642ft (8,730m)
Armament:
1 x 20mm cannon (in downward-firing ventral position)
1 x 7.7mm machine gun (in rear cockpit position)
Maximum external bombload: 551 lbs.
Accommodation: 3
Hardpoints: 1

Aichi E11A

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The E11A was planned to a 1936 requirement for a successor to the same company’s E10A as the noctur-nal spotter carried by Japanese battleships and cruis¬ers, and first flew in June 1937. The Aichi prototype was evaluated competitively against the Kawanishi El1K, and ordered into production during April 1938 with the full designation Navy Type 98 Night Recon¬naissance Seaplane, and the short designation E11A1 (reconnaissance seaplane, 11th in series, built by Aichi, 1st model). Including prototypes, production up to 1940 amounted to just 17 aircraft, and these saw limited operational service in the opening rounds of Japan’s Pacific campaign in the Second World War.
Of biplane configuration, the two-step hull carried a braced tail unit, with the tail-plane and elevator mounted almost halfway up the fin. Accommodation was provided for a crew of three, and there was an open bow position that could be used during on-water manoeuvres, or mounting a defensive machine gun. Balancer floats were mounted beneath each lower wing, close to the wingtip. The engine was a Hiro Type 91 Model 22 inline engine, mounted at the centre-section of the upper wing, and driving a pusher propeller with spinner.

E11A1
Engine: 1 x Hiro Type 91 Model 11 inline piston, 620-hp (462-kW)
Maximum speed: 135 mph (217 kph) at 7,875 ft (2,400 m)
Climb to 9,845 ft (3,000 m): 18 min 32 sec
Service ceiling: 14,520 ft (4,425 m)
Range: 1,209 miles (1,945 km)
Weight empty: 4,248 lb (1,927 kg)
Maximum take-off weight: 7,275 lb (3,300 kg)
Wing span: 47 ft 6.5 in (14.49 m)
Length: 35 ft 1.75 in (l0.7lm)
Height: 18ft 0.5 in (5.50m)
Armament: one 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-gun

Aichi E10A

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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.

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. The allied code name ‘Hank’ was assigned before its appearance or manufacturer was known.

Fifteen aircraft were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy serving from 1936, remaining in service until 1941, being phased out in 1941 before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.

E10A
Powerplant: × Aichi Type 91 W-12, 370 kW (500 hp) to 485 kW (650 hp)
Propeller: 4-bladed wooden fixed-pitch pusher
Wingspan: 15.5 m (50 ft 10 in)
Wing area: 52.1 m2 (561 sq ft)
Length: 11.219 m (36 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Empty weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
Gross weight: 3,300 kg (7,275 lb)
Wing loading: 63.2 kg/m2 (12.9 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.113 kW/kg (0.069 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 206 km/h (128 mph, 111 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 106 km/h (66 mph, 57 kn) at 1,000 m (3,281 ft)
Range: 1,852 km (1,151 mi, 1,000 nmi)
Service ceiling: 4,120 m (13,520 ft)
Time 3,000 m (9,843 ft): 17 minutes 42 seconds
Guns: 1× 7.7 mm machine gun flexibly mounted in nose
Crew: 3

Aichi AM-23 / B7A Ryusei

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The Imperial Japanese navy drew up the specification for a large torpedo/ dive-bomber to replace the Nakajima B6N and Yokosuka D4Y in 1941

The experimental Nakajima Homare 11 twin-row radial powerplant developing around 1342kW was selected as the specification called for an internal bombload of up to 500kg or the carriage of an 800kg torpedo externally.
Aichi began work and its AM-23 prototype flew in mid-1942. This aircraft, then designated Navy Experimental 16-Shi Carrier Attack Bomber (Aichi B7A1), was a mid-wing monoplane of inverted gull-wing configuration, with the main units of the retractable tail-wheel landing gear, mounted at the ‘elbows’ of each wing. A section of each outer wing panel folded for carrier stowage. The fuselage and tail unit were conventional, providing enclosed accommodation for a crew of two. An underside provision was allowed for the carrying of a single 1,764lb torpedo. Additionally, two forward-firing fixed 20mm cannons were mounted in the leading wing edges. A single defensive 13mm machine gun was allotted for the rear cockpit position.

Aichi B7A Ryusei Article

It was almost two years before the type was ordered into production as the Navy Carrier Attack Bomber Ryusei (Shooting Star), or Aichi B7A2. Apart from nine prototype B7A1s, only 80 examples were completed by Aichi before its factory was destroyed in the serious earthquake of May 1945; an additional 25 were built by the Navai Air Arsenal at Omura.

By the time these aircraft entered service, when they were allocated the Allied codename ‘Grace’, the Japanese navy no longer had any carriers from which they could operate, with the result that they saw only limited use from land bases.

B7A1
Engine: Nakajima Homare 11, 1875 hp
Wingspan: 47 ft 3 in
Max speed: 337 mph at 20,345 ft

B7A2
Engine: 1 x Nakajima NK9C Homare-12, 1370kW / 2,000hp
Wingspan: 14.4 m / 47 ft 3 in
Length: 11.5 m / 37 ft 9 in
Height: 4.08 m / 13 ft 5 in
Wing area: 35.4 sq.m / 381.04 sq ft
Take-off weight: 5625-6500 kg / 12401-14330 lb
Empty weight: 3810 kg / 8400 lb
Max. speed: 565 km/h / 351 mph / 306kt
Service Ceiling: 11250 m / 36900 ft
Range w/max.fuel: 3300 km / 2051 miles
Range w/max.payload: 1800 km / 1118 miles
Crew: 2
Armament: 2 x 20mm cannons, 13mm machine-gun, 800-kg torpedo or 800kg of bombs

Agusta A.129 Mangusta / Turkish Aerospace Industries T129 ATAK

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A.129A Mangusta

The A.129 Mangusta (Mongoose) is a day/ night military scout/antiarmour helicopter, which preliminary design began in 1978, and the first of four flying prototypes made its initial flight on 15 September 1983 powered by two 800 shp Avco Lycoming LTS101 850 turboshaft engines. The development programme was jointly funded by the Ital¬ian Army and Agusta.

The A.129 uses a fully-articulated fiberglass four-blade main rotor system with elastomeric bearings and low-noise profile tips. The transmission has a run-dry capability. A Harris digital integrated multiplex system controls communication, navigation, engine, armament, power distribution and utility systems. The avionics include active and passive self-protection systems, and the 70 percent composite-built airframe is designed to provide protection against 12.7mm rounds and partial protection against 23mm rounds and meets crashworthiness standards. The main and tail rotors are also designed for 12.7mm ballistic tolerance. The two crew are seated in a tandem cockpit, fitted with a low-glint canopy and with a small frontal area to minimize visual and radar detection. They both use helmet-mounted displays which present targeting information and the imagery from infra-red sensors for operations at night. They also have fly-by-wire controls and multi-function displays showing all flight data.

The powerplant is two Rolls-Royce Gem 2 turbines, license-built in Italy by Piaggio.

Offensive armament can be carried by the A.129 on four stub-wing attachment points, the inner pair being stressed for loads up to 300kg. All four pylons can be elevated 3° and depressed 12°. The standard Mangusta (Mongoose) is armed with eight TOW anti¬tank missiles, with Flir-augmented nose sight and pilot’s night vision sensor linked to helmet display sights. Other equipment includes passive and active infrared and electronic counter measures. Provision is made for the later installation of a mast mounted target acquisition system.

A total of 66 A.129s were ordered by the Italian Army by early 1984 and the first entered service in 1989. Offered to Australia, the cost was around $9 million per aircraft.

In August 1990 Agusta delivered the first production A 129 Mangusta anti-armour helicopter to the Aviazione Leggera de;’Esercito at Viterbo, where the initioan batch of 15 were to be based.

Agusta has test flown an improved development of its Mangusta attack helicopter (the A.129 International) which features a number of improvements to enhance performance and payload, and improved avionics capabilities. The major change is the substitution of the Rolls-Royce Gem 1004 turboshafts with more modern and more powerful LHTEC T800s. The T800s output 30 to 40% more power over the operational range of the engines compared with the Gems, while the transmission rating has been increased to 1795shp (1340kW). Further performance improvements are courtesy of a five bladed, instead of four, main rotor system. The A 129 International’s armament has also been expanded to include a three barrelled M-197 20mm cannon mounted in a nose mounted Martin Marietta/GIAT turret, plus TOW and Hellfire anti tank missile capability, Stinger air-to-air missiles and 70mm and 81mm rockets. Improvements to the avionics include FLIR and CCD television.

The Turkish Aerospace Industries T129 ATAK Helicopter program started in 2007 for development and production of 91 helicopters, as a Joint Collaboration of TAI and AgustaWestland also known as the “ATAK Team”. Within the scope of program, the first T129 ATAK Helicopter was delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces on 22nd of April 2014.

Turkish Aerospace Industries T129 ATAK

Agusta A-129 Mangusta
Engine: 2 x Rolls-Royce Gem 2 Mk. 1004D turboshaft, 750 shp / 615kW
Main rotor diameter: 39.042 ft / 11.9m
Wingspan: 3.20m
Length rotors turning: 14.29m
Fuselage length: 40.354 ft / 12.28m
Height: 3.35m
Weight empty: 5576.4 lb / 2529.0 kg
MTOW: 9040.5 lb / 4100kg
Loaded weight: 2529kg
Fuel capacity: 246 gal / 930 lt
Max speed: 140 kts / 259km/h
Cruising speed: 130 kts / 240 km/h
Rate of climb: 2145.67 ft/min / 10.9m/s
HOGE: 3105m
Service ceiling: 16076 ft / 4900 m
Range: 378 nm / 700 km
Endurance: 3hr
Crew: 2
Armament: 8 Tows or 6 Hellfires

A.129 Mangusta
Engine: 2 x R-R Gem 2 Mk 1004D turboshafts, 1,035 shp (772 kW)
Installed pwr: 1230 kW
Rotor dia: 11.9 m
Fuselage length: 12.3 m
No. Blades: 4
Empty wt: 2529 kg
MTOW: 4100 kg
Payload: 1750 kg
Max speed: 135 kt
ROC: 2000 fpm
HIGE: 3290 m
HOGE: 2390 m
Range: 3 hr
Crew: 2

A.129 International
Engine: 2 x LHTEC T800-800 Instant pwr: 1044 shp
Rotor dia: 11.9 m
MTOW: 4113 kg
Payload: 1200 kg
Max speed: 159 kt
Max cruise: 124 kt
Max range: 527 km
ROC: 2360 fpm
HIGE: 10,300 ft
HOGE: 6200 ft
Crew: 2.

Ago C.IV

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The C.IV was a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft, with a conventional cross-axle landing gear and tapered biplane wings. Powered by a 220hp Benz Bz.IV engine driving a two-blade propeller fitted with a spinner, armament was a forward-firing Spandau and a rear-mounted Parabellum machine-gun. About 70 production aircraft became operational from early 1917, although large orders had been placed with three manufacturers.

Ago C.I / C.II      

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C.II

Designed by Swiss engineer A. Haefeli (earlier with Farman) the C.I and C.II series of twin-boom reconnaissance biplanes were each armed with one machine-gun in the nose. C.I and C.II land-planes had a four-wheel landing gear under the central two crew nacelle and a tailskid under each boom. Power was provided by a 160hp Mercedes D.III and 150hp Benz III or 220hp Benz Bz.IV pusher engine respectively.

C.Is and C.IIs became operational over the Western Front in the latter half of 1915. Serving just a short span, the C.II performed from 1915 on, replaced by more conventional and modernised types before the end of the war.

The similarly powered C.I-W (one built) and C.II-W (two built) twin-float seaplane versions were operated by the German Navy in a coastal reconnaissance and defence role.

Aerowerke Gustav Otto AGO C.II
Engine: 1 x Benz IV 6-cylinder liquid-cooled inline, 220hp.
Length: 32.28ft (9.84m)
Wingspan: 47.57ft (14.50m)
Height: 10.40ft (3.17m)
Empty Weight: 2,998lbs (1,360kg)
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 4,290lbs (1,946kg)
Maximum Speed: 80mph (128kmh; 69kts)
Maximum Range: 360miles (580km)
Service Ceiling: 14,764ft (4,500m)
Armament: 1 x 7.92 Parabellum machine gun
Accommodation: 2