Kawanishi E7K

infobox Aircraft
name = E7K
type = reconnaissance floatplane
manufacturer = Kawanishi Aircraft Company



caption =
designer =
first flight =6 February 1933
introduced = 1935
retired = 1943
status =
primary user = IJN Air Service
more users =
produced =
number built = 533
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Kawanishi E7K was a Japanese 1930s three-seat reconnaissance floatplane. It was allocated the allied codename "Alf".

Design and development

In 1932 the Imperial Japanese Navy requested the Kawanishi Aircraft Company to produce a replacement for the companies Kawanishi E5K. The resulting design, designated the Kawanishi E7K1, was an equal span biplane powered by a 620hp (462kW) Hiro Type 91 engine. The first aircraft flew on the 6 February 1933 and was handed over the navy for trials three-months later. It was flown in competition with the Aichi AB-6 which was designed to meet the same requirement. The E7K1 was ordered into production as the Navy Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane and entered service in early 1935. It became a popular aircraft but was hindered by the unreliability of the Hiro engine. Later production E7K1s were fitted with a more powerful version of the Hiro 91, but this did not improve the reliability. In 1938 Kawanishi developed an improved E7K2 with a Mitsubishi Zuisea 11 radial engine, it first flew in August 1938 and was ordered by the Navy as the Navy Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane Model 2. The E7K1 was renamed the Navy Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane Model 1.

Operational history

The type was used extensively by the Japanese Navy from 1938 until the beginning of the Pacific War, when E7K1 were relegated to second-line duties. The E7K2 continued in front-line service until 1943 and both versions were used in Kamikaze operations in the closing stages of the war.

Variants

;E7K1:Production version with a Hiro Type 91 engine, 183 built (including 57 built by Nippon Hikoki K.K.);E7K2:Re-engined version with a Mitsubishi Zuisei 11 radial engine, about 350 built (including 60 built by Nippon Hikoki K.K.)

Operators

;JPN
*Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

pecifications (E7K2)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop
crew=3
capacity=
length main= 35 ft 5½ in
length alt= 10.50 m
span main= 45 ft 11¼ in
span alt= 14.00 m
height main= 15ft 10½ in
height alt= 4.85 m
area main= 469.31 ft²
area alt= 43.60 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2100 kg
empty weight alt= 4,630 lb
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 3300 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 7,275 lb
engine (prop)=Mitsubishi Zuisei 11
type of prop=radial piston
number of props=1
power main= 870 hp
power alt= 649 kW
max speed main= 171 mph
max speed alt= 275 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 23,165 ft
ceiling alt= 7060 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
more performance=
armament= * One fixed and two trainable 7.7mm (0.303in) Type 92 machine guns, 265lb (120kg) of bombs.

References

* Unknown Author. "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)". Orbis Publishing, 1982-1985.
* Francillon, Réne J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 (2nd edition 1979). ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
* Green, William. "War Planes of the Second World War: Floatplanes, Volume Six". London: Macdonald, 1962.

External links

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=

sequence=

lists=
* List of military aircraft of Japan
* List of seaplanes and flying boats
see also=