Aichi F1A1 prototype 1 (AB-13) 10-Shi

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AB-13 F1A1
Aichi F1A1 prototype 1 (AB-13) ( 十試水上観測機)
The Aichi F1A1 prototype 1 (AB-13) was a Japanese prototype seaplane built in June 1936. Two prototypes were created (prototype 1 seaplane and prototype 2 with wheeled landing gear). The tn aircraft lost the 10-Shi competition with the Mitsubishi F1M1/2 aircraft.
History
In October, the Japanese Navy Command handed over to Aichi, Mitsubishi and Kawanishi the initial assumptions of a new aircraft based on warships. This aircraft was to be two-seater and was to guide the ship’s artillery to targets, and if necessary, conduct air combat with enemy aircraft. These planes were supposed to have a short range, because they were not supposed to conduct reconnaissance like surface reconnaissance planes (E). In May 1935, the exact specifications for the 10-Shi (Ten Test Surface Observation Aircraft) competition were delivered to the MItsubishi and Aichi plants (Kawanishi at that time). The design requirements were as follows:

  • The plane was to be powered by the Nakajima Hikari 1 engine
  • The plane was to be able to take off from a catapult
  • The plane was to have a large central float under the fuselage and two small auxiliary floats under the wings
  • The plane was to have an open cockpit and a semi-open observer cabin
  • The plane was to be armed with two fixed machine guns and one mobile machine gun in the observer station

Engineer Tetsuo Miki was responsible for the design of the new Aichi aircraft, who decided to build a biplane with an all-metal fuselage with wooden wings. The project used the most modern techniques of the time, such as a variable pitch propeller, the use of flaps for air combat and new riveting methods, which made it a very ambitious project. At the same time, work also began on a second prototype, which was to have ordinary wheels and operate on land. The work went quickly and in June 1936 the F1A1 (AB-13) aircraft was ready for testing, simultaneously with the F1M1 competitor aircraft (in September 1936 the second F1A1 prototype with wheels was completed). In the same month, the F1A and F1M aircraft were handed over to the Navy for testing. The test results did not show an indirect winner at the beginning. The Mitsubishi plane was a bit more agile in air combat, and the Aichi plane was faster. However, as the tests became more and more prolonged, the Japanese Navy began to doubt the long-term durability of the Aichi F1A, due to the fear that the wooden wings would slack and break over time. The nail in the coffin for the Aichi F1A was the installation of the Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 engine in one of the prototype Mitsubishi F1M. This negate the main advantage of the Aichi F1A and the Japanese Navy chose the Mitsubishi F1M2 (version with Zuisei 13 engine) as the new observation aircraft. It is not known what happened to the Aichi F1A aircraft afterwards, but it was probably scrapped.

Art about the Aichi F1A1 prototype 1

AB-13 F1A1
101879-a21dc54272eaeac243f9bae95fbc6cf1

Construction description
The Aichi F1A1 prototype 1 is a biplane seaplane with a metal fuselage and wooden wings. The aircraft has one large float under the fuselage and two auxiliary smaller floats under the wings. The aircraft was powered by a nine-cylinder Nakajima Hikari 1 air-cooled, 820hp (610 kW) radial engine that drove a two-bladed metal propeller with an adjustable angle of attack with a diameter of 2,896 mm. The aircraft is armed with two fixed Type 92 7.7mm machine guns in the nose and a single Type 92 7.7mm mobile machine gun in the observer position.

Technical sketches

_АВ-13 F1А1_0-700x497
F1A1_3D_view
F1A1_3D_view1

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 9,3 m
  • Wingspan: 11 m
  • Height: 4,1 m
  • Wing area: 28 m2
  • Empty weight: 1,400 kg
  • Gross weight: 2,100 kg
  • Maximum Take-off Weight: 2,380 kg
  • Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Hikari 1 air-cooled nine-cylinder radial engine with 820 hp (610 kW)
  • Propellers: Two-bladed metal propeller with adjustable angle of attack with a diameter of 2,896 mm

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 394 km/h
  • Cruise speed: 185 km/h
  • Range: 1 450 km
  • Maximum Range: ?
  • Service ceiling: 9275 m
  • Climb Rate: 9.4 m/s
  • Time to altitude: 4,45 min to 3000 m

Armament

  • 2 x Type 92 fixed machine guns 7.7mm between engine cylinders
  • 1 x Mobile Type 92 7.7mm machine gun in the Observer Station

Special thanks

Summary
The Aichi F1A1 prototype 1 is an interesting seaplane for Japan in War Thunder. This aircraft would be quite a useful fighter that could be foldered with the Mitsubishi F1M2 aircraft. It would also be an interesting premium aircraft.

Internet sources

十試水上観測機 - Wikipedia
Aichi F1A - Wikipedia
Aichi F1A1 10-Shi (1st prototype) : Aichi
IJN Specification 10-Shi (F1, Reconnaissance Seaplane, 1934) | Secret Projects Forum
Уголок неба ¦ Aichi F1A

Book sources

fun
Thank you for reading the suggestion, see you in the next one. Good luck pilots
gigachad

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