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Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production ( 紫雲 プリプロダクション)
The Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production is a Japanese fast reconnaissance seaplane that was created in 1941 and adopted for service in 1943. The first five planes are pre-production aircraft, produced in 1942. The E15K1 were used in combat in 1944.
History
In 1939, the Japanese Navy Command ordered Kawanishi to create a fast reconnaissance seaplane that was to operate under conditions of enemy fighter dominance. The new aircraft was covered by the 14-Shi specifications, which included only one requirement: the aircraft must be fast. In July 1939, design work began on the new reconnaissance aircraft, which received the internal designation K-10. To achieve maximum speed, the aircraft designers planned many very modern solutions that had never been seen before in Japan. The aircraft was to have wings with laminar flow, be equipped with a powerful Mitsubishi MK4 engine, contra-rotating propellers, a retractable main float, and retractable auxiliary floats. However, due to the very complex design and the lack of experience of the Kawanishi engineers, the prototype K-10 (prototype E15K1) was ready only in December 1941. On December 5, 1941, the K-10 had its maiden flight. In subsequent tests, the aircraft demonstrated that it could reach a speed of 470 km/h without releasing the main float (releasing the main float could increase the maximum speed by as much as 90 km/h), which was a very good result. However, during internal tests at Kawanishi, there were problems with the engine, counter-rotating propellers, flaps, and the retractable float system. Resolving these issues delayed the aircraft’s testing by the Japanese Navy until October 1942. During Navy tests, the modified K-10 prototype (E15K) reached a speed of 468 km/h. This maximum speed was not sufficient to escape from enemy fighters. Despite the fact that the project can be considered unsuccessful, the Japanese navy ordered the construction of one and then four pre-production E15K aircraft as early as 1942, which were to join the first prototype E15K. The pre-production E15Ks were meant to solve some of the problems of the prototype E15K (which probably crashed during landing in 1942 or 1943 due to the failure of the auxiliary float to deploy). Tests on the pre-production aircraft showed that some technical issues had been resolved (it was decided that the auxiliary floats would be permanently mounted rather than retractable). In August 1943, the aircraft were accepted into service as the Shiun model 11. The first pre-production E15K1s (one or two aircraft) were sent to the Truk archipelago aboard the light cruiser Oyodo at the end of 1943. The aircraft that arrived there were to be tested in combat units, but they were probably destroyed during operation Hailstone in February 1944. In June 1944, both the pre-production E15K1 and the already serial E15K1 were stationed at the seaplane base on Arakabesan Island, where they conducted reconnaissance, search, and patrol missions. However, less than three months later, the Americans launched an invasion of Peleliu and, on that occasion, destroyed all the seaplanes at the base on Arakabesan Island. It is likely that all the pre-production Kawanishi E15K1 aircraft were destroyed there.
Photos of the Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production
Art about Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production
Construction description
The Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production model is a two-seat floatplane with a monoplane configuration. The aircraft’s landing gear consists of a main float (which can be jettisoned) and two small auxiliary floats. The aircraft has an entirely metal structure, with folding wings and dual hydraulic flaps. The wing of the aircraft has a laminar profile of type LB. The aircraft is powered by a Mitsubishi MK4D Kasei 14 engine, an air-cooled, dual-row, fourteen-cylinder engine with a takeoff power of 1,103 kW (1,500 HP). The aircraft is equipped with two metal, two-bladed counter-rotating propellers with a diameter of 3.100 m. The aircraft’s armament consists of a movable Type 92 7.7mm machine gun in the observer’s cabin. The aircraft can also carry a maximum of two bombs weighing 60 kg each.
Technical sketches
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 11,587 m
- Wingspan: 14 m
- Height: 4,95 m
- Wing area: 30 m2
- Empty weight: 3165 kg
- Gross weight: 4100 kg
- Maximum Take-off Weight: 4900 kg (?)
- Powerplant: 1 x Mitsubishi MK4D Kasei 14 engine, an air-cooled, dual-row, fourteen-cylinder engine with a takeoff power of 1,103 kW (1,500 HP)
- Propellers: Two-blade metal, counter-rotating, adjustable propellers with a diameter of 3,100 mm.
Performance
- Maximum speed with the main float: 468 km/h
- Maximum speed without main float: 550-570 km/h
- Cruising speed: 296 km/h
- Range: 1390 km
- Maximum Range: 3370 km
- Service ceiling: 9830 m
- Climb Rate: 10,0 m/s
- Rate of climb: 10,0 min to 6000 m
Armament
- Guns:
- 1 x Type 92 7.7mm mobile machine gun at the observer’s position
- Bombs:
- 2 x 60 kg bombs (under the wings)
- 2 x 30 kg bombs (under the wings)
Special thanks
Summary
The Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production is an interesting seaplane for Japan in War Thunder. This aircraft is very intriguing as it is the only Japanese plane equipped with counter-rotating propellers. This plane could be added to the equipment of the light cruiser Oyodo. The Kawanishi E15K1 pre-production might also be included as a plane to research, a premium, or an event aircraft. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
紫雲 (航空機) - Wikipedia
Kawanishi E15K - Wikipedia
Kawanishi-E15K Shiun “Norm” (1942)
E15K - Reconnaissance Seaplane
水上偵察機 『紫雲』/川西Kawanishi E15K | 大日本帝国軍 主要兵器
Kawanishi E15K Shiun / Norm - reconnaissance float-plane
Kawanishi E15K Shiun (Violet Cloud) ‘Norm’
Kawaniši E15K Šiun [Norm] : Kawaniši / Šin-Meiwa
Kawaniši E15K1 11 Šiun [Norm] : Kawaniši / Šin-Meiwa
Kawanishi E15K Shiun (Violet Cloud)
Уголок неба ¦ Kawanishi E15K Shiun
IJN Specification 14-Shi (Kawanishi E15K Shiun) | Secret Projects Forum
Book sources
- Japońskie Samoloty Marynarki 1912-45 część I (Japanese naval aircraft 1912-45 part I) page 180-182
Japonskie Samoloty Marynarki 1912-45 | PDF - 047 Imperial Japanese Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane page 24-25
047 Imperial Japanese Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane | PDF - 日本航空機辞典 1910年(明治43年)～1945年(昭和20年) 上巻 (Encyclopedia of Japanese Aircraft 1910 (Meiji 43) – 1945 (Showa 20), Volume 1) page 250-251
- 野沢正『日本航空機総集 川西・広廠篇』出版協同社 - page 136-141
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