Aichi AB-2
Aichi · Japan · first flew 1930 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Aichi AB-2 was a prototype Japanese reconnaissance floatplane of the 1930s, a single-engined biplane of which two were built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering and wooden wings that fold rearwards |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Small single-engine biplane on twin floats
- Steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering and wooden wings that fold rearwards
- Two-man crew in open cockpits
A twin-float biplane whose wings fold back for storage aboard ship.
Specifications
- The Aichi AB-2 has a length of 8.24 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 180 km/h (112 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Tetsuo Miki began the design in 1929 for a catapult-launched aircraft to replace the Nakajima E2N aboard Imperial Japanese Navy warships. It used a 330 hp Aichi AC-1 experimental radial engine, and the two prototypes flew in 1930.
Variants
The type formed the basis of the later Aichi AB-3 single-seat floatplane.
Where you'll see it
The AC-1 engine was unsuccessful and the project was abandoned after one prototype was destroyed when an exhaust fire spread to the fuselage. No production followed.
Related aircraft
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