Aichi E10A

Aichi · Japan · first flew 1934 · light aircraft

The Aichi E10A was a Japanese Imperial Navy twin-float biplane designed for night reconnaissance duties from cruisers and shore bases, entering limited service around 1936. It represented a late phase of biplane floatplane development in Japan before monoplane types took over.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	11.22 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Japanese Navy biplane night-reconnaissance floatplane
Twin main floats beneath unequal-span biplane wings
Three-seat open cockpit arrangement with radial engine

Three-seat twin-float biplane with a prominent radial engine, unequal-span wings with the upper span noticeably greater, and the open cockpit arrangement typical of 1930s Japanese naval floatplanes.

Specifications

The Aichi E10A has a length of 11.22 m (37 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15.5 m (51 ft).
Its maximum speed is 206 km/h (128 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by Aichi in the early 1930s to meet a Japanese Navy requirement for a night reconnaissance floatplane, the E10A entered limited service aboard cruisers. It was a conservative design prioritising reliability and range over speed in keeping with its scouting mission. The type was soon replaced by more capable monoplane floatplanes.

Variants

Small production run; no major variants are documented.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from cruisers and land bases in the mid-to-late 1930s, gradually retired as monoplane floatplanes entered service.

Related aircraft

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