Aichi E12A
Aichi · Japan · first flew 1938 · light aircraft
The Aichi E12A was a single-engine floatplane developed for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 1930s as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft. It competed in a design competition against other manufacturers but was not selected for production.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Imperial Japanese Navy float biplane
- Single-engine reconnaissance floatplane
- Competed against Kawanishi E13A but not adopted
A mid-wing monoplane floatplane with twin floats and a single radial engine, broadly similar in layout to other Japanese Navy reconnaissance floatplanes of the period.
Specifications
- The Aichi E12A has a length of 10 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 300 km/h (186 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in response to a 1937 Imperial Japanese Navy requirement for a long-range reconnaissance floatplane, the E12A lost out to the Kawanishi E13A, which became one of the most widely used Japanese floatplanes of World War II. The Aichi design flew but was deemed inferior in performance and range.
Variants
Only the prototype was completed; no production variants were built.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; the type was eliminated during the competitive evaluation process in favour of the Kawanishi E13A.
Related aircraft
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