Itoh Emi 31
Itoh · Japan · first flew 1922 · light aircraft
The Itoh Emi 31 was a one-off Japanese civil flying boat first flown in 1922. It could carry up to three passengers.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.65 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wooden pusher biplane flying boat with unequal-span, two-bay wings braced by parallel pairs of interplane struts
- Water-cooled V-8 engine on a pylon just below the upper wing, with two upright rectangular radiators ahead of the upper leading edge
- Small, strongly up-pitched floats below the outer interplane struts
Its plywood-covered hull was essentially the same as that of the single-step Curtiss Seagull, and the fabric-covered tail was also similar. The 220 hp Hispano-Suiza 8B was a pusher, and the open cockpits seated the pilot and flight engineer forward and passengers behind.
Specifications
- The Itoh Emi 31 has a length of 7.65 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.66 m (48 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 121 km/h (75 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Emi 31 was a more powerful development of the unbuilt Itoh Emi 28, ordered by the Japanese Air Transport Research Association (JATRA). It was completed in mid-1922 and tested at Itoh's Tsudanuma base.
Variants
Only one was built, and it was modified frequently, having been significantly improved twice within a few months of use.
Where you'll see it
It was operated by JATRA on a scheduled route for two years, apart from a short break serving The Asahi Shimbun newspaper to report army manoeuvres. It remained in use into 1924 and was then retired to the water as a water taxi and sightseeing boat.
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