Nakajima E4N
Nakajima E4N | |
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E4N2 | |
Role | Reconnaissance aircraft |
Manufacturer | Nakajima |
First flight | 1930 |
Introduction | 1931 |
Status | out of service |
Primary users | Imperial Japanese Navy Japanese Post Office |
Produced | 1931-1933 |
Number built | 153 |
The Nakajima E4N was a shipboard reconnaissance aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 1930s. It was a two-seat, single-engine, equal-span biplane seaplane.
Development
The first prototype of the Type 90-2 Reconnaissance Seaplane, or E4N1, flew in 1930.[1] This was fitted with twin floats and had no cowling for the engine. This prototype was rejected.
The type was completely redesigned as the Type 90-2-2 or E4N2, with a single main-float and twin, wing-mounted outriggers and introduced a cowled engine. This entered production for the Navy in 1931.
A landplane version of the Type 90-2-2 was developed as the E4N2-C with a tailwheel undercarriage
Operational history
The E4N2 was employed as a shipboard spotter aircraft launched by catapult.
In 1933, nine E4N2-C airframes were converted to P1 mail planes. Single-seat landplanes with an enclosed cockpit, these were employed on night-mail services between the Japanese Home Islands.
Variants
- E4N1
(Navy Type 90-2-1 Reconnaissance Seaplane) twin-float seaplane, Nakajima NZ - two prototypes only.[2]
- E4N2
- (Navy Type 90-2-2 Reconnaissance Seaplane) - Nakajima NJ single-float seaplane. 85 built.[2]
- E4N2-C
- (Navy Type 90-2-3 Carrier Reconnaissance Aircraft) - Nakajima NJ landplane fitted with arresting gear and fixed-undercarriage. 67 built.[2]
- E4N3
- (Navy Type 90-2-3 Reconnaissance Seaplane) Nakajima NJ.[2]
- Nakajima P-1
- single-seat mailplane. 9 converted from E4N2-C airframes.[2]
- Nakajima Giyu-11
- One of the two E4N1 seaplanes converted with a cabin for use by Tokyo Koku Yuso Kaisha between Haneda airport, Shimizu and Shimoda.[2]
Specifications (Type 90-2-2)
Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
Performance
Armament
- 1 × fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm machine gun and 1 × flexible 7.7 mm machine gun in rear cockpit
- 2 × 30 kg (66 lb) bombs
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
- ^ "Nakajima E4N". Virtual Aircraft Museum. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g Mikesh, Robert C. and Abe, Shorzoe. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-840-2 Cite error: The named reference "Mikesh" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- Francillon, Réne J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 (2nd edition 1979). ISBN 0-370-30251-6
- Mikesh, Robert C. and Abe, Shorzoe. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-840-2
External links