From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kawanishi H8K
Kawanishi H8K
Type	Four engine long-range flying boat
Manufacturer	Kawanishi
Maiden flight	January, 1941
Retired	1945
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Navy
Number built	167

The Kawanishi H8K (二式大型飛行艇, Type 2 Large Flying Boat. 二式大艇, Nishiki Daitei, Nishiki Taitei) was an Imperial Japanese Navy flying boat used during World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the type was Emily.

At the same time as the type's predecessor, the Kawanishi H6K was going into service in 1938, the Navy ordered the development of a larger, longer-range patrol aircraft. The result was a large, shoulder wing design that is widely regarded as the best flying boat of the war^{[citation needed]}. Despite this, development was troublesome, with the prototype displaying terrible handling on the water. Further prototypes considerably refined the hull design.

The H8K entered production in 1941 and first saw operational use on the night of March 4, 1942 in an attempt at a second raid on Pearl Harbor. Since the target lay out of range for the flying boats, this audacious plan involved a refuelling by submarine en route. As it happened, the raid could not be carried out because of problems caused by bad weather.

The improved H8K2 variant soon appeared, and its extremely heavy defensive armament earned it the nickname "Flying Porcupine"^{[citation needed]} among Allied aircrews. This was to be the definitive variant, with 112 produced. They were used on a wide range of patrol, reconnaissance, bombing, and transport missions throughout the Pacific war. Nearly 40 examples of a dedicated transport version, the H8K2-L, were also built, capable of carrying 62 troops. This aircraft was also known as Seiku (晴空, "Calm Sky").

A total of 167 craft were produced, and four survived until the end of the war. One of these, an H8K2, was captured by U.S. forces at the end of the war and was evaluated before being eventually returned to Japan in 1979. It was on display at Tokyo's Museum of Maritime Science until 2004, when it was moved to a museum in Kagoshima.

Contents 1 Versions 2 Specifications (Kawanishi H8K2) 3 References 4 Related content

• H8K1,Prototypes: one experimental prototype and two evaluative models,3
• H8K1 Navy Flying Boat type 2,Model 11:first operative model of serie14
• H8K2,Model 12:more powerful engines and major armament.was equipped with finding surface radar,120
• H8K2-L Seiku (Clear sky),Model 32:Armed or unarmed transport version of H8K1.armed examples was equipped with two Type 99 20mm Cannons and transport capacity of 29-64 passengers,36
• H6K3,Model 22:Experimental version,H8K2 modified.equipped with retractable floats in wingtip and extra armor,2
• H8K4,Model 23:H8K3 with difrent engines,2 convert examples.

• Total Production (all versions): 175 examples.

Data from Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 10
• Length: 28.15 m (92 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 38.00 m (124 ft 8 in)
• Height: 9.15 m (30 ft)
• Wing area: 160 m² (1,721 ft²)
• Empty weight: 18,380 kg (40,436 lb)
• Loaded weight: 24,500 kg (53,900 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 32,500 kg (71,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 4× Mitsubishi Kasei 22 radial engines, 1,380 kW (1,850 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 465 km/h (290 mph)
• Range: 7,150 km (4,440 mi)
• Service ceiling: 8,760 m (28,740 ft)
• Rate of climb: 8.1 m/s (1,600 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 153 kg/m² (31 lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: 0.22 kW/kg (0.14 hp/lb)

Armament

• 5× 20 mm Type 99 cannon (one each in bow, dorsal, and tail turrets, plus one each in two waist blisters)
• 5× 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns in fuselage hatches
• 2× 800 kg (1,760 lb) torpedoes or 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of bombs or depth charges

Avionics

• Mark VI Model 1 radar

1. ^ Jane, Fred T. “The Kawanishi H8K2 “Emily”.” Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. p. 185-186. ISBN 1 85170 493 0.

Comparable aircraft

• Short Sunderland
• Boeing 314
• Martin M-130

Designation sequence

H5Y - H6K - H7Y - H8K - H9A - H10H - H11K

Related lists

• List of flying boats
• List of military aircraft of Japan