Aichi E16A Zuiun

The Aichi E16A , (Allied reporting name "Paul") was a two-seat reconnaissance seaplane operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Design and development

The Aichi E16A originated from a 1939 specification for a replacement for the Aichi E13A, which, at that time, had yet to be accepted by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS). Disagreements about the requirements in the "Number 14" specification prevented most manufacturers from submitting designs, but, in 1941, a new "Number 16" specification was drafted by the IJNAS around the Aichi AM-22 design, which had already been made by Aichi engineers Kishiro Matsuo and Yasuhiro Ozawa.

The first AM-22, which first got the experimental designation Navy Experimental Number 16 Reconnaissance Seaplane and later the short designation E16A1, was completed by May 1942 and was a conventional, low-wing monoplane equipped with two floats. It had the unusual (for a seaplane) feature of being equipped with dive brakes, located in the front legs of the float struts, to allow it to operate in a secondary role as a dive bomber.

Exposed model

A full-scale replica of a Zuiun was created by C2 Praparat for various events related to the Kantai Collection franchise. This model was permanently installed in 2026 in the park of the Yamato Museum.

Variants

E16A1

Initial named . 3 prototypes produced. Mounted Mitsubishi MK8A Kinsei 51 engine, 2 × forward-firing 7.7 mm (.303in) Type 97 machine guns, 1 × rearward-firing 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun.

E16A1

General production model. Mounted Mitsubishi MK8N Kinsei 54 engine, 2 × forward-firing 20 mm Type 99-2 cannons, 1 × rearward-firing 13 mm Type 2 machine gun.

E16A2

Initial named Zuiun Model 22. Single prototype with a Mitsubishi MK8P Kinsei 62 radial engine. One plane converted from E16A1, incomplete.

Operators

• Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
• Naval vessel
• Battlecarrier Ise, supplied from 634th KōkÅ«tai
• Battlecarrier HyÅ«ga, supplied from 634th KōkÅ«tai
• Aviation cruiser Mogami, planned only
• Air unit
• Kitaura Kōkutai
• Yokosuka Kōkutai
• 634th Kōkutai
• 801st Kōkutai
• 301st Reconnaissance Hikōtai
• 302nd Reconnaissance Hikōtai

Specifications (E16A1 Zuiun Model 11)

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. .
• Green, William. "Aichi E16A1 Zui-un (Paul)" War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Six: Floatplanes. London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1962, pp. 116–118.
• Taylor, Michael J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 43.

• Bunrindō (Japan)
• Kōku-Fan Illustrated Special, Japanese Military Aircraft Illustrated Vol. 3 "Recinnaissance/Flying-boat/Trainer/Transport", January 1983
• Famous Airplanes of the World No. 47 "Imperial Japanese Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane", July 1994

External links