The Kawanishi H6K 'Mavis' was a long-range, reconnaissance aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Designed and developed by the Kawanishi Aircraft Company, Ltd, it performed its maiden flight on July 14, 1936 and entered service on January 27, 1937. Although it was retired at the end of the war, it had been largely replaced by the more advanced Kawanishi H8K Emily.
The H6K3 and H6K4 were the main versions of this flying boat. By 1942, which was the last year of production, 215 Kawanishi H6K airplanes had been made. It was officially known as the Navy Type 97. It carried out reconnaissance sorties near the coasts of Hawaii a couple of months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It was also used as a bomber in anti-submarine warfare, carrying torpedoes. When used as a transport, it had accommodation for 20 passengers in three cabins.
Technical Characteristics
The Kawanishi H6K was a four-engine hydroplane (flying boat). Strictly technically, it was a braced parasol monoplane, which means it had straight wing mounted above fuselage and propped up by struts. Fuselage was all-metal, but moving parts, such as flaps, ailerons, and rudder were fabric-covered. Being a flying boat, it lacked traditional landing gear but it was fitted with wing tip floats to balance it at the moment of landing on water.
Specifications
Type: Reconnaissance flying boat
Length: 25.63 m (84 ft, 1 in)
Wingspan: 40 m (131 ft, 3 in)
Wing Area: 170 square meters (1,800 sq. ft)
Height: 6.27 m (20 ft, 7 in)
Power Plant: four Mitsubishi Kinsei 43, Model 46, 14-cylinder, air-cooled piston engines. Each one put out 1,060 HP at 13,800 ft.
Maximum Speed: 360 km/h (237 mph)
Range: 4,800 km (2,983 miles)
Ferry Range: 6,100 km
Crew: 8
Armament: four 7.7mm machines gun; one 20-mm cannon; 1,600-kg bombload (two 800-kg bombs).
Below, the blue-print plans of the Kawanishi H6K flying boat.
Below, old photograph of the H6K3 variant taken around 1937.
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