E12A

The Aichi E12A was a Japanese navy reconnaissance seaplane developed in the late 1930s. Intended to replace the older E10A, the aircraft first flew in 1938 and entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1939. Powered by a single 1,250‑horsepower Hiro Type 91 radial engine, the low‑wing monoplane featured all‑metal construction, retractable main floats and a streamlined fuselage that gave it a top speed of about 340 km/h (210 mph) and a range exceeding 2,000 km. The E12A carried a crew of three—pilot, observer and radio operator—and was equipped with a fixed forward machine gun, a flexible rear gun, and provisions for a small camera or light bombs. Although only a few dozen were built before production shifted to more capable types, the E12A saw operational use during the early Pacific War, providing valuable maritime patrol and short‑range scouting for carrier and shore‑based units. Its design marked a transition for Aichi from wooden biplanes to modern metal monoplanes, and it demonstrated the navy’s growing emphasis on speed, endurance and survivability in coastal reconnaissance roles. Today, the few surviving examples are prized by historians as rare illustrations of pre‑war Japanese naval engineering.

Aichi

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Design & Classification