Aichi C4A

Japanese reconnaissance aircraft project
Aichi C4A
Role Carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft
Type of aircraft
National origin Japan
Manufacturer Aichi Kokuki
Status project only
Primary user Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (intended)
Number built 0

The Aichi C4A, company designation Aichi AM-20, experimental designation Aichi 13-Shi High-speed Reconnaissance Aircraft, was a late 1930s project by Aichi for a carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraft.

Design and development

In the late 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS), having felt impressed at the performance of the Mitsubishi Ki-15 for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS), issued a requirement for a fast reconnaissance aircraft under the IJNAS designation 13-Shi High-speed Reconnaissance Aircraft. Aichi, drawing upon experience designing the Aichi D3A, proposed a single-engine, low wing monoplane powered by a radial engine and fitted with a closed cockpit with two seats in tandem, as well as a rear-mounted 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun. The design was known by the experimental designation and allocated the short designation C4A by the IJNAS.[1][2]

A full-scale mockup was completed in March 1939 for inspection by IJN officials. However, the IJN decided to shelve the C4A in favor of their own version of the Ki-15, the C5M.[2]

References

  1. ^ Mikesh, Robert; Shorzoe, Abe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam. p. 79. ISBN 0-85177-840-2.
  2. ^ a b "Aiči C4A1 13-Ši : Aiči". valka.cz.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Aichi aircraft
Manufacturer
designations
Imperial Japanese Navy
short designationsWorld War II
Allied reporting names
  • v
  • t
  • e
Fighters (A)
Torpedo bombers (B)
Shipboard reconnaissance (C)
Dive bombers (D)
Reconnaissance seaplanes (E)
Observation seaplanes (F)
Land-based bombers (G)
Flying Boats (H)
Land-based Fighters (J)
Trainers (K)
Transports (L)
Special-purpose (M)1
Floatplane fighters (N)
Land-based bombers (P)
Patrol (Q)
Land-based reconnaissance (R)
Night fighters (S)
1 X as second letter is for experimental aircraft or imported technology demonstrators not intended for service, 2 Hyphenated trailing letter (-J, -K, -L, -N or -S) denotes design modified for secondary role, 3 Possibly incorrect designation, but used in many sources
Stub icon

This aircraft-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e