Heinkel HD 25
HD 25 | |
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Heinkel HD 25 of the Imperial Japanese Navy | |
Role | Reconnaissance seaplane |
National origin | Germany |
Manufacturer | Heinkel, Aichi |
First flight | 1926 |
Introduction | 1928 |
Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Number built | ca. 18 |
The Heinkel HD 25 was a two-seat shipboard biplane reconnaissance floatplane developed in Germany during the 1920s for production in Japan.
Development
[edit]It was intended to provide a spotter aircraft for warships, to take off from a short ramp since shipboard catapults had not yet been developed by the Japanese. The HD 25 was a conventional biplane with staggered wings and twin pontoon undercarriage. The pilot and observer sat in tandem, open cockpits. A single example of a modified demilitarised version was built by Aichi as the AB-1, and three surplus Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplanes were converted with two seat cabins aft of the open rear cockpit, to seat three passengers, for use by the Kouchi Shimbun newspaper.
Operational history
[edit]Two prototypes were built by Heinkel in Germany, with the first flying in 1926.[1] Following trials, the Navy officially accepted the type in March 1928 and gave it the designation Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane. 16 were built by Aichi and saw brief service aboard the cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Variants
[edit]- Heinkel HD 25
- Heinkel Doppeldecker 25, two prototypes designed and built in Germany.[1]
- Heinkel Large Reconnaissance Seaplane
- Unofficial designation for the Heinkel built prototypes[1]
- Heinkel-Type Warship Seaplane
- Initial unofficial designation for the Aichi produced aircraft[1]
- Aichi Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane
- Production aircraft built by Aichi in Japan with modifications to allow operations from turret platforms[1]
- Aichi Type 2 Transport
- Conversions of three surplus Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplanes with cabins seating three passengers, used by the Kouchi Shimbun newspaper.[1]
- Aichi AB-1
- A single aircraft redesigned for a competition by the Japanese Aviation Bureau of the Department of Communications for a locally developed transport. Modifications included increased dimensions overall, N-type interplane struts, a four seat enclosed cabin forward of the two open cockpits and a 450 hp (340 kW) Nakajima-Lorraine 12Eb W-12 engine.[1]
Specifications (Aichi-built Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane)
[edit]General characteristics
- Crew: Two, pilot and observer
- Length: 9.70 m (31 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 14.88 m (48 ft 10 in)
- Height: 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in)
- Empty weight: 1,700 kg (3,750 lb)
- Gross weight: 2,570 kg (5,650 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Napier Lion , 334 kW (450 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 203 km/h (127 mph, 110 kn)
- Range: 910 km (570 mi, 500 nmi)
- Rate of climb: 3.3 m/s (645 ft/min)
Armament
- 1 × flexible rearward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine gun for observer
- 300 kg (660 lb) of bombs
See also
[edit]Related lists
References
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Notes
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Mikesh, Robert C.; Abe, Shorzoe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-851778402.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 499.