Yokosuka H5Y

According to the military concept of Japan, the Imperial fleet was supposed to have two types of flying boats in service: large three-four-engine reconnaissance long-range flying boats and smaller twin-engine flying boats intended for patrolling. Due to the failure of the Hiro H4H project in 1934, 9-C requirements for a new medium flying boat were developed. The main focus was on ensuring low cost of mass production and ease of maintenance. The new aircraft was supposed to reach a speed of at least 463 km / h, have a flight range of 7200 km (with a bomb load of 3700 kg). Defensive armament should consist of one 20-mm gun and four 7.7-mm machine guns. The bomb load should be 1600 kg or 2 torpedoes. The implementation of the project was entrusted to the 1st Aviation Arsenal of the fleet in Yokosuka .

The first two twin-engine prototypes H5Y1 , which resembled a smaller version of the Kawanishi H6K , were ready in 1936. The designers hoped that the new aircraft, having entered the troops, would solve various problems, primarily, on patrolling water areas on secondary sectors of the front. But during the tests it turned out that the characteristics of the H5Y1 are significantly inferior to the requirements of the technical specification 9-C. The reason was the star engines of the Mitsubishi MKlA Shinten 21 with a capacity of 1200 liters. pp., which were not powerful enough for a heavy machine. Nevertheless, the fleet ordered a small batch of aircraft, which was called "Flying boat Type 99 Model 11 (H5Y1 Model 11) . "

Even before the start of production, a number of changes were made to the project. The new option is called "Flying Boat Type 99 Model 12 (H5Y2 Model 12) . " His defensive armament was reduced, which, unlike the technical specifications, consisted of two 7.7-mm machine guns in the bow of the fuselage and in the tail turret. On some machines the 3rd machine gun was put.

Due to the unsatisfactory characteristics of the aircraft, after the release of 18 aircraft of the H5Y2 model , their production was discontinued.

Specifications

• Crew : 6 people
• Length : 20.50 m
• Height: 6.71 m
• Wingspan : 31.57 m
• Wing Area: 107.70 m²
• Empty weight: 7 106 kg
• Curb weight: 11 500 kg
• Engines: 2 x Mitsubishi MKlA Shinten 21
• Power : 1,200 liters. from.

Flight performance

• Maximum speed : 302 km / h at an altitude of 1,000 m
• Practical range: 4,800 km
• Practical ceiling : 5,200 m

Armament

• Machine gun: 2 (or 3) × 7.7 mm machine gun
• Bomb load:
  • up to 500 kg of bombs

After several months of operating the H5Y , they were all transferred to the rear areas, where they were used as headquarters, transport and training aircraft, as well as to deal with submarines . When patrolling, flying boats H5Y2 usually took on board 2 bombs of 250 kg each or the same mass of depth charges .

• Obukhovich V.A., Kulbaka S.P., Sidorenko S.Y. Aircraft of the Second World War. - Mn .: OOO "Potpourri", 2003.- 736 pp.: Ill. ISBN 985-438-823-9 .
• A. Doroshkevich Aircraft of Japan of the Second World War.-Minsk, Harvest, 2004
• Aviation-historical magazine World of Aviation "/ Aviation World Magazine. Issue 9." Flying boats of World War II 1939-1945 "