Kawanishi H3K ("Belle") Long-range Recce Flying Boat

blackkite

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Hi Kawanishi H3K2, 90 shiki 2 go biplane flying boat.
Hirosho H3H1, 90 shiki 1 go flying boat was a monoplane.

The 90 shiki 2 go flying boat
Development circumstances
This aircraft was a flying boat of the three-enigne biplane which the Kawanishi airplane produced.
The IJN had intention of raising Kawanishi to the airplane maker centering on a flying boat.
On June 6, 1929 (Showa 4), the IJN aviation headquarters pointed to the purchase of two flying boats of a Short company design to Kawanishi.
Kawanishi dispatched the Yoshio Hashiguchi engineer who retired from the navy and joined Kawanishi, and the other 3 person to the British Short company to the naval demand.
The Short company prepared the Short KF type flying boat which did re-design and enlargement of short S.8 Calcutta (en).
The Short KF type flying boat arrived in Kobe in February, 1930 (Showa 5).
At this time, the engineers of the Short company also visited Japan, Kawanishi was guided, and it had big influence.
Although the flying-boat hull of KF type flying boat foresaw shortage of aluminum resources and the bottom of a water line was stainless stressed-skin structure, the wing was aircraft cloth tension.
Since the phenomenon in which the ionization action of sea water worked and duralumin caused corrosion between the duralumin board near a waterline and stainless steel occurred, it prevented in the special paints.
In domestic production, the fitting was changed into specification at the IJN, such as making a cockpit into a closed type.
A performance was good, especially a cruising range were estimated that it was good by the IJN examination.
Kawanishi was assigned to produce this flying boat and in 1932 (Showa 7) adopted as 90 shiki 2 go flying boat H3K1.
Short company made one set and the domestic production number was four sets [ a total of five ].
Employment
Even if it compared with the 89 type flying boat or the 91 type flying boat, it was an equal high-performance aircraft.
KF type flying boat succeeded long-distance flight between Tateyama-Saipan through Ogawawara Islands in the summer of 1932 (Showa 7) under practical use experiment.
On the other hand, according to Soji Sato (second grade petty officer, Tateyama flying corps), since the main cockpit was located on the left, differed from the conventional aircraft, and it is said that there was much puzzlement peculiar to a new style aircraft that alignment was difficult since it is a three engine aircraft.
There was also a tendency which is easy to carry out porpoising (phenomenon in which the body will carry out a vertical shake if a speed goes up during take-off run) in a over load state.
This aircraft under mooring was demolished by the typhoon in the autumn of 1932, and it exhausted gradually by wrong water landing and sinking during nighttime training, in next year February etc.
No. 5 aircraft which remained uniquely in 1938 (Showa 13) was removed.
While a success of this aircraft gave Kawanishi confidence, it encouraged expectations for the navy, and it led to development of a 97 type flying boat.

Radiators were located on the wing.
 

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Hi! No.5 and other aircraft of Kawanishi H3K2.
 

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I think all H3K were called H3K2. There were no H3K1 or Short made before modification version was called H3K1?
No.1 H3K2 : Short made and Kawanishi modified aircraft which had a open cockpit.
No.2 to No.5 H3K2 : Kawanishi made closed cockpit type.

Side view shows Short KF type(prototype),N0.2 aircraft of domestic production model, No.3 to No.4 aircraft of domestic production model.

Source : ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JAPANESE AIRCRAFT 1900-1945, VOL.3 KAWANISHI AND HIROSHO

ター1(Ta-1) : No.2 aircraft , lost by accident in 8/1/1933 
ター2(Ta-2) : No.3 aircraft 
ター3(Ta-3) : No.4 aircraft 
 

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