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Japan's Kawanishi H6k1,2,3
Allied Name: "Mavis"1,2,3
Kawanishi H6k, "Mavis" flying boat:
Kawanishi H6k, "Mavis" flying boat:
Kawanishi H6k, "Mavis" flying boat:
Kawanishi H6k, "Mavis" flying boat, carrying torpedoes:
Design
The Japanese navy needed a plane that could cover the Japanese possessions throughout the Pacific Ocean.1 Kawanishi started to design the H6K in 1933.1
The design took elements from the British Short Bros work in the early 1930s and American designs for the parasol wing.2
Was originally called the Kawanishi Navy Experimental 9-Shi Large-size Flying Boat.1
The Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" could stay in the air for 24 (263) hours.1
The H6K did not have self sealing fuel tanks or armor this causing them to be vulnerable to fighters.1
Nose
Originally there was a hand held 7.7 mm Type 92 MG, but in the H6K5 it was removed.1 It was replaced by a turret right behind the flight deck.1
Wings
The parasol wing was mounted above the fuselage.1 The wing struts could carry bombs or torpedos.1,2
Hull
After the initial test flights the forward step in the hull was moved back 20" / 50 cm.1
Fuselage
The Japanese studied the Sikorsky S-42 and designed the H6K with a two step hull.1
Tail
The tail gunner had excellent visibility through the glazed turret.1
Prototype
On July 14, 1936 the prototype was first flown by Katsuji Kondo.1,2,3
Production
- H6K1: 42,3
- H6K2: 103
- H6K3: 23
- H6K4: 1271,2,3
- 64 of these in use by December 1941.2
- H6K5: 362,3
- H6K2-L/4-L: 383
- Total: 2112, 2151, 2173
Ten H6K2s were built and delivered to the Japanese Navy in 1939.1 These were later converted to transports.1
Production ended in mid 1943.3
Variants
- H6K1: Prototype.2 Had four Nakajima Hikari 2 radial engines (840 HP each).2,3
- H6K2: Production model.1 Only had MGs on top of the fuselage, and in the tail and nose.1 Had four Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 radial engines (1,000 HP each).2,3 Hull was modified to improve performance in the water.3
Delivered in 1939.2
Delivered in January 1938.3 - H6K2-L: Transport version.2,3 Unarmed.3 Could carry 18 passengers.3
- H6K3: Staff transport.2,3
- H6K4: Main production model.1 Improved defensive armament.3
- H6K4-L: Transport version.1,2,3 Had compartments for mail, cargo, and passengers.1 Was code named "Tille" by the Allies.1 Unarmed.3 Could carry 18 passengers.3
- H6K5: Introduced in 1942.1,2 Had 1,300 HP engines.1 Had nose turret.3
Usage
During the early years the H6K Mavis was very successful, but it was soon found to be vulnerable to Allied fighters.1,3 It was replaced by the Kawanishi H8K.1,3
Sino-Japanese War
The Kawanishi H6K was used during the Japanese war with China from 1938-1939.1
Dutch East Indies
The Kawanishis were used against Dutch land targets in 1942.1
Airline
The Greater Japan Air Lines had 18 H6Ks in used until 1945.1
After World War II
The Indonesian air force used some during it's fight for independence and civil war after World War II.1
| Kawanishi H6K3 | Kawanishi H6K13 | Kawanishi H6K23 | Kawanishi H6K41,3 | Kawanishi H6K52 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Reconnaissance, transport flying boat3 | Flying boat1 Reconnaissance, bomber, transport1 |
Maritime reconnaissance2 | ||
| Crew | 93 | 92 | |||
| Engine (Type) | 4: Mitsubishi Kinsei 433 | 4: Mitsubishi Kinsei 433 | 4: Mitsubishi Kinsei 431 4: Mitsubishi Kinsei 463 |
4: Mitsubishi Kinsei 53 piston2 4: Mitsubishi Kinsei 51/533 |
|
| Cylinders | Radial 143 | Radial 143 | Radial 141 | Radial2 | |
| Cooling | |||||
| Net HP | 1,000 each3 | 1,000 each3 | 1,000 each1, 1,070 each3 | 1,300 each2,3 | |
| Propeller blades | 3 each3 | 3 each3 | 3 each1,3 | 3 each2,3 | |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Span | 131' 2.75"3 40 m3 |
131' 3"1 40 m1 |
131' 2.75"2 40 m2 |
||
| Length | 84' 1"3 25.63 m3 |
84' 1"1 25.63 m1 |
84' 7/8"2 25.63 m2 |
||
| Height | 20' 6.75'3 6.27 m3 |
20' 7"1 6.27 m1 |
20' 6 7/8"2 6.27 m2 |
||
| Wing area | 1,830 ft2 1 170 m2 1 |
1,829.9 ft2 2 170 m2 2 |
|||
| Weight | |||||
| Empty | 25,810 lb3 11,707 kg3 |
27,117 lb2 12,380 kg2 |
|||
| Loaded | 47,399 lb3, 47,499 lb1 21,500 kg3, 21,545 kg1 |
50,706 lb2 23,000 kg2 |
|||
| Performance | |||||
| Speed @ 13,120' / 4,000 m |
211 mph3 340 kph3 |
||||
| Speed @ 13,125' / 4,000 m |
211 mph1 340 kph1 |
||||
| Speed @ 19,685' / 6,000 m |
239 mph2,3 385 kph2,3 |
||||
| Cruising speed | 138 mph3 222 kph3 |
||||
| Climb to 16,400' / 5,000 m |
13.5 minutes3, 13' 31"1 | ||||
| Climb to 16,405' / 5,000 m |
13.38 minutes2 | ||||
| Service ceiling | 31,365'3, 31,530'1 9,560 m3, 9,610 m1 |
31,365'2 9,560 m2 |
|||
| Range | 3,778 miles1,3, 3,780 miles2 6,080 km1,3, 6,083 km2 |
3,107 miles3 5,000 km3 |
|||
| Maximum range | 4,208 miles2, 4,210 miles3 6,772 km2, 6,775 km3 |
||||
| Armament | |||||
| Nose | 1: 7.7 mm MG3 1: 7.7 mm Type 92 MG1 |
1: 7.7 mm Type 922 | |||
| Dorsal | 1: 7.7 mm MG3 1: 7.7 mm Type 92 MG1 |
1: 7.7 mm Type 922 | |||
| Fuselage | 2: 7.7 mm MG3 2: 7.7 mm Type 92 MG1 |
||||
| Beam blister | 2: 7.7 mm Type 922 | ||||
| Tail | 1: 20 mm1 | 1: 20 mm Type 992 | |||
| Bow turret | 1: 7.7 mm MG3 | ||||
| Torpedoes | 2: 1,760 lb1, 1,764 lb3 2: 800 kg1,3 |
2: 1,764 lb2 2: 800 kg2 |
|||
| OR | |||||
| Bombs | 2,200 lb1, 2,205 lb3 1,000 kg1,3 |
2,205 lb2 1,000 kg2 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of World War II, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
