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Aichi Kokuki

Coordinates: 35°08′02″N 136°53′49″E / 35.1337981°N 136.8969623°E / 35.1337981; 136.8969623
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35°08′02″N 136°53′49″E / 35.1337981°N 136.8969623°E / 35.1337981; 136.8969623

Aichi Kokuki
Company typeLimited company
IndustryAircraft manufacturing
Founded1898; 126 years ago (1898) in Nagoya, Japan
FateIntegrated into Nissan
SuccessorAichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd
ProductsAircraft
ParentNissan
WebsiteAichi Kokuki corporate website
Japanese Navy's 1939 type carrier-based dive bomber during World War II

Aichi Kokuki KK (愛知航空機株式会社, Aichi Kōkūki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi Aircraft Co., Ltd.) was a Japanese aerospace manufacturer which produced several designs for the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, the company was reorganized as Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd (愛知機械工業) where they made small kei cars until 1966 when they were integrated into Nissan and developed the Nissan Sunny and Nissan Vanette.

Aichi Watch and Electric Manufacturing

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The company was established in 1898 in Nagoya as Aichi Tokei Denki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Watch and Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). Aircraft production started in 1920,[1] and the company relied initially on technical assistance from Heinkel,[1] which influenced some of their designs. Later, with the prodding and support of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the company started making seaplanes using technology imported from Short Brothers in the UK.[2]

During the inter-war period, Aichi was the beneficiary of technology transferred from Heinkel of Germany. At the time, a team from the League of Nations occasionally visited German aircraft manufacturers to monitor the ban on military aircraft research and production. A Japanese military attache who was a member of the monitoring team, let Heinkel know, confidentially and in advance, of the planned visits. Heinkel thus succeeded in continuing its design on the aircraft ordered by Aichi Aircraft without being spotted.[3]

In 1943 the aircraft division was spun off as Aichi Kokuki Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Aircraft Co., Ltd.).[4]

Aircraft

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Company designations

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AB - "Aichi Biplane"

  • AB-1 - 1929 four-seat biplane/floatplane airliner
  • AB-2 - 1930 reconnaissance floatplane prototype
  • AB-3 - 1932 carrier-based reconnaissance floatplane based on the AB-2
  • AB-4 - 1932 night reconnaissance flying boat
  • AB-5 - Japanese-built version of the Heinkel He 62
  • AB-6 - 1933 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, lost to the Kawanishi E7K
  • AB-7 - company designation for the E8A
  • AB-8 - 1932 carrier-based attack bomber prototype, lost to the Kugisho B3Y
  • AB-9 - company designation for the D1A
  • AB-10
  • AB-11 - version of D1A with retractable landing gear, not built
  • AB-12 - company designation for the E10A
  • AB-13 - company designation for the F1A
  • AB-14 - company designation for the E11A

AM - "Aichi Monoplane"

  • AM-7 - planned monoplane version of E8A
  • AM-10 - planned monoplane version of F1A
  • AM-15 - light sport plane (project only)
  • AM-16 - planned night reconnaissance flying boat; design resembled the Grumman G-21
  • AM-17 - company designation for the D3A
  • AM-18 - company designation for the E12A
  • AM-19 - company designation for the E13A
  • AM-20 - company designation for the C4A
  • AM-21 - company designation for the H9A
  • AM-22 - company designation for the E16A
  • AM-23 - company designation for the B7A
  • AM-24 - company designation for the M6A
  • AM-25 - company designation for the S1A
  • AM-26 - company designation for the B8A

Fighter

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Torpedo bomber

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  • B7A 流星 Ryūsei (Shooting Star) - 'Grace' 1941 torpedo/dive bomber
  • B8A Mokusei (Wooden Star) - torpedo bomber (project only)

Dive bomber

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  • D1A/D2A - 'Susie' 1934 dive bomber, based on the Heinkel He 66
  • D3A - 'Val' 1940 carrier-based dive bomber

Reconnaissance aircraft

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  • Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1925 prototype reconnaissance seaplane, lost to the Nakajima E2N
  • Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1928 reconnaissance floatplane; modified Heinkel HD 25
  • Type 2 Single-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane - 1928 reconnaissance floatplane; Japanese-built Heinkel HD 26
  • C4A - carrier-based high-speed reconnaissance aircraft (project only)
  • E3A - 1929 reconnaissance floatplane, improved Heinkel HD 56
  • E8A - 1933 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, lost to the Nakajima E8N
  • E10A - 'Hank' 1936 reconnaissance biplane flying boat
  • E11A - 'Laura' 1937 maritime patrol biplane flying boat
  • E12A - 1937 reconnaissance floatplane prototype
  • E13A - 'Jake' 1941 reconnaissance floatplane
  • E16A 瑞雲 Zuiun (Auspicious Cloud) - 'Paul' 1942 reconnaissance floatplane
  • F1A - 1940 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, lost to the Mitsubishi F1M

Flying boat

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  • H9A - 1940 flying boat trainer

Trainer

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  • E13A1-K - floatplane trainer version of E13A
  • M6A1-K 南山 Nanzan (South Mountain) - 1945 prototype trainer version of M6A

Special purpose

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  • M6A 晴嵐 Seiran (Clear Sky Storm) - 1945 submarine-launched dive/torpedo bomber

Night fighter

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  • S1A 電光 Denko (Bolt of Light) - 1944 night fighter prototype
  • E13A1a-S/E13A1b-S - night-fighter versions of E13A

Engines

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Aichi Machine Industry

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After the war, the company was reorganized, manufacturing kei cars under the Cony brand name in Japan. Its current descendant, Aichi Kikai Kōgyō Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd.), is integrated with the Nissan corporate structure.[5]

Automotive contributions

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Nissan engines

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Transmissions

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  • FS6R31 - with synchronous control.
  • F30A / F50A / F70A
  • MFA60 / MFA80
  • W60A
  • FS5R30A
  • MRA70
  • GR6

Vehicles manufactured

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References

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Notes
  1. ^ a b Mikesh and Abe 1990, p. 61.
  2. ^ Odagiri 1996, p. 216.
  3. ^ Odagiri 1996, p. 217.
  4. ^ Mikesh and Abe 1990, p. 79.
  5. ^ "Aichi Kikai manufacturing history". Aichi Machine Industry Website. Aichi Kikai. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
Bibliography
  • Mikesh, Robert C. and Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft, 1910-1941. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-840-2.
  • Odagiri, Hiroyuki. Technology and Industrial Development in Japan. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 1996. ISBN 0-19-828802-6.
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