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Aichi E16A Zuiun

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E16A Zuiun
A E16A1 Yo-53 of the Yokosuka Kōkutai (Naval Air Group), as can be seen by its tail markings.
General information
TypeReconnaissance Floatplane
ManufacturerAichi Kokuki
Nippon Hikōki
Primary userIJN Air Service
Number built256[1]
197 units of Aichi, Eitoku Factory[2]
59 units of Nippon Hikōki[2]
History
Manufactured1944–1945
Introduction dateFebruary 1944
First flight22 May 1942

The Aichi E16A Zuiun (瑞雲, Auspicious Cloud), (Allied reporting name "Paul") was a two-seat reconnaissance seaplane operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.

Design and development

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The Aichi E16A originated from a 1939 specification for a replacement for the Aichi E13A, which, at that time, had yet to be accepted by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS).[3] Disagreements about the requirements in the "Number 14" specification prevented most manufacturers from submitting designs, but, in 1941, a new "Number 16" specification was drafted by the IJNAS around the Aichi AM-22 design, which had already been made by Aichi engineers Kishiro Matsuo and Yasuhiro Ozawa.[3]

The first AM-22, which first got the experimental designation Navy Experimental Number 16 Reconnaissance Seaplane and later the short designation E16A1, was completed by May 1942 and was a conventional, low-wing monoplane equipped with two floats. It had the unusual (for a seaplane) feature of being equipped with dive brakes, located in the front legs of the float struts, to allow it to operate in a secondary role as a dive bomber.

Exposed model

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A full-scale replica of a Zuiun was created by C2 Praparat for various events related to the Kantai Collection franchise. This model was permanently installed in 2026 in the park of the Yamato Museum.[4]

Variants

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[5][6]

E16A1 Experimental Type 16 reconnaissance seaplane (16試水上偵察機, 16-Shi Suijō Teisatsuki)
Initial named Experimental Type 14 two-seat reconnaissance seaplane (14試2座水上偵察機, 14-Shi 2-Za Suijō Teisatsuki). 3 prototypes produced. Mounted 1,300 hp (970 kW) Mitsubishi MK8A Kinsei 51 engine, 2 × forward-firing 7.7 mm (.303in) Type 97 machine guns, 1 × rearward-firing 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun.
E16A1 Zuiun Model 11 (瑞雲11型, Zuiun 11-gata)
General production model. Mounted 1,300 hp (970 kW) Mitsubishi MK8N Kinsei 54 engine, 2 × forward-firing 20 mm Type 99-2 cannons, 1 × rearward-firing 13 mm Type 2 machine gun.
E16A2 Provisional name Zuiun Model 12 (仮称瑞雲12型, Kashō Zuiun 12-gata)
Initial named Zuiun Model 22. Single prototype with a 1,560 hp (1,160 kW) Mitsubishi MK8P Kinsei 62 radial engine. One plane converted from E16A1, incomplete.

Operators

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 Japan[1][5][6][7][8]

Specifications (E16A1 Zuiun Model 11)

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E16A following U.S. capture

Data from Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 10.833 m (35 ft 6 in)
  • Wingspan: 12.81 m (42 ft 0 in)
  • Height: 4.791 m (15 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 28 m2 (300 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 2,945 kg (6,493 lb)
  • Gross weight: 3,900 kg (8,598 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 4,553 kg (10,038 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi MK8D Kinsei 54 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 970 kW (1,300 hp) for take-off
895 kW (1,200 hp) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
820 kW (1,100 hp) at 6,200 m (20,300 ft)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 439 km/h (273 mph, 237 kn) at 5,500 m (18,000 ft)
  • Cruise speed: 333 km/h (207 mph, 180 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
  • Range: 1,176 km (731 mi, 635 nmi)
  • Ferry range: 2,420 km (1,500 mi, 1,310 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min)
  • Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 4 minutes 40 seconds
  • Wing loading: 139.3 kg/m2 (28.5 lb/sq ft)
  • Power/mass: 0.25 kW/kg (0.15 hp/lb)

Armament

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

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Notes
  1. 1 2 3 Francillon 1979, p. 287.
  2. 1 2 Zuiun Kajiyama, "瑞雲飛翔 (Zuiun Hishō)", p.172, 2019, ISBN 978-4-7986-1903-3
  3. 1 2 Francillon 1979, p. 284.
  4. ↑ @C2_STAFF (7 January 2026). "Official announcement regarding Kure's collaborations, including the one about the Zuiun". Retrieved 11 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. 1 2 Bunrindō (1983), p. 110–111, p. 159–163
  6. 1 2 Bunrindō (1994), p. 8, p. 25, p. 71–77
  7. ↑ Japan Demobilization Agency, 1949
  8. ↑ 631st Naval Air Group, Imperial Jaoanese Navy, 1945
Bibliography
  • Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6.
  • Green, William. "Aichi E16A1 Zui-un (Paul)" War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Six: Floatplanes. London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1962, pp. 116–118.
  • Taylor, Michael J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 43.
  • Bunrindō (Japan)
    • Kōku-Fan Illustrated Special, Japanese Military Aircraft Illustrated Vol. 3 "Recinnaissance/Flying-boat/Trainer/Transport", January 1983
    • Famous Airplanes of the World No. 47 "Imperial Japanese Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane", July 1994
  • Imperial Japanese Navy
    • "六三一空機密第二五號 第六三一海軍航空隊戦時日誌 自昭和二十年三月一日 至昭和二十年三月三十一日", 第六三一海軍航空隊, June 1945
  • Japan Demobilization Agency
    • "太平洋戦争中に於ける日本海軍航空隊(特設) 編制推移表(含配用基地)", 日本政府復員庁第二復員局残務処理部, July 1949
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