Kawanishi K-10 Transport

The Kawanishi K-10 Transport was a 1920s Japanese passenger and mail transport. Two were built, one briefly serving a route between cities in Japan, Korea and China.

K-10 Transport
Role Civil transport
National origin Japan
Manufacturer Kawanishi Aircraft
Designer Eiji Sekiguchi
First flight late summer 1926
Primary user Nippon Koku KK
Number built 2

Design and development

The K-10 was designed by Eiji Sekiguchi to carry passengers and mail on the challenging, over-water Osaka- Seoul - Dalian (Derien) route.[1] In the 1920s these cities were Japanese possessions.

It was a single bay biplane with a fabric-covered wooden structure. The wings were rectangular in plan out to rounded tips and braced together with a pair of parallel interplane struts on each side. The wing centre-section and fuselage were joined by two N--form cabane struts.[1]

Originally the K-10 was powered by a 400 hp (300 kW) V12 Lorraine 12D engine driving a four-bladed propeller. Its two passengers sat side-by-side in an open cockpit ahead of the pilot. This engine was soon replaced by a 260–305 hp (194–227 kW), six cylinder Maybach Mb.IVa, its rectangular radiator beneath it and with a two-bladed propeller. Room was found for four passenger seats in an enclosed cabin between the wings. The fuselage was flat-sided, with rounded decking, and the tail was conventional, with a blunted rectangular fin and narrow, rectangular rudder.[1]

It had fixed, conventional landing gear with wheels on a single axle. Both faired drag struts and slender legs, fitted with conspicuous, square shock absorbers, were mounted on the lower fuselage.[1]

Operational history

The first of two K-10s was completed in August 1926 and made its first flight soon after. In September it joined the sole Kawanishi K-7B carrying mail on the Osaka - Seoul - Dalian (Derien) route, completing six of these tours before retirement.[1]

Soon after, on 2 October 1926, it appeared at the Kansai Aviation Day display, carrying passengers to enhance Japanese aviation awareness.[1]

Operators
  • Nippon Koku KK

Specifications (Maybach engine)

Data from Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: four pasengers
  • Length: 8.90 m (29 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 13 m (42 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
  • Wing area: 44.85 m2 (482.8 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,057 kg (2,330 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,762 kg (3,885 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Maybach Mb.IVa six cylinder water-cooled, upright inline, 194–227 kW (260–305 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed wooden

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 172 km/h (107 mph, 93 kn) at sea level
  • Landing speed: 79 km/h (49 mph; 43 kn)
  • Endurance: 7 hr
  • Service ceiling: 6,000 m (20,000 ft)

References
  1. Mikesh, Robert C.; Abe, Shorzoe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam Publishing. p. 132-3. ISBN 1-55750-563-2.
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