Japanese Flying Boat w/infamous crewmember ...

[Mark Allen M]

Hiro H4H2 flying boat in 1939 at the Sasebo Air Base, Japan, bottom right is Mitsuo Fuchida.

[JohnB]

Famous crewman notwithstanding , the aircraft is pretty impressive for a type which first flew in 1931.
At that time most U.S. and U.K. flying boats (they thought they led the world in seaplanes) lanes were still biplanes.

[Paul Stroud]

Famous crewman notwithstanding , the aircraft is pretty impressive for a type which first flew in 1931.
At that time most U.S. and U.K. flying boats (they thought they led the world in seaplanes) lanes were still biplanes.

Actually, stick a wing on top and it could be a Stranraer!



Pic from Wikipedia

[JohnB]

While it's well known Japan was influenced by several UK seaplane builders (Shorts, Supermarine and Blackburn (which was part of the Col, The Master of Semphill aristocrat spy affair), Japan managed to go one better.

When this thread emerged, I searched for a corresponding UK monoplane and did not find one.

Last edited by JohnB on Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnB]

Double post

[Paul Stroud]

While it's well known Japan was influenced by several UK seaplane builders (Shorts, Supermarine and Blackburn (which was part of the Col, The Master of Semphill aristocrat spy affair), Japan managed to go one better.

When this thread emerged, I searched for a corresponding UK monoplane and did not find one.

How about the Saro Cloud, first flown in 1930?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saro_Cloud

[JohnB]

You're correct.
In my research, u neglected to check SARO types.
But I will point out that the Cloud is not a combat type and few were built, of course the Hiro to wasn't exactly a high production type with 40-off built.
Still, it seems to me the UK did stick with biplane designs for seaplanes for awhile after similar size land types went to monoplanes.

It's interesting to look at seaplane of the era, they often had very small production numbers, so per-unit cost had to of been high...or the design and development costs low in the days of cheap labor.

[marine air]

Overall it looks like a pretty good seaplane, and yes, they seem to have copied other designer's ideas.