Warbird Information Exchange

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

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.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

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



Pic from Wikipedia

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.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Double post

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

How about the Saro Cloud, first flown in 1930?

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

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.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

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