Kawanishi K-1

The Kawanishi K-1 was the first aircraft built by the Kawanishi company, a two-seat mail carrier of the early 1920s. It was an all-wood biplane with fabric covering and two bays of wings, powered by an American Hall-Scott L-6 water-cooled six cylinder inline engine mounted in a bullet-shaped nose, and its design was influenced by American engineering practice. First flown around the turn of 1920 to 1921, it entered the Imperial Flying Association competition in May 1921 and won the distance prize with a flight of 686 kilometres in 4 hours 50 minutes, also taking second prize for speed. It became the first aircraft in Japan to receive a Certificate of Airworthiness from the Aviation Bureau, but it was never accepted as a commercial mail carrier and only one was built.