Transport Atlas

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Kawanishi H8K

Flying Boats and Seaplanes

The Kawanishi H8K, known to the Allies by the reporting name Emily, is a Japanese four engine flying boat that entered Imperial Japanese Navy service in 1942 for long range maritime patrol and bombing missions during the Second World War. Heavily armed and armored for a flying boat of its era, it was considered by Allied pilots to be a difficult and dangerous opponent to intercept, and it remained one of the most capable flying boats used by any air arm during the war.

Facts
Year
1941 1
Significance
Called the most outstanding water-based combat aircraft of the Second World War 1
Manufacturer or Builder
Kawanishi 1
FAQs

Why was the Kawanishi H8K so hard for Allied fighters to shoot down?

Heavy armament, armor, self-sealing tanks and fire suppression made it a tough target.

The H8K was well armed and armored, with 20 mm cannon in the bow, dorsal and tail turrets and two beam hatches, partially self-sealing fuel tanks and a carbon dioxide fire extinguishing system. Allied fighter pilots considered it the most difficult of all Japanese aircraft to shoot down.
Connections

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Manufactured By

Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.

Sources
1. Kawanishi H8K - Wikipedia
  • Lead paragraph
    The Kawanishi H8K was a large four-engined flying boat designed and produced by the Japanese aviation manufacturer Kawanishi.
  • Assessment
    Aircraft historian René Francillon called the H8K "the most outstanding water-based combat aircraft of the Second World War."
  • Infobox, first_flight field
    January 1941
  • In Group: Patrol and Bomber Flying Boats, Lead sentence
    The Kawanishi H8K was a large four-engined flying boat designed and produced by the Japanese aviation manufacturer Kawanishi.
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