Heinkel HD 26

HD 26
Role Reconnaissance seaplane
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Heinkel, Aichi
First flight 1928
Primary user Imperial Japanese Navy
Number built 2

The Heinkel HD 26 was a reconnaissance seaplane developed in Germany during the 1920s for production in Japan. It was intended as a smaller, single-seat counterpart to the HD 25, to provide a spotter aircraft for warships, to take off from a short ramp since shipboard catapults had not yet been invented. The HD 26 was a conventional biplane with staggered wings, twin pontoon undercarriage, and an open cockpit.

The pattern aircraft supplied by Heinkel was powered by a 300 hp Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine, but the single example of the Aichi Navy Type 2 Single-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane built by Aichi had an Aichi-built 420 hp Bristol Jupiter VI instead. Launching ramps were built on the battleship Nagato and the cruiser Furutaka for trials, but the advent of the catapult made the HD 25 and HD 26 obsolete.[1]

Variants

Heinkel HD 26
Heinkel Doppeldekker 26, German built prototype of a single seat reconnaissance/fighter seaplane[1]
Heinkel Small Reconnaissance Seaplane
Unofficial designation for the Heinkel built prototype[1]
Heinkel-go Reconnaissance Seaplane
An alternative unofficial designation for the HD 26[1]
Aichi Navy Type 2 Single-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane
The official designation for the Heinkel and Aichi built prototypes[1]

Specifications (Aichi-built)

General characteristics

Performance

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Mikesh, Robert and Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft 1910–1941. London: Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-840-2