E11A Type 98 Reconnaissance Seaplane
Role	Gunnery Spotting Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Aichi Kokuki
First flight	June 1937
Status	retired
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Number built	17

The Aichi E11A (九八夜偵, Kyū-hachi Yatei) was an Imperial Japanese Navy flying boat used during the first year of World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the type was "Laura"; the Japanese Navy designation was "Type 98 Reconnaissance Seaplane". The Type 98 was quite similar to the earlier E10A Type 96, whose allied name was "Hank". "Lauras" were rare - only 17 were built. It was designed to be launched from cruisers or battleships in order to spot their shellfire at night. The Type 98s were soon diverted to communications and transport duties.

Variants

• E11A1 : Night reconnaissance flying boat for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Production version.

Specifications (Aichi E11A1)

Data from Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats ^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 3
• Length: 10.71 m (35 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 14.49 m (47 ft 6 in)
• Height: 4.52 m (14 ft 10 in)
• Empty weight: 1,927 kg (4,248 lb)
• Gross weight: 3,297 kg (7,269 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 3,297 kg (7,269 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Hiro Type 91 Model 22 W-12 water-cooled piston engine, 460 kW (620 hp)
• Propellers: 4-bladed fixed-pitch pusher propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 217 km/h (135 mph, 117 kn) at 2,400 m (7,900 ft)
• Range: 1,945 km (1,209 mi, 1,050 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,425 m (14,500 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Type 92 machine gun