The was a Japanese aircraft manufacturer active during World War II.
History The company was founded as Kawanishi Engineering Works in 1920 in Hyōgo Prefecture as an outgrowth of the Kawanishi conglomerate, which had been funding the Nakajima Aircraft Company. Kawanishi built its first aircraft, the Kawanishi K-1 Mail-carrying Aircraft in 1921, and set up an airline, Nippon Koku K.K. (Japan Aviation Co. Ltd) in 1923, designing and building several aircraft for the airline's use. It was forced by the Japanese government to shut down Nippon Koku in 1929, however, with its routes being transferred to the government-owned Nippon Koku Yuso K.K. (Japan Air Transport Co. Ltd.) Kawanishi then split off the former Kawanishi Engineering Works, forming Kawanishi Kokuki KK in 1928, taking all of the Kawanishi Engineering Works' assets.Mikesh and Abe 1990, pp. 124–125.
While Kawanishi was best known for its seaplanes, such as the Kawanishi H6K and H8K flying boats, its N1K-J land-based fighter -derived from their Kawanishi N1K1 floatplane fighter- was considered one of the best in the war. After Japan's defeat, the company was reborn as Shin Meiwa Industries (later ShinMaywa), and continued to create flying boats such as the PS-1 and US-2.
Products
Floatplanes E5K - 1931 three-seat reconnaissance floatplane, Kawanishi-built version of Yokosuka E5Y; 20 built E7K - 1933 three-seat reconnaissance floatplane; 533 built E8K - 1933 reconnaissance floatplane prototype, cancelled as it was inferior to the Nakajima E4N2; one built E10K - 1934 night reconnaissance/transport flying boat; one built, but cancelled in favor of the Aichi E10A; prototype converted into a transport E11K - 1937 night reconnaissance flying boat; two built, but cancelled in favor of the Aichi E11A E12K - 1937 two-seat reconnaissance floatplane project E13K - 1938 three-seat reconnaissance floatplane; two built, but cancelled in favor of the Aichi E13A E15K Shiun - 1941 reconnaissance floatplane; 15 built
Bombers G9K Gunzan - proposed land-based heavy bomber based on the H8K, remained a project, the "G9K Gunzan" name being a post-war extrapolation. - twin-engine land-based bomber project - four-engine heavy bomber project
Flying boats H3K - 1930 patrol/training flying boat; 5 built H6K - 1936 patrol flying boat developed from the H3K; 215 built H8K - 1941 patrol flying boat; 167 built - transport flying boat project; mockup only - long-range 80 ton flying boat project - proposed turbojet-powered long-range flying boat, not built - 500 ton, 12 engine flying boat project
Fighters K-11 - 1927 carrier-based fighter A8K - 1945 projected carrier-based fighter based on the J6K J3K - 1942 interceptor fighter, not built J6K Jinpū - 1943 interceptor fighter based on the J3K; mockup only N1K Kyōfū - 1942 floatplane fighter N1K1-J/N1K2-J Shiden/Shiden Kai - 1942 land-based fighter conversion of N1K
Trainers K6K - 1938 floatplane trainer prototype; 2 built K8K - 1938 floatplane trainer; 15 built
Transports H6K2-L/H6K4-L - unarmed transport conversions of H6K H8K1-L/H8K2-L/H8K4-L Seikū - transport conversions of H8K; H8K4-L remained a project as all H8K4s were lost in 1945 H11K1-L - projected transport version of H11K
Suicide attack aircraft Baika - projected kamikaze aircraft based on the Fieseler Fi 103R, not built
Civil aircraft K-1 - 1920 mail plane K-2 - 1921 single-seat racer K-3 - 1921 multipurpose transport aircraft developed from the K-1 K-5 - 1922 floatplane mail plane K-6 - 1923 three-seat biplane airliner K-7A Transport Seaplane - 1925 six-seat biplane floatplane airliner K-7B Mail-carrying Aircraft - mail plane modification of K-7A K-8 Transport Seaplane - 1926 floatplane mail plane K-9 - cargo aircraft project K-10 Transport - 1926 mail plane/six-seat airliner K-12 Sakura - 1928 experimental long-range record-breaking aircraft
References
Sources
(new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, .)
Mikesh, Robert C. and Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft, 1910–1941. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1990. . Richards, M.C. "Kawanishi 4-Motor Flying-Boats (H6K 'Mavis' and H8K 'Emily')". Aircraft in Profile Volume 11. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1972.
External links
Corporate History of ShinMaywa at shinmaywa.co.jp