E7K1 AND MXY4

The Kugisho MXY4 was a Japanese WWII unmanned aerial vehicle. The MXY4 was built with a low wing structure and a wooden structure. The flight of the prototype took place in 1940, and mass production started shortly after. The drive was provided by a single 32 HP Nihon Semi 11 engine. The aircraft was 7 meters long with a wingspan of 10 meters. The Kugisho MXY4 was developed by order of the Imperial Japanese Navy as a flying target for shooting exercises for fighter pilots. It was developed to replace the failed MXY3 glider dedicated to the same tasks. Compared to its predecessor, it differed in many elements. First of all, it had a power unit, it was built in a low wing configuration, not a high wing like the MXY3, it was also significantly larger than it. It also had a fixed float undercarriage. However, it was still assumed that it would be lifted into the air by an airplane and later radio-guided by an operator from the ground. In practice, the MXY4 - like the MXY3 - worked with the Kawanishi E7K1 seaplane.The Kawanishi E7K is a Japanese mixed metal-canvas reconnaissance seaplane for WWII ships. The crew consisted of three people. The prototype flight took place in February 1933 and the machine entered mass production in the same year. The E7K replaced the older E5K1 machine in the line. Two versions of this very successful plane were created. The first one, powered by a 600HP Hiro Type 91 engine, was called E7K1. The production series consisted of 183 machines of this version. The second, designated E7K2, was powered by a 900HP Mitsubishi Zuisei 11 engine, which significantly improved performance, and also had slightly different dimensions than the previous version. 347 were produced. Both versions were manufactured by Kawanishi Kokuki KK in Nauro and Nippon Hikoki KK in Tomioka. Technical data (version E7K2): length: 10.5m, wingspan: 14m, height: 4.85m, maximum speed: 275km / h, maximum range: 1850km, maximum ceiling 7060m, armament: fixed-3 machine guns Type 92 cal. .7.7mm, suspended - up to 120 kg bombs.