The Tokyo Koku Aiba-Tsubame or Tokyo Aviation Aiba-Swallow was a 1930s Japanese civil transport with seats for three passengers. It was intended to be cheap to produce so, although its fuselage was a new design, its wings and undercarriage were those of another Japanese aircraft. Two were built and flew taxi services and joyrides.
Tokyo Aviation was formed in 1936 from the 1935 Tokyo Air Transport Co., founded by Tamotsu Aiba. It aimed to produce low cost civil transport and trainer aircraft. The Aiba-Tsubame, its first design, was a three passenger aircraft with a new fuselage and a Japanese engine, married to the wings, tail and undercarriage of the Yokosuka Navy Type 3 Primary Trainer,[1] a Japanese update of the Avro 504 with revised empennage and undercarriage.[2] It was funded by the Imperial Flying Association.
A biplane, its two bay wings were rectangular in plan out to rounded tips, braced by two parallel pairs of interplane struts on each side and supported over the fuselage with near-vertical, parallel pairs of short cabane struts. There were externally interconnected ailerons on upper and lower wings, reaching from near the wingtips across the outer bay.[1]
Its 150 hp (110 kW) Gasuden Jimpu Kai-1 seven cylinder radial engine was mounted in the nose of a deep, flat-sided, fuselage with curved upper decking. Structurally the fuselage was entirely wooden. It was flown from an open cockpit under the leading edge of the upper wing. The cabin seated three passengers who, in the prototype (Aiba-Tsubame 6), had windows over the wing. The second aircraft, the Aiba-Tsubame 7, had a longer cabin with an extra window behind the trailing edge.[1]
The Aiba-Tsubame had a tail with a cropped, triangular profile fin which carried a full, rounded, balanced rudder very distinct from the comma form of most 504s' rudders. The broad, rectangular plan horizontal tail was very similar to that of the 504.[3]
Its undercarriage was of the single axle type, with landing legs to the inner wing and rearward drag struts meeting at the fuselage centre-line.[1]
The Aiba-Tsubame 6 was completed in September 1936, followed by the Aiba-Tsubame 7 in December. They were the only examples built. Despite the similarities of name, the Aiba-Tsubame 8 Trainer was a different design, a two seat, single bay biplane.[1]
Operational historyedit
Based at Haneda Airport, the two Swallows were used as taxis and for sight-seeing flights. They proved reliable, safe in flight, stable and easy to control, becoming the most familiar of Haneda's aircraft.[1]
Variantsedit
Aiba-Tsubame 6
First airframe.
Aiba-Tsubame 7
As Aiba-Tsubame 6 but with an internally extended cabin and slightly (about 28 kg (62 lb)) heavier.
Time to altitude: 22 min 5 s to 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Referencesedit
^ abcdefgMikesh, Robert C.; Abe, Shorzoe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam Publishing. pp. 254–5. ISBN1-55750-563-2.
^Mikesh; Abe. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. pp. 276–7.
^Jackson, A.J. (1965). Avro Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam Publishing.
April 12, 2024
tokyo, koku, aiba, tsubame, tokyo, aviation, aiba, swallow, 1930s, japanese, civil, transport, with, seats, three, passengers, intended, cheap, produce, although, fuselage, design, wings, undercarriage, were, those, another, japanese, aircraft, were, built, fl. The Tokyo Koku Aiba Tsubame or Tokyo Aviation Aiba Swallow was a 1930s Japanese civil transport with seats for three passengers It was intended to be cheap to produce so although its fuselage was a new design its wings and undercarriage were those of another Japanese aircraft Two were built and flew taxi services and joyrides Aiba Tsubame Aiba Swallow Role Low cost three passenger civil transportManufacturer Tokyo Koku KK Tokyo Aviation Co Ltd First flight About September 1936Number built 2 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specifications Aiba Tsubame 6 5 ReferencesDesign and development editTokyo Aviation was formed in 1936 from the 1935 Tokyo Air Transport Co founded by Tamotsu Aiba It aimed to produce low cost civil transport and trainer aircraft The Aiba Tsubame its first design was a three passenger aircraft with a new fuselage and a Japanese engine married to the wings tail and undercarriage of the Yokosuka Navy Type 3 Primary Trainer 1 a Japanese update of the Avro 504 with revised empennage and undercarriage 2 It was funded by the Imperial Flying Association A biplane its two bay wings were rectangular in plan out to rounded tips braced by two parallel pairs of interplane struts on each side and supported over the fuselage with near vertical parallel pairs of short cabane struts There were externally interconnected ailerons on upper and lower wings reaching from near the wingtips across the outer bay 1 Its 150 hp 110 kW Gasuden Jimpu Kai 1 seven cylinder radial engine was mounted in the nose of a deep flat sided fuselage with curved upper decking Structurally the fuselage was entirely wooden It was flown from an open cockpit under the leading edge of the upper wing The cabin seated three passengers who in the prototype Aiba Tsubame 6 had windows over the wing The second aircraft the Aiba Tsubame 7 had a longer cabin with an extra window behind the trailing edge 1 The Aiba Tsubame had a tail with a cropped triangular profile fin which carried a full rounded balanced rudder very distinct from the comma form of most 504s rudders The broad rectangular plan horizontal tail was very similar to that of the 504 3 Its undercarriage was of the single axle type with landing legs to the inner wing and rearward drag struts meeting at the fuselage centre line 1 The Aiba Tsubame 6 was completed in September 1936 followed by the Aiba Tsubame 7 in December They were the only examples built Despite the similarities of name the Aiba Tsubame 8 Trainer was a different design a two seat single bay biplane 1 Operational history editBased at Haneda Airport the two Swallows were used as taxis and for sight seeing flights They proved reliable safe in flight stable and easy to control becoming the most familiar of Haneda s aircraft 1 Variants editAiba Tsubame 6 First airframe Aiba Tsubame 7 As Aiba Tsubame 6 but with an internally extended cabin and slightly about 28 kg 62 lb heavier Specifications Aiba Tsubame 6 editData from Japanese Aircraft 1910 1941 1 General characteristicsCrew one Capacity three passengers Length 8 43 m 27 ft 8 in Wingspan 11 165 m 36 ft 8 in Height 3 14 m 10 ft 4 in Wing area 30 4 m2 327 sq ft Empty weight 686 kg 1 512 lb Gross weight 1 071 kg 2 361 lb Powerplant 1 Gasuden Jimpu Kai 1 seven cylinder radial 110 kW 150 hp Propellers 2 bladed Kawanishi 5 woodenPerformance Maximum speed 153 km h 95 mph 83 kn Cruise speed 100 km h 62 mph 54 kn Range 430 km 267 mi 232 nmi Endurance 3 9 hrs Service ceiling 4 100 m 13 500 ft Time to altitude 22 min 5 s to 3 000 m 9 800 ft References edit a b c d e f g Mikesh Robert C Abe Shorzoe 1990 Japanese Aircraft 1910 1941 London Putnam Publishing pp 254 5 ISBN 1 55750 563 2 Mikesh Abe Japanese Aircraft 1910 1941 pp 276 7 Jackson A J 1965 Avro Aircraft since 1908 London Putnam Publishing Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tokyo Koku Aiba Tsubame amp oldid 1213481497, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
