Kawanishi H8K

The H8K was an Imperial Japanese Navy flying boat produced by the Kawanishi Aircraft Company and used during World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the H8K type was 'Emily', had the designation Type 97 Flying Boat Model 2.
At the same time the Kawanishi H6K was going into service in 1938, the Navy ordered the development of a larger, longer-ranged patrol aircraft under the designation Navy Experimental 13-Shi Large-size Flying Boat. Specifications for the H8K called for an aircraft that could fly 5,000 miles at 210 mph and have a maximum speed of 280 mph. The result was a large, shoulder-winged design that is widely regarded as the best flying boat of the war, the Kawanishi H8K. Despite this, initial development was troublesome, with the prototype displaying terrible handling on the water. Deepening of the hull, redesigning of the planing bottom and the addition of spray strips under the nose however, rectified this.

The Kawanishi H8K entered production in 1941 and first saw operational use on the night of 4 March 1942 in a second raid on Pearl Harbor. Two H8Ks were involved in this raid on Pearl Harbor on March 4-5, 1942 and this was the longest distance ever undertaken by a two-plane bombing mission, and the longest bombing sortie ever planned without fighter escort. Two airplanes left Wotje Atoll in the Marshall Islands and were refueled by submarine at the French Frigate Shoals. However due to cloud cover, the raid did not accomplish any significant damage and there were no American casualties. Another long distance mission had been planned for Midway, but was cancelled after the refueling submarine discovered that the French Frigate Shoals were occupied by American Forces. On 20 July 1942 the Yokohama Ku (Kokutai), which had been the first unit equipped with the type, moved to Rabaul in New Britain with No 14-Ku, a detachment of the Yokosuka-Ku, which at that stage was equipped with the H6K4 Mavis, to carry out reconnaissance and night missions over the New Hebrides, New Caledonia and Fiji. In August No 14-Ku began to re-equip with the H8K1. On 1 October 1942 No 14-Ku became 802-Ku and the Yokosuka and Yokohama Kus were re-designated 851-Ku and 810-Ku a month later. These units subsequently performed many of the long-range flying-boat operations in the Pacific war, many of these being of long distances, such as attacks on the United States fleet at Espiritu Santo Island; from Jaluit Island to the Shortland Islands; and to the Phoenix Islands, distances of up to 1,850 km (1,150 miles). Some were of up to 18 hours duration and, it was said, reconnaissance missions were made along the Australian west coast, culminating on 17 August 1943 with an Emily bombing the Broome aerodrome, WA. Three bombing raids were made on Townsville, QLD and reports indicated these were made by Rabaul-based H8K2 Emilys, whereas for many years it was thought the raids were made by H6K 'Mavis' flying boats.

The improved H8K2 variant soon appeared, and its extremely heavy defensive armament earned it deep respect among Allied aircrews and as a result it was nicknamed the 'flying porcupine'. In 1945, north of the Philippines, three American submarines were sunk by radar equipped Kawanishi H8Ks. The H8K2 was an upgrade over the H8K1, having more powerful engines, slightly revised armament, and an increase in fuel capacity. This was to be the definitive variant, with 112 produced. The progressively deteriorating war situation for Japan led to a run-down in production of flying boats during 1945 in favour of fighters for home defence and later versions of the H8K were accordingly abandoned. Nevertheless this excellent aircraft saw considerable service, being flown by the 14th, 801st, 851st, 1001st, 1021st, Takuma, Toko, Yokohama and Yokosuka Chinjufu Kokutais. Altogether there were some 167 H8K's produced during the war and only four aircraft survived to the end of the war.