Aichi Kokuki
1898–1966 aircraft, engine and automobile manufacturer in Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aichi Kokuki KK (愛知航空機株式会社, Aichi Kōkūki Kabushiki Kaisha; Aichi Aircraft Co., Ltd.) was a Japanese aerospace manufacturer which produced several designs for the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, the company was reorganized as Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd (愛知機械工業) where they made small kei cars until 1966 when they were integrated into Nissan and developed the Nissan Sunny and Nissan Vanette.
Company type | Limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
| Founded | 1898 in Nagoya, Japan |
| Fate | Integrated into Nissan |
| Successor | Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd |
| Products | Aircraft |
| Parent | Nissan |
| Website | Aichi Kokuki corporate website |
History
Aichi Watch and Electric Manufacturing
The company was established in 1898 in Nagoya as Aichi Tokei Denki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Watch and Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). Aircraft production started in 1920,[1] and the company relied initially on technical assistance from Heinkel,[1] which influenced some of their designs. Later, with the prodding and support of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the company started making seaplanes using technology imported from Short Brothers in the UK.[2]
During the inter-war period, Aichi was the beneficiary of technology transferred from Heinkel of Germany. At the time, a team from the League of Nations occasionally visited German aircraft manufacturers to monitor the ban on military aircraft research and production. A Japanese military attache who was a member of the monitoring team, let Heinkel know, confidentially and in advance, of the planned visits. Heinkel thus succeeded in continuing its design on the aircraft ordered by Aichi Aircraft without being spotted.[3]
In 1943 the aircraft division was spun off as Aichi Kokuki Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Aircraft Co., Ltd.).[4]
Aichi Machine Industry
After the war, the company was reorganized, manufacturing kei cars under the Cony brand name in Japan. Its current descendant, Aichi Kikai Kōgyō Kabushiki Kaisha (Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd.), is integrated with the Nissan corporate structure.[5]
Products
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aichi AB-1 | 1928 | 1 | Single engine biplane airliner |
| Aichi AB-2 | 1930 | 2 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AB-3 | 1932 | 1 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AB-4 | 1932 | 6 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance flying boat |
| Aichi AB-5 | 1[6] | License built single engine biplane floatplane | |
| Aichi AB-6 | 1933 | 1 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AB-7 | 2 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane | |
| Aichi AB-8 | 1 | Single engine biplane dive bomber | |
| Aichi AB-9 | 1[7] | Single engine biplane dive bomber | |
| Aichi AB-10 | Single engine biplane dive bomber | ||
| Aichi AB-11 | N/A | 0 | Single engine biplane dive bomber |
| Aichi AB-12 | 1934 | 15 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance flying boat |
| Aichi AB-13 | 1936 | 2 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AB-14 | 1937 | 17 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance flying boat |
| Aichi AM-7 | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt single engine monoplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AM-10 | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt single engine monoplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AM-15 | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt single engine monoplane fighter or unbuilt single engine monoplane sports plane[a] |
| Aichi AM-16 | N/A | 0 | Twin engine monoplane reconnaissance flying boat |
| Aichi AM-17 | 1938 | 1,495 | Single engine monoplane dive bomber |
| Aichi AM-18 | 2 | Single engine monoplane reconnaissance floatplane | |
| Aichi AM-19 | 133[b] | Single engine monoplane reconnaissance floatplane | |
| Aichi AM-20 | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt single engine monoplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Aichi AM-21 | 1940 | 31 | Twin engine monoplane trainer flying boat |
| Aichi AM-22 | 1942 | 256 | Single engine monoplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi AM-23 | 1942 | 114 | Single engine monoplane torpedo bomber |
| Aichi AM-24 | 1943 | 28 | Single engine monoplane dive bomber floatplane |
| Aichi AM-25 | N/A | 2 | Twin engine monoplane night fighter |
| Aichi AM-26 | N/A | 0 | Unbuilt single engine monoplane torpedo bomber |
| Aichi Type H | 2[c] | License built single engine biplane carrier fighter | |
| Aichi Type 2 Single-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane | 1[d] | License built single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane | |
| Aichi Type 15-Ko Reconnaissance Seaplane | 1925 | 4 | Single engine monoplane reconnaissance floatplane |
| Aichi Type 2 Two-seat Reconnaissance Seaplane | 16 | License built single engine biplane reconnaissance floatplane | |
Engines
- Aichi AC-1 - 1929 experimental nine-cylinder radial engine
- Aichi Atsuta (アツタ or 熱田) - licensed copy of the Daimler-Benz DB 601A inverted V12
- Aichi Ha-70 - two Atsuta engines coupled together
Automotive
Nissan engines
Transmissions
- FS6R31 - with synchronous control.
- F30A / F50A / F70A
- MFA60 / MFA80
- W60A
- FS5R30A
- MRA70
- GR6
Vehicles manufactured
- Nissan Cherry
- Nissan Sunny
- Nissan Vanette
- Nissan Serena (Largo)
- Cony Guppy, a two-seat microcar
- Cony 360 Wide, a cabover keitora/Microvan/minitruck
- Cony Giant 360, predecessor to Cony 360
- Cony 360 a passenger kei car
