How long were the Aichi E13A's longest patrols?

Short answer

The figure on record is the aircraft's range: up to 15 hours of endurance. The E13A normally flew its intended role as a reconnaissance aircraft, though it was occasionally used as staff transport or as a bomber. In December 1941, cruiser-borne examples scouted for the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How long were the Aichi E13A's longest patrols?

¿Cuánto duraban las patrullas más largas del Aichi E13A?

Fifteen hours in the air

The endurance of the Aichi E13A reached 15 hours. The aircraft normally flew in its intended role as a reconnaissance aircraft, although it was also occasionally used as a staff transport or as a bomber.

A 1937 specification for a three-seat floatplane

At the end of 1937 the Japanese Navy issued a second 12-Shi specification, this time for a three-seat, twin-float floatplane. The E12A and E13A prototypes made their first flights at the end of 1938. The type entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1941.

From Pearl Harbor to the kamikaze attacks

The E13A joined the 8th Cruiser Division in time to take part in the attack on Pearl Harbor: in December 1941, aircraft embarked on cruisers carried out the reconnaissance for that attack. Aichi built a total of 133 E13A1s between 1940 and 1942, and the 11th Naval Air Arsenal at Hiro produced another 48. Between 1942 and the end of the Second World War, a further 1,237 E13A1s were built, for a total of 1,418 aircraft. Towards the end of the war, many of the remaining aircraft were used in kamikaze attacks.