R.Mikesh, A.Shorzoe Japanese Aircraft, 1910-1941 (Putnam)

Takasou

   Takayuki Takasou built his own aircraft in order to obtain his objective, that of acquiring a pilot's licence. He was born in 1887 at Kobiki-cho, Kyobashi-ku, Tokyo, where he attended school at the Faculty of Commerce at Keio Gijuku (later a University), left at mid-term and began working at the Tokyo Automobile Manufacturing Works. In 1908, with the financial assistance of Horitoshi Ohmiya, Takasou went to the United States, seemingly with the express purpose of building an aeroplane there. In 1911 he built an aeroplane closely resembling a Curtiss pusher and called it the Takasou No.1 Aeroplane.
   This aeroplane is recorded as having been destroyed while taxiing. Following this, he built his No.2 Aeroplane which was said to have been successful. In his No.3 Aeroplane, for which there is no description, he took his examination for an International Pilot Licence and was granted licence No.219.


Takasou No.4 Aeroplane

   Takasou built another aeroplane, which he called the No.4, incorporating improvements over his earlier designs. He returned to Japan with this aeroplane in April 1914. As with many of the earlier designs, this too was based upon the Curtiss pusher but with his own innovations, and powered with a 60hp Hall-Scott engine. His aeroplane had a unique control system which he called the 'three in one,' in which the fore and aft movement of the control wheel operated the elevator, and left and right rotation of the control wheel operated the ailerons which were interconnected with the rudder. The pilot's left foot operated the wheel brake, and the right foot operated the throttle.
   This aeroplane made its first exhibition flight in May 1914 at Himeji Military Grounds in Hyogo Prefecture in central Honshu. In the following month Takasou entered his aeroplane in the First Civil Flying Meet, that was held at Naruo Race Track west of Osaka. He gained second place by staying airborne for 24min 5sec, but failed to win a prize for altitude, although he recorded 680m (2,230ft). He then participated in a memorial flight for Kouha Takeishi in July 1914 at the Kyoto Fukakusa Military Grounds where Takeishi had become the first victim of a civil aviation crash in Japan on 4 May the previous year. After that, Takasou took his No.4 Aeroplane for exhibition flights to Dairen (now Luda) in China, Seoul in Korea, and then to Fukuyama and Tottori in October and November, finishing the tour at Tanba Sasayama in December 1914. By this time the aeroplane was virtually worn out.

   Single-engine pusher biplane. Wooden structure with fabric covering. Exposed tail and nose booms. Pilot in open structure.
   60hp Hall-Scott eight-cylinder vee water-cooled engine, driving a two-bladed wooden propeller.
   Span 11.20m (36ft 9in); length 11m (36ft 1in); height 2.30m (7ft 6 1/2in).
   Empty weight 230kg (507Ib); loaded weight 545kg (1,201Ib).
   Maximum speed 33kt (38mph); endurance 1hr.
   One built in 1914.


Takasou No.5 Aeroplane

   In need of a replacement aeroplane for his No.4, Takayuki Takasou built an improved model at his home workshop at Bakuro-cho, Higashi-ku, Osaka. Known as the Takasou No.5 Aeroplane, it was powered by the same 60hp HallScott engine as had been used in his No.4 Aeroplane.
   After being assured of the new aeroplane's performance in flights at Osaka in March 1915, Takasou took it to Taiwan and Okinawa for more demonstrations which further improved his reputation. He also entered the Second Civil Flying Meet held in December 1915 at Naruo, where he won First Prize for a flight of 35min 30sec, and Second Prize for altitude, having reached 360m (1,181ft).
   On the following day he was making a return flight from Osaka to Naruo when the engine failed over the Muko River on which he made an emergency landing. After repairs he sold the airframe to a Chinese buyer and had the engine rebuilt for his next design, the Takasou TN-6 Aeroplane.

   Single-engine pusher biplane. Wooden structure with fabric covered wings. Exposed tail and nose booms. Pilot in open structure.
   60hp Hall-Scott eight-cylinder vee water-cooled engine, driving a two-bladed wooden propeller.
   Span 11m (36ft 1in); length 9.62m (31 ft 6 1/4in); wing area n.5sq m (296sq ft).
   Loaded weight 530kg (1,168Ib). Maximum speed 52kt (60mph).
   One built in 1915.