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

Inagaki Tractor

   Yasuji Inagaki, was the second son of Buntaro Inagaki, a civil contractor in Kyoto. It was Yasuji Inagaki's intention to design and build a biplane as a home-type project. As problems with the aeroplane continued to develop so did Inagaki's frustrations, Otojiro Itoh of the Itoh aircraft company was asked to assist with the project and make the aeroplane flyable at the Yokaichi Airfield, followed by exhibition flights over Kyoto.
   Itoh accepted the request but with the provision that his work be done at his company location at Inage, in Chiba Prefecture, and that no deadline be set for the date of the test flight. The fee would have been somewhere between 500 and 600 yen. Reluctantly, Inagaki sent the airframe to Inage where Itoh began his work. This included almost rebuilding the fuselage for the increased strength thought to be necessary, along with other modifications. To assure a better chance of success, Itoh installed his 80hp Hall-Scott engine. After three months, the task was completed.
   The aeroplane was test flown on 7 August, 1917, by Itoh attaining a rewarding altitude of at least 30m (100ft). With this success and his continued obligation to Inagaki, Itoh planned exhibition flights at Kyoto for the middle of September of that year as agreed, but Inagaki was not meeting his promise to Itoh for payment. As a result, on 14 December, 1917, Itoh removed his engine from the aeroplane after test flying it at Osaka in conjunction with his own demonstration flights in the Itoh Emi 2 Aeroplane. Inagaki frequently asked Itoh to make further demonstrations of his aeroplane at Kyoto the next January, but Itoh refused.