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The Mitsubishi G3M (九六式陸上攻撃機: Type 96 land-based attack aircraft; Allied reporting name Nell) was a Japanese bomber aircraft used during World War II, mostly against the Chinese.

The bomber had a crew of five, and had its first flight in July 1935. The aircraft was armed with three 7.7mm machine guns. Maximum speed was 188 knots and had a range of over 2,200 miles. The G3M was also designed to carry an 800 kg torpedo for ship attacks.

The G3M has its origins in a specification submitted to the Mitsubishi company from the Imperial Japanese Navy requesting a heavy bomber aircraft with chiefly a range figure unprecedented at the time. This stemmed from principally Admiral Yamamoto's influence in the Naval High Commission of the necessity of a long range heavy bomber capable of encompassing the enormous ranges of the arenas where Imperial Japan sought to conquer in the years to come, including those outlined in the expansionist Tanaka Memorial -- namely China, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Isles and vast Far East Russia. The requirement for payload too, was unprecedented in Japanese military aviation history, though necessary to accommodate the aerial torpedo envisaged to combat the armoured battleships of the Allies in the geographical broadness of the Pacific front. The speed requirement submitted by the Naval Department was also unprecedented in not only Japanese but also international heavy bomber aviation, where in relation to the envisaged Japanese battlegrounds of China and the Pacific, the bomber would need to not only cover lengthy range, but necessarily feature the exceptional speed to strike distant targets with a minimum attack time. Thus the G3M was an embodiment of Japanese military aircraft design in the brief period leading to the Pacific War, with great offensive armament (in this case in the form of bombs/torpedoes), range and speed emphasised over protection and defensive capabilities.

The G3M flew for first time in 1935, taking off from a Nagasaki airfield belonging to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and landing at Haneda Airport on the outskirts of Tokyo. The G3M first saw combat in Japan's expansionist campaigns on the Chinese mainland in what became known as the Second Sino-Japanese War, where as part of a pre-emptive strike plan designed by Admiral Yamamoto (the very authority that had demanded the designing of such a bomber), the G3M was able to exploit its long range capability,when August-November,1937 if established the "1st Rengo Kokutai" a special section conformed with "Kanoya" and "Kizarazu Kokutai" based in Taipei,Formosa, Omura,Kyūshū and Jeju Island.in August 14 of same year ones 42 "Nells" and 7 Hiro G2H1s scorted by 12 Nakajima A4Ns and 12 Mitsubishi A5Ms of "2nd Rengo Kokutai" (unit conformed by 12nd and 13th Kokutai),departing from bases for effectively crossing the East China Sea,for bombing Hangchow and Kwanteh,among others actions of terror bombing in coastal and inland targets in China, including the infamously treacherous bombing of the Battle of Shanghai and Nanjing. Thus while it was the first transoceanic bomber in air war history, it also had the dubious distinction of being the first mass-produced bomber aircraft to wage terror bombing indiscriminately on civilians. Later, from bases in occupied Chinese territories, it took part in the strategic carpet bombing of the Chinese heartland, its combat range being sufficient to cover the elongated distances involved. Most notably, it was involved in the round-the-clock Bombing of Chongqing, a campaign that resulted in what would now be considered massive collateral damage. When the Pacific War erupted in 1941 after a similarly Japanese-style pre-emptive strike in the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, although antiquated, 200 first line units were operated in the central Pacific and the Philippines. On the 8th of December 1941, (7th across the International Date Line), G3Ms struck Singapore City from bases in occupied Vietnam as one of many air raids during the Battle of Singapore, resulting in thousands of British and Asiatic civilians dead. Wake Island was similarly bombed by G3Ms on the first day of the war, with both civilian and US Navy infrastructure being heavily damaged on the ground.

The G3M was famous for taking part of the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse with the more advanced Mitsubishi G4M "Betty", on 10 December 1941. "Nells" provided important support during the attack on the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse (Force Z) near the Malayan coast. The Prince of Wales and the Repulse were the first two battleships ships ever sunk exclusively by air attack while at sea during war.

From 1943, the majority of "Nells" served as glider tugs, aircrew and paratroop trainers and for transporting high-ranking officers and VIPs between metropolitan islands, occupied territories and combat fronts until the end of the war.

General characteristics

• Crew: 7
• Length: 16.45 m (53 ft 11½ in)
• Wingspan: 25 m (82 ft 0 in)
• Height: 3.68 m (12 ft ⅞in)
• Wing area: 75 m² (807 ft²)
• Empty weight: 4,965 kg (10,923 lb)
• Loaded weight: 8,000 kg (17,600 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Mitsubishi Kinsei 45 radial engine, 1,075 hp (791 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 375 km/h (203 knots, 233 mph)
• Cruise speed: 280 km/h (151 knots, 174 mph)
• Range: 4,400 km (2,730 mi)
• Service ceiling 9,200 m (30,200 ft)
• Rate of climb: 6 m/s (1180 ft/min)

Armament
 

• Guns
  • 1 x Type 99 20mm cannon in rear dorsal turret
  • 4 x Type 92 7.7 mm machine gun in cockpit, left and right side positions, and in retractable forward dorsal turret.
• Bombs
  • 800 kg of bombs or 1 torpedo

 

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The Mitsubishi G4M or 一式陸攻 Ichishiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō ("Type 1 land-based attack aircraft") was the main twin-engined, land-based bomber aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the identification name of Betty.

The G4M had a long range and high-speed at the time of its introduction. However, it was known for its poorly-protected fuel tanks, which caused Allied fighter pilots to give it the derisive nicknames "one-shot lighter", "flying Zippo" and "flying cigar". Similarly, pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy called the G4M the "Type One Lighter" and Hamaki (Cigar). This was due to the fact that on many occasions, it was used for low-altitude torpedo attacks where its performance advantages were negated. The "Betty"'s relatively-large size made it a large target to shoot at, and the simplified approach path on a torpedo run to attack a ship, meant for a generally easy interception.

When used for medium- to high-altitude bombing against stationary targets like a supply depots, seaports, or airfields, "ease of interception" was another matter entirely. Using its long range and high speed, the G4M could appear from any direction, and then be gone before many fighters could intercept them. The 20 mm cannon in the tail turret was much heavier armament than commonly installed in bombers, making dead astern attacks very dangerous. Sometimes, assuming they did not catch fire in the first place, G4Ms also proved to be able to remain airborne despite being badly shot up. For example, after 751 Kokutai's attack during the Battle of Rennell Island, three out of four survivors (of eleven aircraft that went to attack) returned flying on one engine only. Near the end of the war the "Betty" was used as a common kamikaze-carrying and launching platform, and was the usual aircraft for carrying the Ohka kamikaze rocket aircraft.

The G4M was similar in performance and missions to other contemporary twin-engine bombers such as the German Junkers Ju 88 and Heinkel He 111, the North American B-25 Mitchell, and the American Martin B-26 Marauder. These were all commonly used in the anti-shipping role, and all but the B-25 were used as torpedo-bombers. The G4M Model 11 was prominent in attacks on Allied shipping in the 1941 to early 1944 time-frame, but beyond that time, it was increasingly the easy prey of the ever-improving enemy fighters.

The G4M's baptism by fire occurred September 13, 1940 in Mainland China, when 27 Bettys and Mitsubishi C5M1 of 1st Rengo Kokutai (a composite force including elements of Kanoya and Kizarazu Kokutais) departed from Taipei, Omura and Cheju to attack Hankow. The bombers and reconnaissance aircraft were escorted by 13 Mitsubishi A6Ms of 12st Kokutai led by Navy Lt. Saburo Shindo. A similar operation occurred in May 1941. In December 1941, 120 Taiwan-based G4Ms of 1st Kokutai and Kanoya Kokutai belonging to the 21st Koku Sentai crossed the Luzon Strait en route to bombing the Philippines, the beginning to widespread Southeast Asia operations.

General characteristics

• Crew: Seven (main-pilot, co-pilot, navigator/bombardier/nose gunner, captain/top turret gunner, radio operator/waist gunner, engine mechanic/waist gunner, tail gunner)
• Length: 65 ft 6 in (19.970 m)
• Wingspan: 81 ft 7 in (24.9 m)
• Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.900 m (in a horizontal position))
• Wing area: 840.9 ft² (78.125 m²)
• Airfoil: Mitsubishi type
• Empty weight: 15,430 lb (7,000 kg)
• Loaded weight: 20,940 lb (9,5000 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Mitsubishi "Kasei (Fire star)" Type 11, 14 cylinder radial engine, 1,530 hp () each
• Propellers: Three-bladed Hamilton licensed Sumitomo constant speed variable-pitch

Performance

• Maximum speed: 264.7 mph (426 km/h, 230 knots)
• Cruise speed: 195.7 mph (315 km/h, 175 knots)
• Stall speed: 74.6 mph (120 km/h)
• Range: 2,664 mi, (overloaded, one way) (2,852 km, one way (overloaded: 4,288 km, 2,315 nm))
• Service ceiling 27,890 ft (8,500 m)

• power (detail):1,530 hp / 2,450 rpm at take-off, 1,410 hp / 2,350 rpm at 2,000 m, 1,340 hp / 2,350 rpm at 4,000 m (13,120 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1 x 20 mm Type 99 cannon (tail turret), 4 x 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun (nose turret x 1, waist turret x 2, top turret x 1)

 

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The Mitsubishi Ki-21 (九七式重爆撃機, Kyūnana-shiki jūbakugekiki^?) (Allied codename: "Sally" /"Gwen") was a Japanese bomber during World War II. It began operations during the Second Sino-Japanese War participating in the Nomonhan Incident, and in the first stages of the Pacific War, including the Malayan, Burmese, Dutch East Indies and New Guinea Campaigns. It was also used to attack targets as far-flung as western China, India and northern Australia.

In 1936 Imperial Japanese Army Air Service issued a requirement for a new heavy bomber to replace both the Mitsubishi Ki-20 (Army Type 92 Heavy Bomber) and the Mitsubishi Ki-1 (Army Type 93 Heavy Bomber). The design called for a crew of at least four, top speed of 400 km/h (250 mph), endurance of at least five hours, and a bomb load of 750 kg (1650 lb). The design parameters were very ambitious, and few twin-engine bombers anywhere in the world could exceed such performance at that time.

Both Mitsubishi and Nakajima were asked to build prototypes. The Mitsubishi design was an all-metal cantilever mid-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear, ventral bomb bay and two radial engines. In the resulting competition Mitsubishi's Ki-21 and Nakajima's Ki-19 were found to have nearly identical performance. Although the Army liked the Ki-21 airframe, the Nakajima engines were considered superior, and after evaluation of both types, Mitsubishi was instructed to change its own 825 hp (620 kW) Mitsubishi Ha-6 radial engines for Nakajima Ha-5 engines and to modify its tail surfaces. The design was accepted into production as the "Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber Model 1A".

Production aircraft began to enter service in the summer 1938, replacing Fiat BR.20 bombers which had been purchased as an interim measure.

Several improved versions followed (see below) before the production of the type ended in September 1944. A total of 2,064 aircraft were built, 1,713 by Mitsubishi and 351 by Nakajima.

The Ki-21-Ia was used in combat in the war with China in autumn 1938, initially with great success, but not in great numbers, as production delays prevented the IJAAF from re-equipping the 60th Sentai and 61st Sentai until the end of 1939. However, combat revealed that the greatest weaknesses of the design were in its lack of armament and self-sealing fuel tanks.

The Ki-21-Ib was an improved version designed to address the armament issue by increasing the number of 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns to five, and incorporating improvements to the horizontal tail surfaces and trailing edge flaps. In addition, the bomb bay was enlarged. The tail gun was a 'stinger' installation, and was remotely controlled. Also the fuel tanks were partially protected with laminated rubber sheets.

This was followed in production by the Ki-21-Ic with an auxiliary fuel tank of 110 Imperial gallons (500 liters), fitted in the rear weapons-bay and one more 7.7 mm machine gun, bringing the total to six. Four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs were carried externally. To offset the increase in weight the main wheels of the Ki-21-IC were increased in size.

However, by the attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of the Pacific War, losses due to improvements in Republic of China Air Force fighter quality and quantities caused losses to mount, and most Ki-21-1a, -1b and -1c had been relegated to training or second-line duties.

Front line units from mid-1940 were equipped with the Ki-21-IIa (“Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber Model 2A”) with the more powerful 1,500 hp (1,120 kW) Mitsubishi Ha-101 air-cooled engines and larger horizontal tail surfaces. This became the main version operated by most IJAAF heavy bomber squadrons at the beginning of the Pacific War, and played a major role in many early campaigns. For operations over the Philippines the JAAF's 5th,14rd and 62rd Air Groups, based in Taiwan, attacked American targets at Aparri, Tuguegarao, Vigan and other targets in Luzon on 8 December 1941. The 3rd, 12th, 60th and 98th Air Groups, based in French Indochina, struck British and Australian targets in Thailand and Malaya, bombing Alor Star, Sungai Petani and Butterworth under escort by Nakajima Ki-27 and Ki-43 fighters. However, starting from operations over Burma in December 1941 and early 1942, the Ki-21 began to suffer heavy casualties from Curtiss P-40's and Hawker Hurricanes.

To partially compensate, the IJAAF introduced the Ki-21-IIb, with a pedal-operated upper turret with one 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Type 1 machine gun, redesigned cockpit canopies and increased fuel capacity. Although used in all fronts in the Pacific theater, it became clear by 1942 that the design was rapidly becoming obsolete, and was increasingly shifted away from front-line service.

In spite of its shortcomings, the Ki-21 was remained in service until the end of the war, being utilized as transport (along with the civil transport version MC-21), bomber crew and paratrooper trainer, for liaison and communications, special commando and secret missions, and suicide operations.

Nine Ki-21-Ia/b were sold by Japan to Thailand in 1940 for use by the Royal Thai Air Force against Vichy French forces in French Indochina but did not participate in the French-Thai War as its crews had not completed training.

Towards the end of the war, remaining Ki-21s were used by Giretsu Special Forces in strikes against American forces in Okinawa and the Ryūkyū Islands. One of the noted operations was an attack on the Allied-held Yontan airfield on the night of 24 May 1945. Nine Ki-12-IIb's of 3rd Dokuritsu Chutai were dispatched for a strike, each with 14 commandos. Four were shot down, but five managed to crash-land on the airfield. The raiders, armed with submachine guns and phosphorous grenades then wrought havoc on the supplies and nearby aircraft, destroyed 70,000 gallons of fuel and nine aircraft, and damaging 26 more.

A number of Ki-21-la were modified to serve as military transports for use by Greater Japan Airways, which was under contract by the Japanese Army in China for transportation. Designated "MC-20", these aircraft had all armament and military equipment removed. Used primarily as cargo transports, each could also seat nine paratroopers. Aircraft built from the start as transports were given the separate designation of Mitsubishi Ki-57.

The Ki-21 had more than one Allied codename. Initially called 'Jane', the name was quickly changed to 'Sally' when General Douglas MacArthur objected that the name was the same as that of his wife. When the Ki-21-IIb entered service, the absence of the long dorsal “greenhouse” led Allied observers to mistake it for a completely new type, which was designated 'Gwen'. However, when it was realized that 'Gwen' was a new version of the Ki-21, it was renamed 'Sally 3', with 'Sally 1' referring to the earlier Ha-5 powered models, and 'Sally 2' referring to the Ha-101 powered Ki-21-IIa.

General characteristics

• Crew: 5-7
• Length: 16.0 m (52 ft 6 in)
• Wingspan: 22.50 m (73 ft 10 in)
• Height: 4.85 m (15 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 69.90 m² (752.12 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,070 kg (13,354 lb)
• Loaded weight: 10,600 kg (23,320 lb)
• plant: Power 2× Mitsubishi Type 100 Ha-101 14 cylinder radial, 1,119 kW (1,500 hp) each
• Propellers: 2 three-blade metal variable-pitch propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 485 km/h (301 mph) at 4,700 m (15,400 ft)
• Cruise speed: 380 km/h (236 mph)
• Range: 2,700 km (1,680 miles)
• Service ceiling 10,000 m (32,800 ft)
• Rate of climb: 13 min 13 sec to 6,000 m (19,680 ft)

Armament

• 5 × 7.7 mm flexible Type 89 machine guns in nose, tail, beam and tail positions
• 1 × Ho 103 12.7 mm Type 1 Heavy Machine Gun in dorsal turret
• 1000 kg (2200 lb) of bombs

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