https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_B6N
reporting name: "Jill") was the Imperial Japanese Navy's standard carrier-borne
torpedo bomber during the final years of World War II and the successor to the
B5N "Kate". Due to its protracted development, a shortage of experienced pilots
and the United States Navy's achievement of air superiority by the time of its
introduction, the B6N was never able to fully demonstrate its combat potential.
The B5N carrier torpedo-bomber's weaknesses had shown themselves early in the
Second Sino-Japanese War and, as well as updating that aircraft, the Imperial
Japanese Navy began seeking a faster longer-ranged replacement. In December 1939
it issued a specification to Nakajima for a Navy Experimental 14-Shi Carrier
Attack Aircraft capable of carrying the same external weapons load as the B5N.
The new plane was to carry a crew of three (pilot, navigator/bombardier and
radio operator/gunner) and be of low wing, cantilevered, all-metal construction
(though control surfaces were fabric-covered). Further requirements included a
top speed of 250 knots (460 km/h; 290 mph), a cruising speed of 200 knots (370
km/h; 230 mph) and a range of 1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) with an 800 kg
(1,800 lb) bomb load or 2,072 nmi (3,837 km; 2,384 mi) without external
armament.
Starting in the fall of 1943, one of every three B6N2s manufactured was equipped
with 3-Shiki Type 3 air-to-surface radar for detecting enemy ships. Yagi
antennas were installed along the wing leading edges and also protruded from the
sides of the rear fuselage.
A final version of the aircraft, designated B6N3 Model 13, was planned for
land-based use as, by this point in the war, all of Japan's large carriers had
been sunk and those few smaller ones remaining lacked catapults for launching
heavier carrier-borne aircraft like the B6N. Changes included installation of a
Kasei Model 25c engine, a more streamlined engine cowling and crew canopy,
strengthening of the main landing gear, a retractable tail wheel and removal of
the tail hook. Two B6N3 prototypes were completed but Japan surrendered before
this variant could be put into production.
By war's end in August 1945, Nakajima had completed a total of 1,268 B6Ns
(almost all of them B6N2s) at its plants in Okawa in the Gumma district and at
Aichi in the Handa district. Production never exceeded more than 90 planes per
month.
Role
Torpedo bomber
National origin
Japan
Manufacturer
Nakajima Aircraft Company
First flight
14 March 1941
Introduction
August 1943
Retired
1945
Primary user
Imperial Japanese Navy
Number built
1,268
The B6N Tenzan began reaching front-line units in August 1943 but only in small
numbers. The intent was to gradually replace all of the older B5N Kate torpedo
planes then operating aboard the carriers of the Third Fleet at Truk Atoll in
the Caroline Islands. However, the B6Ns were prematurely committed to battle
when increased Allied naval activity in the Solomon Islands indicated a likely
invasion at Bougainville. In response to this threat, the IJN initiated
Operation Ro. This involved reinforcing land-based air units at Rabaul with 173
carrier aircraft from First Carrier Division (Zuikaku, Shokaku and Zuiho),
including forty B6Ns. These aircraft were flown from Truk to Rabaul between 28
October and 1 November. On 5 November fourteen B6N1s, escorted by four Zero
fighters, were sent to attack American shipping anchored off Bougainville. Four
B6N1s were lost and no actual hits were scored, yet returning Japanese pilots
claimed to have sunk one large and one medium carrier, two large cruisers and
two other cruisers or large destroyers. This was considered an unusually
auspicious debut for the new warplane.
Additional attacks mounted on 8 November and 11 November yielded less sanguine
results and suffered heavy losses in return. Only 52 of the original 173 planes
from First Carrier Division made it back to Truk on 13 November, among them just
six B6N1 Tenzan's out of the forty initially committed.
On 19 June 1944, the B6N made its carrier-borne combat debut at The Battle of
the Philippine Sea, operating in an environment where the U.S. Navy had
virtually complete air superiority. Subsequently, it failed to inflict any
significant damage whatsoever whilst taking heavy losses from the U.S. Navy's
new F6F Hellcat fighter.
By this point, small improvements in the B6N's performance were amongst the
least of the Japanese Navy's problems. When the new model became available in
mid-1944, Japan had already lost most of its large carriers, and was becoming
desperately short of experienced pilots. The vast majority of B6N2 operations
therefore took place from land bases and failed to achieve any major successes.
The planes were extensively used in the Battle of Okinawa where they were also
used for kamikaze missions for the first time.
Specifications (Nakajima B6N2)
General characteristics
Crew: 3
Wingspan: 14.89 m (48 ft 10? in)
Height: 3.80 m (12 ft 5? in)
Empty weight: 3,010 kg (6,636 lb)
Loaded weight: 5,200 kg (11,460 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 5,650 kg (12,460 lb)
kW (1,850 hp) (take-off power)
Performance
Maximum speed: 481 km/h (260 knots, 299 mph) at 4,900 m (16,075 ft)
Cruise speed: 333 km/h (180 knots, 207 mph) at 4,000 m (13,125 ft)
Range: 3,046 km (1,644 nmi,1,892 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,040 m (29,660 ft)
Climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft): 10 min 24 sec
Armament
(0.303 in) Type 92 firing through ventral tunnel
Bombs: 1 x 800kg torpedo or 800 kg (1,760 lb) of bombs (1 x 800kg or 500kg, or 2
x 250kg)
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