Mitsubishi B5M
| Mitsubishi B5M | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Torpedo bombers |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1937 |
| Commissioning: |
1937 |
| Number of pieces: |
125 |
The Mitsubishi B5M (code name of the Allies : Mabel ) was a land-based torpedo and horizontal bomber from the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Aircraft Company ( Mitsubishi Kōkūki ), which was originally intended for use on aircraft carriers . The B5M was used by the Japanese Navy during World War II .
Development history and use
The B5M was designed according to the marine specification 10-Shi of 1935 and was considered a competitor to the Nakajima B5N . Internally, it was called the Ka-16 at Mitsubishi . It could not prevail against the B5N because its design was rather conventional. For example, it had a fixed landing gear and only simple flaps in contrast to its competitor with modern Fowler flaps and retractable landing gear . The first prototype flew in 1937, and the production version B5M1 also went into production in 1937 with the official designation "Marine Type 97 Model 2" . Only 125 aircraft were built. In 1937 the first naval units were equipped with the B5M. However, since their performance was not very satisfactory when using the carrier, the machines were often used from land. At the beginning of the Pacific War, B5Ms were used in particular in Southeast Asia and China, where they were mostly used for submarine patrols. Later they were used in subordinate services as school or tow planes and sometimes also as kamikaze . No machine of this type has survived.
Technical specifications
The Mitsubishi B5M was an all-metal low-wing aircraft with folding wings and equipped with a 1,000 hp Mitsubishi MK8 Kinsei-43 radial engine . The armament consisted of a rear-facing 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun in the rear of the cockpit and an 800 kg Type 91 torpedo or a maximum bomb load of 800 kg , which were attached outside under the fuselage. The landing gear of the aircraft was rigid and covered with aerodynamic so-called "trouser legs". Three men crew found place in the cockpit (pilot, bomb and gunner).
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 10.23 m |
| Wingspan | 15.30 m |
| Wing area | 37.95 m² |
| height | 3.12 m |
| Top speed | 379 km / h at an altitude of 2,300 m |
| Range | 2,300 km |
| Service ceiling | 8,250 m |
| Max. Weight in flight | 4,000 kg |
