018B - Inside the Mitsubishia G3M

CLASS: Bomber

NICKNAME: "Nell"

YEAR OF DESIGN: 1935

LENGTH: 54 feet 0 inches

WINGSPAN: 82 feet 0 inches

MAX AIRSPEED: 233 MPH

CEILING: 30,100 feet

TYPICAL ARMAMENT

4 x 7.7 mm machine guns

1 x 20 mm forward-mounted machine gun

[Guns are equipped with 450 rounds].

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1800 pound Bomb Load

[Usually a set of 12 for Bombing Runs]

The overwhelming versatility for a bomber of this size made it a valuable piece in the Japanese arsenal. However, due to it 82-foot wingspan (Akagi's flight deck was only 101 feet at its widest point, not accounting for the control tower) and requirements for an extra-long runway restricted its use on the Imperial Navy's Carriers. However, it was stationed throughout Japan’s numerous islands in the Pacific.

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In consideration of its enormous size, the Nell was manned with a crew of 7, including Pilot and Navigator, Bombardier, Radio Operator/Engineer, Turret Gunner, and two Waist Gunners (operating machine gun turrets at sides of tail). This allowed low-level strafing runs as well as the standard mid-to-high level bombing runs, especially effective on island raids like the Battle of Wake island, Solomon Islands Campaign, and the Raids on the British-held Port Moresby in New Zealand.

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