008b - Inside the Nakajima B5N

CLASS: Torpedo Bomber

CODENAME: "Kate"

YEAR OF DESIGN:

LENGTH: 33 feet 9 inches

WINGSPAN: 50 feet 111 inches

MAX AIRSPEED:  235 MPH

CEILING: 27,100 feet

TYPICAL ARMAMENT

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1 x 7.7mm Machine Gun with hand-fed 97-round drums

[Later B5Ns had twin wing-mounted 7.7mm guns]

1 x 1,760-poound Type 91 Long Lance Torpedo

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The Nakajima B5N Torpedo Plane, known by the Allied Codename "Kate", was, by far, the best torpedo bomber for most of the Pacific War. Although the Kate was noticeably slower than all other planes, it was 30 MPH faster than the American’s sluggish TBD Devastator and completely outclassed the British biplane torpedo bombers: the Fairley Swordfish and Albacore, both of which were unable to exceed 160 MPH.

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In addition to the overall superior performance characteristics, the B5Ns were fitted with the indomitable Type 91 Torpedo. That torpedo had been perfected by Fuchida and the Japanese torpedo plane pilots, who helped to engineer an accurate torpedo with massive bombing power. It helped to define Pacific Naval Aviation throughout World War II.