Mitsubishi B2M
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| B2M | |
|---|---|
| Type | Torpedo Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi |
| Maiden flight | 28 December 1929 |
| Introduced | 1932 |
| Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Number built | 206 |
| Developed from | Blackburn Ripon |
The Mitsubishi B2M was a Japanese carrier based torpedo bomber of the 1920s and 30s. It was built by Mitsubishi to a design by Blackburn Aircraft of Britain and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
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[edit] Design and development
In 1927, the Japanese company Mitsubishi commissioned the British aircraft manufacturer Blackburn Aircraft to design an aircraft, which would be built under licence by Mitsubishi if successful, to enter a competition held by the Imperial Japanese Navy for a carrier based reconnaissance and torpedo bomber to replace its Mitsubishi B1M aircraft. Blackburn developed a design, the Blackburn T.7B, which was an enlarged development of their Ripon torpedo bomber, which was under development for Britain's Fleet Air Arm.[1] The T.7B was a three seat biplane of steel tube construction and with high aspect ratio wings fitted with Handley Page slats, powered by a 625 hp (466 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Lbr engine.
The design was declared the winner of the competition, with a prototype (referred to as the 3MR4) being ordered from Blackburn. This first flew on 28 December 1929 at Blackburn's factory at Brough, Yorkshire,[1] and was shipped to Japan in February 1930.[2]
Three development prototypes were built by Mitsubishi in Japan before the aircraft was adopted as the Navy Type 89-1 Model 1 Carrier Attack Aircraft or Mitsubishi B2M1.[3]
[edit] Operational history
The B2M1 entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in March 1932 [3], serving abord the aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga and Hōshō. Modifications to improve maintainability resulted in the B2M2 or Navy Type 89-2 Carrier Attack Aircraft, which otherwise showed little improvement in performance over the B2M1. Production of both versions totalled 204 aircraft [3].
B2Ms were extensively used for high and low-level bombing attacks against China in the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 [3][4].
[edit] Variants
- Blackburn T.7B
- Prototype aircraft built by Blackburn Aircraft.
- Mitsubishi 3MR4
- Three Japanese built prototypes.
- Misubishi B2M1
- Initial production aircraft.
- Mitsubishi B2M2
- Improved production variant with reduced wingspan and modified tail.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (B2M1)
Data from World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: Three
- Length: 10.27 m (33 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 15.22 m (49 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.71 m (12 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 55 m² [5] (592 ft²)
- Empty weight: 2,260 kg[5] (4,982 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,600 kg (7,900 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Hispano-Suiza 12Lbr V-12, 485 kW (650 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 213 km/h (115 knots, 132 mph)
- Range: 1,779 km (960 nm[5], 1,105 mi)
- Service ceiling 4,500 m (14,700 ft)
Armament
- One forward firing 7.7 mm machine gun and one flexible machine gun in rear cockpit.
- One 800 kg (1,760 lb) torpedo or equivalent weight of bombs
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.[edit] See also
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
[edit] References
- ^ a b Mason, Francis K (1994). The British Bomber since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0 85177 861 5.
- ^ a b Angelucci, Enzo (1981). World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0 7106 0148 4.
- ^ a b c d Donald, David (Editor) (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
- ^ Håkans Aviation page – Sino-Japanese Air War 1937. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
- ^ a b c Mikesh, Robert C; Abe, Shorzoe (1990). Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, p.167-168. ISBN 0 85177 840 2.
[edit] External links
- Virtual Aircraft museum
- Wings Pallete - Profiles of B2M
- Axis History Forum : Early JNAF aircraft (details of B2M)
- British Aircraft Directory (Blackburn T.7B)
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