Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Kate>HA2012

General Background

When Japan entered WWII the B5N Kate was the standard torpedo bomber and sank more Allied ships than any other type of Japanese aircraft. B5N2's played the main role in sinking the carrier Lexington at Coral Sea,Yorktown at Midway and Hornet at the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942. There were 1,150 B5N1 and B5N2 Torpedo Bombers produced but by 1944 the Kate had been replaced by the B6N "Jill". The Kate ended its service being used for Kamikaze attacks leaving no surviving examples.

The Aircraft

The 931st Japanese Naval Air Group was established on February 1, 1944 and assigned the designation KEB. Kushira Air Base on Okinawa began with the purpose of training pilots, navigators and ground crews. Later during WWII with Japan now losing they resorted to Kamikaze attacks with Kushira becoming the third largest Kamikaze base. In April 1945 B5N2 Kate KEB303 was assigned the task of Anti Submarine Warfare and later assigned to a training unit ended up saving the aircraft from the U.S. assault on Okinawa. 363 Kamikaze pilots from Okinawa were lost.

Specifications :

B5N1 and B5N2:
Dimensions
Length:	33ft 10in (10.30 m)
Wingspan:	50ft 11in (15.52m)
Height:	12ft 2in (3.70m)
Weight:
B5N1:
Empty weight:	4,643 lb (2,106 kg)
Loaded:	8,157 lb (3,700 kg)
B5N2:
Empty weight:	5,024 lb (2,279 kg)
Loaded:	8,378 lb (3,800 kg)
Engine:
B5N1:	Nakajima Hikari 3, 770 hp, 9-cylinder, air-cooled radial
B5N2:	Nakajima NK 1B Sakae 11, 1,000 hp, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial
Performance:
B5N1:
Maximum Speed:	229 mph @ 6,560 ft (2,000 m)
Service Ceiling:	24,280 ft (7,400 m)
Normal Range:	679 miles (1,092 km)
Maximum Range:	1,404 miles (2,259 km)
B5N2:
Maximum Speed:	235 mph @ 11,810 ft (3,600 m)
Service Ceiling:	27,100 ft (8,260 m)
Normal Range:	608 miles (978 km)
Maximum Range:	1,237 miles (1,990 km)
Armament
B5N1 and B5N2:	1 x flexible rear-firing 7.7 mm Type 92 machine gun
	Bombs – 1,764 lb (800 kg)
	Or 1 x 1,764 lb (800 kg) torpedo