Aichi B7A Ryusei "Grace"

Aichi · Japan · first flew 1942 · bomber

The Aichi B7A Ryusei (Shooting Star) was a powerful carrier-based torpedo and dive bomber designed for the Imperial Japanese Navy's next-generation fleet carriers. Fast and capable, it arrived too late and in too few numbers to influence the Pacific War's outcome.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	11.49 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Gull-inverted wing with large bomb bay for torpedo or bombs
Single powerful Homare radial engine
Late-war IJN carrier torpedo/dive bomber with retractable undercarriage

The inverted-gull wing centre section, large mid-mounted tapered outer panels, and prominent Homare radial cowling distinguish it from other late-war Japanese naval aircraft.

Specifications

The Aichi B7A Ryusei has a length of 11.49 m (38 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14.4 m (47 ft).
Its maximum speed is 566 km/h (352 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed to replace both the B6N torpedo bomber and D4Y dive bomber, the B7A first flew in 1942 but production was severely disrupted by the 1945 Nankai earthquake, which destroyed the Aichi factory. Only around 110 were completed.

Variants

The B7A1 was the prototype series; the B7A2 was the production model with the Nakajima NK9C Homare engine; a floatplane variant was studied but not built.

Where you'll see it

Due to the loss of most Japanese carriers by 1944–45, the B7A operated primarily from land bases in its brief operational career; it never fulfiled its intended carrier role in meaningful numbers.

Related aircraft

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