Nakajima B5N "Kate"
Nakajima Aircraft Company · Japan · first flew 1937 · bomber
The Nakajima B5N (Allied code name Kate) was the Imperial Japanese Navy's standard carrier-based torpedo bomber from 1937, and the type that delivered the decisive torpedo and bomb strikes at Pearl Harbor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Low wing with a smooth, uncluttered fuselage and no wing floats |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Enclosed three-seat torpedo/level bomber with retractable undercarriage
- Broad rounded radial engine cowling with a long greenhouse-style canopy
- Low wing with a smooth, uncluttered fuselage and no wing floats
Clean low-wing monoplane with retractable gear, a wide radial cowling, and a long transparent canopy stretching from the pilot aft to the observer/gunner position.
Specifications
- The Nakajima B5N Kate has a length of 10.3 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.52 m (51 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 378 km/h (235 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flying in January 1937, the B5N replaced biplane torpedo bombers and was considered the world's finest carrier torpedo bomber at its introduction. B5N2s flying from six carriers sank USS Arizona, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and California at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The type also participated in attacks on HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse, and in the battles of Coral Sea and Midway.
Variants
The B5N1 was the initial production version; the B5N2 with the more powerful Sakae 11 engine became the main combat variant and was distinguished by a slightly larger cowling.
Where you'll see it
By mid-war the B5N was outclassed by Allied fighters and gradually relegated to anti-submarine patrols; retired from front-line service by 1944. No complete airworthy examples survive; a few museum restorations exist.
Related aircraft
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