Yokosuka B3Y

Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal · Japan · first flew 1932 · bomber

The Yokosuka B3Y was a carrier-based torpedo bomber biplane developed by the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early 1930s. It served as a transitional type before more advanced monoplane designs replaced it.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	9.5 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Early 1930s Japanese carrier torpedo bomber biplane
Single radial engine with fixed floatplane or wheel undercarriage
Open cockpit three-seat naval biplane

A three-bay biplane with a prominent radial engine, fixed undercarriage with wheel spats, and an open cockpit arrangement; the torpedo crutch under the lower fuselage is the key recognition feature in the attack role.

Specifications

The Yokosuka B3Y has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.51 m (44 ft).
Its maximum speed is 219 km/h (136 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

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

History

Designed to replace earlier torpedo bombers, the B3Y entered service with the Japanese Navy in 1933. It was a conventional fabric-covered biplane carrying a torpedo or bombs externally. The type served aboard Japanese aircraft carriers during the early 1930s before being superseded by the more capable Yokosuka B4Y.

Variants

The B3Y1 was the primary production version; no major sub-variants are recorded.

Where you'll see it

Operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy aboard carriers from approximately 1933, phased out by the mid-1930s as monoplane designs became available.

Related aircraft

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