Japanese Naval Aircraft of WW2
| Designation | Dates | Speed / Range | Guns / Bomb Load | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interceptors | |||||
| A5M "Claude" | 1937-1942 | 270 mph | 2- 77.mm 2- 66 lb | fixed landing gear, open cockpit 1,100 built | |
| A6M "Zeke" (Zero) | 1941-1945 | 332 mph | 2- 20mm; 2- 7.7mm 2- 132 lb | 10,450 built | |
| Best performing fighter of any country in early WW2, but vulnerable. Continually upgraded, but the design was dated by 1944. | |||||
| Japanese Army Fighters | |||||
| Ki-27 "Nate" | 1938-1943 | 290 mph | 2-.30 | Similar to Claude, 3,400 built | |
| Ki-61 "Tony" | 1943-1945 | 348 mph | 2-.50, 2- 20mm; 2- 550 lb | Similar to Bf-109, 2,750 built | |
| Dive Bombers | |||||
| D1A "Susie" | 1934-1940 | 193 mph 580 mile | 3- 7.7 mm 1- 550 lb or 2- 66 lb | biplane, open, fixed | |
| D3A "Val" | 1940-1945 | 267 mph 900 miles | 3- 7.7 mm 1- 550 lb, 2- 132 lb | fixed landing gear ; 1,016 built | |
| D4Y "Judy" | 1943-1945 | 343 mph 2,417 mile | 2- 7.7mm, 1- 7.9mm
1- 1,100 lb, 2- 66 lb | 2,000+ built | |
| Torpedo Bombers | |||||
| B2M "none" | 1932-1940 | 132 mph | 2- 7.7mm,; 1- 17.7" torpedo or 1,070 lb of bombs | biplane, open cockpit | |
| B4Y "Jean" | 1934-1940 | 173 mph | 1- 7.7mm; 1- 17.7" torpedo or 1100 lb of bombs; | biplane, open cockpit | |
| B5M "Mabel" | 1937-1942 | 237 mph 1,400 miles | 1- 7.7mm; 1- 17.7 torpedo or 1,764 lbs | fixed landing gear; 125 built | |
| B5N "Kate" | 1938-1944 | 235 mph 1,237 miles | 1- 7.7mm; 1- 17.7" torpedo or 1,400 lbs | 1,150 built | |
| B6N "Jill" | 1943-1945 | 299 mph 1,890 mile | 2- 7.7mm; 1- 17.7" torpedo or 1,764 lbs | 1,130 built | |
Notes on Japanese Aircraft Carriers
Carriers did not have catapults, therefore flight operations depended on speed into the wind as the only aid to launching. Some carriers converted from other designs were slow and had to use more flight deck for takeoff thereby interfering with both flight and storage operations.
The Japanese always suffered from gasoline fires when hit, whereas the American carriers learned to first empty gas lines, then to flush them with CO2 to prevent secondary explosions.
During the lull in the naval air war, late'42 to mid'44, Japan should have built Shokaku class carriers, the equivalent of the Essex class, yet only one was build, Taiho. Shipbuilding resources were spent on the supercarrier Shinano and on conversion of ocean liners to escort carriers. In this period Japan launched 1 CV, 5 CVL, and 2 CVE. The US launched 12 CV, 9 CVL, and 50 CVE.
Japan never considered anti-submarine activities for carriers. Meanwhile, USN submarines sank the carriers and merchant fleets that were the life of Japan. Japan started the war using their submarines successfully for anti-shipping and anti-fleet activities, but soon felt compelled to disarm much of their submarine fleet for use in supply of remote islands. The USN payed much attention to anti-submarine defense, initiated from the Atlantic U-boat menace, and kept Japan's submarines suppressed, for example, 6 subs were sunk in 12 days by ONE US destroyer escort, England (DE-635).
Notes on Japanese Naval Aircraft
Japanese aircraft were designed from experiences of the war in China ; for attack against a weak foe. They had few defensive features. The Navy had both shipboard and land based components.
Japan started with war experienced pilots and a buildup of excellent aircraft. There were limited replacement for either. The US introduced massive training programs and had high tech industrial capacity. Japan manufacture depended on many small machine shops and could not get new designs into production once they were geared to produce Zeros, thus they could not efficiently improve that plane or introduce improved designs. Changes throughout the war slowly did occur : increase engine from 925 hp to 1,130, shorten wing, improved 20mm guns, change .30 to .50, increase speed from 316 to 351 mph.
A second generation Zero, the A7M "Sam" (390 mph) should have met the Hellcat in 1943, but only 8 prototypes were built before war end. A land based version of a seaplane, N1K1 "George" (370 mph) were produced with 1,450 built for service in 1944, but the carrier version, N1K4, never got beyond prototype. The J2M "Jack" (370 mph), also land based, entered service in 1944, but only 475 aircraft could be built.
American aircraft carried self-sealing gas tanks, whereas Japanese planes flamed.
Japanese pilots were willing to die and, early in the war, didn't even wear parachutes. Once the experienced pilots were gone, there were few well trained replacements.
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| Navy Fighters : Claude A5M 1937-1942 | Zero A6M 1941-1945 |
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| Army Fighters : Nate Ki-27 1938-1943 | Tony Ki-61 1943-1945 |
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| Dive Bombers : Val D3A 1940-1945 | Judy D4Y 1943-1945 |
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| Torpedo / Level Bombers : Kate B5N 1938-1944 | Jill B6N 1943-1945 |
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Last updated October 8, 2010 -- fix Claude as A5M
- Last updated March 5, 2004