Imperial Japanese Navy ship-based reconnaissance floatplane (1927-1936) 77 manufactured. The Nakajima E2N was developed in the 1920s for the Imperial Japanese Navy, which asked for a short range reconnaissance floatplane designed for catapult launch from cruisers and battleships. This wooden, twin-float sesquiplane had a crew of two and folding wings. It replaced the 1st generation … Read more
IJN ASW aircraft (1943-1945) 153 built The Kyūshū Q1W Tōkai (“Eastern Sea”) was the first and last Imperial Japanese Navy (and world’s first) dedicated anti-submarine patrol aircraft (Allied name “Lorna”). Although superficially similar to the German Junkers Ju 88 it owe little to it in technical terms, being made deliberately slow and underpowered as well … Read more
Naval Fighter, 150 made (1929-1932) in service until 1935. The Nakajima A1N, or Navy Type 3 Carrier Fighter (Also Type 13), was a Japanese carrier-based fighter, first Nakajima model for the IJN, and licensed copy of the British Gloster Gambet fighter built by the Nakajima. Between 1927 and 1929 the Imperial Japanese Navy to delivery … Read more
Large recce/bomber flying boat, 215 made 1938-43 The H6K was an Imperial Japanese Navy flying boat manufactured by the Kawanishi Aircraft Company in 1936, produced from 1938 to 1941. It was used during World War II for maritime patrol duties with the Allied reporting name “Mavis” and a Navy designation “Type 97 Large Flying Boat”. … Read more
IJN Observation floatplane (1942) – 15 built (incl. prototypes) 1944 Development In 1939 the Imperial Japanese Navy instructed Kawanishi (a well known lead manufacturer and designer of floatplanes and flying boats) to develop a two-seat high-speed reconnaissance floatplane. The main specifications were on one hand, having sufficient performance to escape interception from land based fighters … Read more
Observation Floatplane (1941), 1,418 made 1940-1945 The Aichi E13A (“Jake” in allied nomenclature codes) was a long-range reconnaissance seaplane used by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1941 to 1945 and numerically the most important. It proved agile and versatile as well, carrying a bomb load of 250 kg (550 lb) and able once to shoot … Read more
Carrier Based Torpedo Bomber Imperial Japanese Navy, 1,268 B6N1 and B6N2 built Development: Replacing the “Kate” In 1942 at Midway and before that at Cora Sea and in many other operations including Pearl Harbor, the Nakajima B5N (allied code “Kate”), proved to be the successful first line aircraft carrier torpedo bomber of the Imperial Japanese … Read more
Floatplane Fighter, Imperial Japanese Navy Imperial Japanese Navy (1942-45), 327 built The world’s best seaplane fighter ? The A6M2-N floatplane was developed as requested by the Navy to support amphibious operations (operated by one of the many IJN seaplane tenders), or defend remote bases. Based on the A6M-2 Model 11 technically, it had a modified … Read more
Imperial Japanese Navy, 1,048 built Ka-15, Type 96 Rikko, G3M1, G3M2, G3M3 by Mitsubishi, Nakajima and YokosukaBomber/Recce codename “Nell”, Transport codename “Tina” The main twin engine torpedo bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1941 was the Mitsubishi G3M. It was soon codenamed by the allies “Nell”. After an already well-filled career in China, it … Read more
Yokosuka D4Y Suisei “Judy” (1942) Imperial Japanese Navy, 1,085 built Design development The Yokosuka deserves attention not only because it is considered one of the most beautiful aircraft of the Second World War but also because of her heavy burden: Replacing the legendary Aichi D3A “Val” in service with the IJN since 1939. The famous … Read more
