B5N

The B5N, codenamed "Kate" by the Allies, was a carrier-based torpedo bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Developed by Nakajima Aircraft Company, it entered service in 1939. The B5N was a low-wing monoplane with a crew of three, consisting of a pilot, navigator, and gunner. Its primary armament consisted of a single forward-firing 7.7 mm machine gun, a dorsal 7.7 mm machine gun, and a ventral flexible 7.7 mm machine gun. The aircraft could carry a variety of ordnance, including a single 800 kg torpedo or a mix of bombs. Its impressive range and payload made it a formidable weapon in the early stages of the Pacific War. The B5N was famously employed at the attack on Pearl Harbor, where it inflicted significant damage on Allied naval vessels. It also played a crucial role in battles such as the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, though its effectiveness began to wane as Allied airpower and defenses improved. Despite its obsolescence later in the war, the B5N remained in production until 1944, with over 1,200 examples built. Its speed and bomb-carrying capacity were considered advanced for its time, making it a significant aircraft in naval aviation history.