It’s time for another episode of /k/ Planes! This time, Mitsubishi!

Mitsubishi Internal Combustion was established in 1920 as a subsidiary of Mitsubishi. It

quickly became one of the leading aircraft manufacturers in Japan. Their designs
became some of the most influential aircraft in the IJA and IJN, and often formed the
backbone of the Japanese air forces. In 1934, the company was merged with Mitsubishi
Shipbuilding to form Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Following the end of the Second
World War, Mitsubishi was dissolved into three separate companies. However, in 1964,
the companies rejoined, reforming Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Following the
reforming of the company, Mitsubishi has become the most influential force in postwar
Japanese military aviation, leading all projects to develop indigenous combat aircraft.

Mitsubishi Internal Combustion 1MF Navy Type 10 Carrier Fighter

Soon after Mitsubishi Internal Combustion was established, it quickly gained three
contracts from the IJN for a fighter, torpedo bomber, and reconnaissance aircraft. In
1921, they invited Herbert Smith of the recently defunct Sopwith to come and help with
the development of what would be the first aircraft in history purpose-built for carrier
operations. The resulting aircraft was a conventional biplane fighter, with two 7.7mm
machineguns and of wood and fabric construction. For carrier landings, hooks on the
main gear would grab guide wires on the carrier deck; rather than using arresting wires,
as would become the standard, the IJN copied the British, with the deck wires merely
keeping the aircraft on a straight course as it slowed down. The 1MF entered service
with the IJN in 1923, replacing the Gloster Sparrowhawk. It became the first aircraft to
fly from Japan’s first carrier, the Hosho. A robust design, the aircraft remained in
service until 1930, flying off of Hosho, Akagi, and Kaga, until being replaced by the
Nakajima A1N.

Mitsubishi 2MR Navy Type 10 Reconnaissance Aircraft

Mitsubishi’s reconnaissance aircraft built as part of their first contracts was the 2MR.
Another product of Herbert Smith’s work, the 2MR was essentially a 1MF scaled up to
carry a second crewman. The design first flew in early 1922, and entered service soon
after. It served aboard all of Japan’s carriers from its introduction until the mid 1930s,
before being retired from frontline service, and relegated to training duties until the late
30’s. Many were converted for civil use, falling into the hands of newspaper companies
to carry messages.

Mitsubishi 1MT Type 10 Torpedo Bomber

The 1MT was the last of the three designs that Mitsubishi was originally contracted to
design. Like the 1MF and 2MR, it was designed by Herbert Smith of Sopwith.
However, it was a completely new design. Rather than a biplane, the 1MT was a
triplane, with very wide set undercarriage and a much more boxy fuselage. It first flew
in 1922, and fairly quickly 20 were built. However, performance was poor, and it was
very difficult to fly. Although it was designed as a carrier-based torpedo bomber, it
couldn’t carry a torpedo while operating from a carrier. Thus, the aircraft was quickly
withdrawn and scrapped.

Mitsubishi B1M Navy Type 13 Carrier-Borne Attack Aircraft

The B1M was yet another design from Herbert Smith. The B1M was a two-man,
carrier-capable biplane bomber, capable of carrying both bombs and torpedoes. It
featured armament standard of light bombers of the time, with forward firing and
flexible defensive machineguns. The aircraft was quickly accepted into service in 1924.
The aircraft made its combat debut at the Shanghai Incident, where one aircraft from
Kaga was lost to American advisor Robert Short. It was also developed for IJA service
after all aircraft developed for their light bomber specifications were deemed either
unsuitable or too expensive.

Mitsubishi 2MB2 Experimental Washi-Type Light Bomber

In 1925, the IJA issued specifications for a light bomber. Mitsubishi hired Alexander
Baumann, former engineer of Zeppelin-Staaken, who designed the massive
Riesenflugzeug bombers, to supervise the project. The design was a mixed wood-and-
metal sesquiplane, with a fairly standard layout for light bombers of the time. It had a
crew of two, with both forward firing and a flexible machinegun, as well as a modest
payload. The prototype took flight in late 1925, and began testing the next year.
However, despite good performance, and being superior to the competing designs of
Kawasaki and Nakajima, the aircraft was deemed too expensive and thus no order
ensued.

Mitsubishi 2MB1 Type 87 Light Bomber

At the same time that Mitsubishi was developing the 2MB2, work also began on a
development of the B1M, as a more conservative design in the event that the 2MB2
failed. Changes centered around a new engine, and revised armament for the gunner,
including a second flexible machinegun on the dorsal mount, and a ventral machinegun.
The features for carrier operations, such as folding wings and arresting gear, were
deleted to save weight. The type was accepted into IJA service following the failure of
the 2MB2. It saw limited action in the opening stages of the Manchuria campaign in
1931, but was soon phased out, as it was found obsolete.

Mitsubishi 1MF9 Experimental Taka-Type Carrier Fighter

In 1926, specifications were put out for a fighter to replace the Mitsubishi 1MF for
carrier duties. The development team that had worked under Herbert Smith began
developing without him, resulting in an overall unremarkable design. It first flew in
1927, and, although it showed improvement over the 1MF, it lost out to Nakajima’s
A1N. The reason behind this failure was the requirement for the aircraft to ditch easily.
To meet this requirement, Mitsubishi had made a system for jettisoning the landing gear
for safer landings at sea. Nakajima, on the other hand, ignored the requirement
completely, resulting in much better performance.

Blackburn/Mitsubishi B2M Type 89 Carrier Attack Bomber

In 1927, the British aircraft manufacturer Blackburn was commissioned to develop a

design for a torpedo bomber to replace the B1M. Blackburn ended up developing a
large aircraft similar to their Beagle design. The aircraft was a large staggered wing
sesquiplane, featuring a steel tube construction, and leading edge slats. It featured a
crew of three, with a single forward firing, and single flexible machinegun, and a
potential payload of a single torpedo, or up to 800kg of bombs. It first flew in late 1929,
and was shipped to Japan the next year. Following testing, it entered service with the
IJN in 1932, serving aboard Hosho, Akagi, and Kaga. The type saw extensive use
against the Chinese in the opening stages of the Sino-Japanese War.

Mitsubishi 2MR8 Type 92 Reconnaissance Aircraft

The 2MR8 was developed by Mitsubishi as a short-range reconnaissance aircraft to

complement the longer range Kawasaki 2MR7 in service with the IJA. The aircraft was
notable not only in the more obvious parasol monoplane wing, but more importantly,
that it was the first Japanese military aircraft to use a domestically designed engine,
rather than a copy of a foreign design. Other than the wing layout and engine, the
aircraft was fairly standard for reconnaissance aircraft, with a crew of two, and forward
and rear machineguns. It first flew in 1931, and entered service the next year. The Type
92 saw active service in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, and later, captured
examples saw use in the opening stages of the Sino-Japanese War.

Mitsubishi 3MT5 7-Shi Twin-engine Carrier Aircraft

In 1929, the IJN put out a requirement for a large twin-engined, carrier-capable torpedo
bomber. After a long and drawn out design process, owing to the constantly changing
requirements, Mitsubishi had finalized the designs in 1932. The aircraft was a large
biplane, with engines mounted in nacelles on either side of the fuselage. It featured
folding wings, a mixed wood and metal construction, and a crew of up to five men.
Defensive armament was machineguns in nose and dorsal positions. Despite efforts to
fix issues, the aircraft was difficult to control, and was found to have terrible vibration
issues, which, in one test flight, were so bad that all four ailerons were torn from the
aircraft. Owing to the lengthy development, the aircraft was already obsolete by the
time it first flew. Development ceased, and, as the aircraft were considered unfit for
carrier operations, the aircraft was transferred to the IJA. The 11 aircraft constructed
ended up serving as trainers for the IJA, as they were unfit for combat.

Mitsubishi Ki-20 Army Type 92 Heavy Bomber

In the late 1920s, when Junkers developed the G.38, Mitsubishi representatives in
Germany expressed interest in militarizing the design. Junkers began a design study
that, while not getting any interest in Europe, was transferred to Mitsubishi for further
development. The result was a ten-man aircraft, with heavy defensive armament,
consisting of a nose turret, two turrets in the inboard engine nacelles, and a dorsal
20mm cannon. The aircraft was accepted for production, but production proceeded
slowly, spanning four years, and resulting in only 6 aircraft. When it entered service, it
was the largest aircraft in the IJA, and was intended to be used for strikes on hardened
targets in the Philippines. However, it was never used for that role.

Mitsubishi Ki-1 Army Type 93 Heavy Bomber

The Ki-1 was an attempt to militarize the Junkers K 37 design. On a private venture, an
example of the aircraft had been purchased from Sweden, and soon Mitsubishi began
development of an aircraft based on the design. The Ki-1 was a twin-engined cantilever
monoplane bomber. It featured a crew of four, with nose and dorsal turrets each armed
with a single 7.7mm machinegun. Overall, the aircraft was much larger than the K 37
design from which it was derived. Testing showed the performance to be lacking, with
the aircraft being significantly slower than expected, and unable to fly on a single
engine. Regardless, it entered production, and entered IJA service in 1933. It was
already obsolete by then, but still saw service in counterinsurgency operations in
Manchuria. Mitsubishi attempted to upgrade the engines to improve performance, but it
was found to still be lacking. Consequently, the aircraft was phased out for the Fiat
BR.20.

Mitsubishi Ki-2 Type 93 Twin Engine Light Bomber

While the Ki-1 served as a heavy bomber development of the K 37, Mitsubishi was also
ordered to develop a light bomber out of the aircraft. The Ki-2 was closer in size to the
K 37, retaining the same wings, while modifying the fuselage. The aircraft had only
three crewmen compared to the four of the Ki-1, with only a single pilot. Performance
was much better than the Ki-1, although payload was lacking. It was used to great effect
in the counterinsurgency campaigns in Manchuria, and attempts to modernize the
aircraft, adding such features as semi-retractable landing gear, enclosed cockpits, and
improved engines, were fairly successful. However, the aircraft still proved vulnerable
to enemy fighters, and had a poor payload compared to newer designs, and was
consequently phased out.

Mitsubishi 1MF10 Experimental 7-Shi Carrier Fighter

In 1932, the IJN released specifications for a design to replace the current carrier
fighter, the A2N. Both Nakajima and Mitsubishi submitted monoplane designs, with
Nakajima navalizing their Type 91 parasol monoplane, while Mitsubishi developed the
first Japanese low-wing cantilever monoplane. The design featured an open cockpit,
fixed landing gear, and a mixed duralumin and fabric structure. Testing went poorly; the
first prototype was lost when the tail pulled off in a dive, and the second was lost in a
flatspin. The design was rejected on grounds of poor maneuverability and not meeting
the performance outlined in the specifications.

Mitsubishi Ka-8 Experimental 8-Shi Two-seat Fighter

In response to work in America and Britain on two-seat fighters, Mitsubishi was

ordered to develop a two-seat fighter. The result was a two-seat, single-engine biplane,
of mixed wood and metal construction. Like the two-seat fighters of the west, it featured
two forward firing and a single flexible machinegun. However, it was given a twin tail,
unlike western designs, to give a better field of fire for the gunner. Testing began in
1934, but, following the disintegration of one of the prototypes when pulling out of a
dive, the development was abandoned, and the IJN abandoned the two-seat fighter
concept entirely.
Mitsubishi G1M Experimental 8-Shi Special Reconnaissance Aircraft/8-Shi Land
based Medium Attack Aircraft

The G1M began as an attempt to develop a long-range reconnaissance aircraft.

Mitsubishi developed a large twin-engined cantilever monoplane, with a crew of five. In
nose and dorsal positions, a single defensive machinegun was mounted. As the design
was finalized, it was redesignated as a bomber, hoping to expand its usefulness. The
aircraft took flight in 1934, and, although it was not accepted into service in either of
the configurations it was pitched as, the aircraft nevertheless served as a basis for
further long-range bomber development.

Mitsubishi A5M Type 96 Carrier-Based Fighter “Claude”

In 1934, the IJN again issued specifications for a monoplane fighter. Mitsubishi began
developing a fighter based off of their failed 1MF10, with an open cockpit and fixed
undercarriage. As originally designed, it was an inverted gull-winged all-metal
monoplane. Although retractable undercarriage was available with the technology of the
time, it was deemed not worth the weight. First flying in 1935, several changes were
applied to the design, most notably being the redesigning of the wing, eliminating the
inverted-gull shape. Doing so allowed for even better maneuverability, a performance
aspect that was the central tenant of Japanese air doctrine. It proved to both well exceed
the specifications, as well as outperform the competing designs, and was accepted into
IJN service in 1936 as the A5M.
The A5M quickly made its combat debut in the opening stages of the Sino Japanese
War. During these initial engagements, the aircraft fought Chinese P-26s, in the first
aerial engagements between mostly metal monoplane fighters in history. The design
quickly proved to outperform anything the Chinese could put up against it. Although it
was very lightly armed, its focus on maneuverability made it a potent foe, and even
when an enemy could score some hits, the aircraft proved to be surprisingly durable. As
the war raged on, the A5M was improved, with provisions for drop tanks added. Doing
so allowed for the aircraft to begin to fly escort for the G3M bombers.

In 1938, the A5M finally met an adversary that was its equal. The Polikarpov I-16 had
been supplied to China, and flown by Chinese and volunteer Soviet pilots, proved to be
a potent aircraft. In April 29 1938, in one of the largest air battles of the war, 67 I-16s
took off to engage a flight of 18 G3Ms and 27 A5Ms. Although both sides claimed the
majority of the enemy aircraft, looking at losses recorded by either side, the A5M
clearly came out ahead, losing only two of their own, and two of the escorted bombers,
while downing 12 I-16s. Unfortunately for the Chinese, although their I-16 may have
been on par with the Japanese fighters, the Japanese pilots were much more
experienced, and thus had a massive advantage.
Although the appearance of the A6M meant that the A5M was on its way out, it
remained in service with reserve units and lower-priority theaters until production
caught up with demand. Although Allied intelligence listed the aircraft as the main
fighter of the IJN at the start of the war, it was by that point almost completely replaced
by the A6M. It may have been on its way out, but it still managed to see some combat
with Allied aircraft. The Flying Tigers in China encountered the A5M occasionally as
late as January 1942. The last combat use (as a fighter) occurred at Coral Sea, where
two A5Ms fought with surviving A6Ms against the aircraft that sank their carrier, Soho.
As the war grew desperate, like most aircraft, surviving A5Ms saw use as Kamikaze
aircraft.

Mitsubishi G3M Type 96 Land-based Attack Aircraft Rikko “Nell”

The G3M began as a development of the G1M. Mitsubishi was ordered to develop the
G1M design into an incredibly long-range bomber to cover the vast territories Japan
planned to conquer. The design requirements called for an unprecedented range,
payload, and speed, in order to give the aircraft the range to meet enemy fleets far from
friendly shores, deliver a powerful enough payload to sink enemy battleships, and be
fast enough to escape enemy fighters. Changes from the G1M design included smooth
wings in place of the corrugated wings of the original design, a larger fuselage, and
larger tail surfaces. To allow for the high speed of the design, armor and self-sealing
fuel tanks were omitted.

The G3M first flew in 1935, and was rushed into service in the Sino Japanese War. Its
long range allowed it to operate from the safety of islands in the East China Sea, such as
Kyushu, Formosa, and Jeju. Unfortunately, their initial missions did not go as well as
planned. In one of the first raids on Shanghai, 18 G3Ms flew unescorted, and ran into
unexpectedly strong opposition. In the ensuing engagement, the aircraft’s speed and
meager armament was not enough to save it; a third of the bomber force was lost.
Further air raids with similarly disastrous results came to show that the aircraft could
not operate unescorted as designers had hoped, and long range operations were put on
hold for a month until the A5M entered service.

With operations resuming, the aircraft flew terror bombing strikes on Shanghai,
Nanjing, and various coastal targets. As the war progressed, and targets moved further
inland, and the bombers moved to bases in mainland China. Targets began to move
further and further back, meaning that once, again the G3M was to operate without
escort. It took part in long range strategic carpet bombing, owing to its poor bombsight,
and flew in operations such as the bombing campaign against Chongqing. As the greater
war in the Pacific drew closer, however, the bomber was drawn back in preparation for
other campaigns.
With the start of the war in the Pacific, the aircraft was considered obsolete, but 204
airframes were still in frontline service. The day after war was declared, G3Ms flying
out of Vietnam struck Singapore, and the 54 G3Ms stationed with second line units in
Formosa flew the raid that opened the Battle of the Philippines. That same day, about 30
G3Ms struck Wake Island, destroying much of the force of F4Fs on the ground. Three
days into the war, the G3M made perhaps its greatest contribution, taking part in the
sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse. The G3M followed forces through the
campaign in the East Indies, fighting as far as Rabaul, and taking part in the raid on
Darwin.

As the IJA began to lose momentum, the G3M began the process of phasing out. G3Ms
fought as late as Guadalcanal, flying bombing raids in support of the newer G4Ms.
However, all units operating the G3M during the Guadalcanal campaign had converted
to G4Ms by the end. By the end of 1942, all G3Ms had been withdrawn from frontline
units. As the war began to grow more desperate, and Japan was being choked by the
Allied submarines, the G3M was converted to an ASW platform, to surprising success;
by the end of the war, they were credited with sinking 20 submarines.

Mitsubishi Ki-18
In 1934, in response to an IJA requirement for a fighter, Mitsubishi developed a land-
based version of their A5M fighter. Dubbed the Ki-18, the aircraft differed from the
A5M in that it had a larger rudder, revised landing gear spats, and a revised engine
cowling to fit a new engine. The design performed incredibly well in testing, with
exceptional performance, but the Army Air Technical Research Institute was
vehemently against using a Navy design, and chose to ignore the test data. They
proposed a new competition, with Nakajima, Mitsubishi, and Kawasaki all submitting
designs, but this was quickly rejected, as the Ki-10 had just started to enter service.
Thus, despite amazing performance, the Ki-18 was cut short with just one example
built.

Mitsubishi Ki-33

The Ki-33 was yet another attempt to repurpose the A5M for IJA service. When the IJA
issued specifications for a fighter to replace the Ki-10 that had just entered service,
Mitsubishi, already occupied with development and production of the G3M and A5M,
attempted to repurpose the A5M once again for land-based use. Taking the Ki-18
design, which had failed not due to poor performance, but due to politics, Mitsubishi
improved the design even more. The engine was improved, a canopy was added, and the
vertical stabilizer was modified, marking the most significant changes to the design.
Two prototypes were constructed, and began tests in 1936. It proved to be a middle
ground between the fast Kawasaki Ki-28, and the maneuverable Nakajima Ki-27.
However, doctrine of the time stressed maneuverability above all else, so the Ki-27 won
the competition.

Mitsubishi F1M Type Zero Reconnaissance Seaplane “Pete”

In response to 1934 specifications for a catapult-launched reconnaissance seaplane to

replace the Nakajima E8N, Mitsubishi developed the F1M. The design was a fairly
streamlined biplane, with a single main float and two stabilizing floats. Originally, it
featured elliptical wings, but issues with stability, and the tendency to “porpoise” upon
water landings, led to the aircraft being redesigned, with the wings revised to be
straight, and the tail surfaces made larger. As for crew, the aircraft featured a pilot and a
gunner/observer in tandem arrangement. As was common for aircraft of that
configuration, armament was two forward firing and a single flexible machinegun. It
also featured underwing racks for two 60kg bombs. The aerodynamically clean design
made it considerably faster than competitors, and thus it was accepted into production.
However, despite first flying in 1936, it took until 1940 for the design to enter service.
The F1M found itself being used aboard nine cruisers, six seaplane tenders, and eight
battleships, including Yamato and Nagato. It also saw use with shore based units.
Although the cruisers and battleships primarily used the aircraft for its intended role of
gunnery spotting, the aircraft also saw a surprising amount of combat. It was vulnerable
to more modern Allied fighters, but in secondary theaters, it was pressed into service as
a fighter, dive bomber, convoy escort, and ASW aircraft. In particular, it saw use in
dogfights in the Aleutian Islands campaign, as well as the New Guinea campaign. In the
New Guinea campaign, it also managed to sink at least one patrol boat. However,
despite over 1,000 being produced, its combat record is understandably limited.

Mitsubishi Ki-15 Type 97 Command Reconnaissance Plane “Babs”

In 1935, the IJA issued specifications for a two-seat, high speed reconnaissance aircraft.
Mitsubishi’s response was a single-engined cantilever monoplane, with a completely
enclosed tandem cockpit for the crew. Although designed for reconnaissance, it also
featured light bombing capabilities, with up to 250kg of bombs able to be carried under
the fuselage. First flying in 1936, it was ordered into production, and entered service the
next year. At the start of the Sino-Japanese War, it was the primary reconnaissance
aircraft of the IJA. It proved to be able to outrun all of China’s fighters, and provided
vital strategic reconnaissance on flights deep into Chinese territory. However, with the
arrival of the I-16, these flights had to be cut down. The aircraft remained a useful
shorter-range reconnaissance aircraft, however, as well as light bombing. When the war
in the Pacific began, the aircraft was initially used on the frontlines, but proved to be too
vulnerable, and by the end of 1942, was withdrawn to second-line duties. Its last combat
use was as a kamikaze aircraft in the final days of the war.

Mitsubishi Ki-21 “Sally”

In 1936, the IJA issued specifications for a new heavy bomber to replace the Ki-1 and
Ki-20. Specifications called for a twin-engined, four man bomber, with a payload of at
least 750kg of bombs. Mitsubishi developed an all-metal cantilever monoplane, with a
defensive armament of four 7.7mm machineguns, in nose, ventral, tail, and port waist
positions, as well as a dorsal 12.7mm machinegun under a greenhouse canopy. The
aircraft first flew in late 1936. Compared to the competing Nakajima Ki-19, it had better
performance, although the Ki-19 was a better bombing platform, with a higher payload.
Mitsubishi made several changes to the design, however, and the Ki-21 was soon
accepted into production in 1937. The aircraft entered service in 1938, replacing the Fiat
BR.20 bombers that were serving as an interim measure.

The Ki-21 began combat operations in the second half of 1938. Although it was popular
with crews, it carried only half the bombload of the BR.20 it replaced, and had no better
performance. Until the aircraft entered service in larger numbers in 1939, it was fairly
successful, but, like the BR.20 it replaced, it proved to be incredibly vulnerable once it
began to undertake long range missions unescorted. Further exacerbating this issue was
the aircraft’s complete lack of armor and self-sealing fuel tanks. As the war dragged on,
newer variants improved armament and added some armor, and, coupled with the heavy
losses among the Chinese Air Force, losses began to drop to more acceptable levels.
When the war in the Pacific began, the Ki-21 initially was fairly successful. At Hong
Kong, it could operate completely unmolested, as there was no enemy fighter presence.
In the Malaya campaign, it was again fairly safe, as the vastly outnumbered Allied
fighter forces in the theater consisted primarily of outdated Brewster Buffaloes.
However, these successes would not last. In December, the arrival of the American
Volunteer Group in China led to massive losses among the IJA bomber force. Only the
shortage of P-40s kept Ki-21 losses from being catastrophically high. Elsewhere, the
situation was similar. In Burma, the Allied fighter force consisted of Hawker Hurricanes
and Curtiss P-40s. Although largely outclassed by IJA fighters, these aircraft were more
than capable of inflicting losses among the Ki-21s.

Despite its clear obsolescence and crippling vulnerabilities, the aircraft remained in
active service as a bomber until 1944, due to the lack of a suitable replacement. They
served primarily in the Southeast Asia theater, where despite heavy losses, they
continued to perform not only strikes within the theater, but strikes as far as Calcutta.
With the arrival of the Ki-67, the Ki-21 was rapidly removed from frontline service, and
relegated primarily to transport roles. When Kamikaze attacks began, the Ki-21, like
most Japanese aircraft available, was used in the strikes. It also found use as a transport,
and was even used for commando attacks on Allied-held airfields in Okinawa with
limited success.

Mitsubishi Ki-30 Type 97 Light Bomber “Ann”

In 1936, the IJA issued specifications to replace the Ki-3 light bomber with a
completely indigenous design. Mitsubishi developed a two-man design capable of dive
bombing, and originally featuring retractable landing gear. However, wind tunnel tests
found that the speed increase given from retractable landing gear was negligible, so
fixed landing gear was substituted in the final design. It first flew in 1937,
demonstrating better performance than specified. It was soon ordered into production,
and entered service with units in China. In China, they proved to be well-suited to rough
runways, and incredibly effective while escorted by fighters. The IJA attempted to
continue using the aircraft in the same way in the early stages of the greater war in the
Pacific, using the design heavily in the Philippines. However, it could not always
operated escorted, and was much more vulnerable than it was to the obsolete aircraft of
the Chinese. As losses mounted, the aircraft was withdrawn to second-line duties. Many
of the aircraft met their fate as Kamikaze aircraft towards the end of the war.

Mitsubishi B5M Type 97 No.2 Carrier Attack Bomber “Kate”

The B5M was developed alongside the Nakajima B5N torpedo bomber in response to
specifications calling for a carrier-based torpedo bomber. While Nakajima included
many advanced features in their design, Mitsubishi was more conservative, opting for
fixed landing gear, manually folding wings, and simpler flaps. Although the design was
less advanced, it demonstrated better performance than the B5N prototype when it first
flew in 1937. Thus, Mitsubishi received a production order. Despite its better
performance, it was deemed inferior to the Nakajima design due to its lower potential
for further development. Thus, only 125 aircraft were built, and the aircraft served from
land-based units rather than aboard carriers as intended. They were primarily employed
as patrol aircraft in Southern China in the early months of the war in the Pacific, before
being withdrawn to second line duties. In the final days of the war, some were used for
Kamikaze attacks.

Mitsubishi A6M Type Zero Carrier Fighter “Zeke”

As the A5M began entering service in 1937, the IJN had already begun the search for its
eventual replacement. Building off of experience in China, requirements called for a
long-range fighter, featuring radios for navigation and communication, and an
armament of two 20mm cannon on top of the twin 7.7mm machineguns that were
standard (although woefully inadequate) for Japanese fighters of the time. In addition,
the design had to retain the maneuverability of the A5M, and fit on an aircraft carrier.
Nakajima considered the requirements unrealistic, and pulled out of the competition,
leaving Mitsubishi the only contender. To meet the incredible performance
requirements, a newly developed aluminum alloy was used in construction, and armor
was completely omitted from the design. Although this left the entire aircraft incredibly
vulnerable, it allowed for the comparatively low-power engines available to give the
aircraft incredible performance.

The result of Mitsubishi’s efforts was arguably the most advanced aircraft in the world
at the time of its introduction, and undoubtedly the best carrier fighter. Testing starting
in 1939 revealed an incredibly low stall speed owing to the large wing area and
incredibly light weight, and the aircraft was found to have very low wing loading and
incredible maneuverability. Another side effect of the light weight was the aircraft’s
range; not only did it meet requirements set out by the IJN, but the design ended up
being the longest-range single-engine fighter of the entire war. After little over a year of
testing, the aircraft finally began to enter service with the IJN, making its combat debut
in China.
From the start, the Zero proved itself to be a capable fighter. In its first engagement in
September 1940, 13 A6M2s went up against 27 Chinese I-15s, and in the ensuing battle,
all I-15s were downed without a single loss. Against the Chinese pilots flying outdated
fighters, who struggled even against the older A5Ms and Ki-27s, the Zero was
unstoppable. By the time of the redeployment of the Zeros in China a year later, they
had scored between 99 and 266 kills. The aircraft quickly began to overtake and replace
the A5M, with 420 Zeros active in the Pacific by December.

In the opening strike of the war in the Pacific, the Zero made its mark. Zeros flew escort
for the waves of bombers in the strike on Pearl Harbor, losing several of their number to
ground fire. As other theaters opened up, the A6M quickly proved itself to be far
superior to most Allied fighters. Although Allied fighter aircraft often outperformed the
Zero in terms of speed or dive rate, the Zero was unmatched in maneuverability, and,
like the Bf 109 in Europe, quickly came to be the standard for which all Allied aircraft
were compared against. The experienced IJN pilots flying the A6M took a heavy toll on
Allied aircraft in the opening stages of the war, forcing a massive shift in training
specifically to combat the aircraft.

As the first year of the war in the Pacific dragged on, the Zero continued to remain
competitive. Against the Grumman F4Fs that formed the backbone of the USN fighters,
the Zero outclassed the F4F in everything but dive rate and durability. Special formation
tactics had to be adopted to combat the Zero. Interestingly enough, while US pilots
lamented the sluggishness of the Wildcat, and praised the maneuverability of the Zero,
Japanese pilots were similarly astounded by the durability of the F4F. While the Zero
was easily shredded by the 4-6 machineguns of the F4F-3 and F4F-4, Japanese pilots
commented on how they would dump all of their machinegun ammunition into a single
Wildcat, only for it to continue limping home.

However, 1942 spelled the beginning of the end for the Zero. Surprisingly effective
tactics at Coral Sea, coupled with the loss of Zuikaku and heavy damaging of Shokaku
took a heavy toll, not only in terms of available aircraft, but in terms of valuable
experienced pilots. Midway was even more disastrous, with Hiryu, Soryu, Kaga, and
Akagi all being lost along with their entire aircraft contingent, and many of their pilots.
When the Allied offensive began in the Solomon Islands, new tactics took their toll,
resulting in the loss of even more experienced pilots. Guadalcanal in particular further
crippled the IJN, with almost 1,000 aircraft of all types lost.
Further compounding the losses of valuable pilots was the introduction of the P-38,
F6F, and F4U. While earlier, IJN pilots could rely on their superiority in most aspects of
performance over Allied fighters, this was no longer the case. Now, the only advantage
the A6M had was maneuverability. Allied pilots were now trained to avoid dogfights
entirely, preferring instead to “bounce” enemy aircraft, taking advantage of their greater
speed. Experienced A6M pilots could still manage to force the enemy into a turning
fight, but such pilots were becoming increasingly rare. Further complicating things for
the Zero pilots was the capture of an intact Zero by the Americans during the Aleutian
Islands campaign. Now, Allied pilots not only had superior aircraft, but also knowledge
of all of the Zero’s weaknesses.
Although by 1944 the Zero was outdated, for lack of a suitable replacement, the aircraft
remained in production until the end of the war. As much as Mitsubishi tried to upgrade
the aircraft, it was unable to compete with the rapidly advancing Allied aircraft
technology. Stagnating engine development made keeping the design competitive
difficult, and by the end of the war, it was practically a sitting duck against Allied
fighters, due both to obsolescence and poor pilot training, as the Battle of the Philippine
Sea had all but guaranteed that Japan was drained of experienced pilots. When the
Allied bombing campaign commenced, the A6M was of little use to stop the bombers.
As the war grew more desperate, the design found a new purpose: as Kamikaze aircraft.
However, even that was not enough to save Japan.

Mitsubishi Ki-51 Type 99 Assault Plane “Sonia”

In response to specifications for a new light bomber, Mitsubishi upgraded the Ki-30
design. Initially, two variants were proposed, with a bomber version and a
reconnaissance version. However, the IJA forced changes, resulting in a single attacker
variant with secondary reconnaissance capabilities. As per specifications, it featured
armor, something practically unheard of on other Japanese aircraft. First flying in 1939,
it was soon deployed to China, where it proved to be fairly effective. When the war in
the Pacific began, the design was found to be vulnerable to enemy fighters, but was
excellent as an attack aircraft in the China-Burma-India theater where it primarily
operated. As the war grew desperate, many Ki-51s were withdrawn to ASW duties, and
many saw use as Kamikaze planes. On the day of the Hiroshima bombing, the Ki-51
scored the final submarine kill of the war, sinking SS-332 Bullhead.

Mitsubishi Ki-46 Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft “Dinah”

In 1937, it was decided that the Ki-15 would need a replacement, as it was far
outclassed in performance by contemporary fighters. Specifications issued called for a
fast, lightly armed, single or double engined aircraft. Mitsubishi chose the latter option,
developing a low-winged twin engined aircraft. Testing began in 1939, and, despite a
top speed lower than the specifications called for, the aircraft had good performance. As
its top speed still exceeded that of contemporary Japanese fighters, the Ki-43 and A6M,
the type was ordered into production. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi continued to develop the
design to improve its airspeed. Following the conclusion of testing, the aircraft began to
enter service in mid 1941.
The Ki-46 began operations in China, with mixed results. Although much more capable
than the Ki-15 it replaced, it was much more difficult to maintain, and poorly suited to
the low quality airfields in the Chinese theater. Regardless, it was able to operate with
relative impunity, being too fast for Chinese fighters to intercept. In the months leading
up to the war in the Pacific, the Ki-46 began to fly unauthorized operations over
Malaya. In the opening stages of the war in the Pacific, operations were similar to those
in China: the fast aircraft was nearly invulnerable to the outdated fighters flying with
Allied forces that lacked early warning systems. However, as more advanced Allied
fighters came into service, the Ki-46 began to suffer losses.

Attempts to improve the performance, particularly the speed of the Ki-46, were
successful, but were still not able to save the aircraft from the rapidly improving Allied
fighters. As the Allied bombing campaign began, the Ki-46 was repurposed for bomber
interception. Like the Nakajima J1N, the aircraft was given both forward firing and
obliquely firing armament. Two 20mm cannon were mounted in the nose, and a single
37mm cannon was mounted firing upwards, and modest armor protection was added.
However, the aircraft was less successful than other bomber destroyers; its added
armament greatly reduced performance, particularly climb rate, and the minimal armor
added did little to protect the aircraft.

Mitsubishi G4M “Betty”

Almost immediately after the introduction of the G3M, the IJN issued specifications for
a replacement. As with the G3M, specifications called for an unprecedented range, as
well as a high speed. Payload was to be slightly higher than the G3M to facilitate the
use of an 800kg torpedo, but otherwise was still unimpressive. Mitsubishi began
development of a new design, that, while sharing many characteristics of the G3M, was
an entirely new bomber. To meet the demanding requirements, Mitsubishi was forced to
again omit armor and self-sealing fuel tanks from the design to save weight. In response
to combat experience with the G3M, armament was improved, with a single 20mm
cannon in the tail, as well as four 7.7mm machineguns in nose and waist positions, and
a dorsal turret. Initially, the IJN looked into a version mounting more cannons to act as
an escort gunship, dubbed the G6M1, but this was soon shelved. First flying in late
1939, it entered service the next year.

The G4M made its combat debut in China, making its first strikes against the city of
Hankow. Like the G3M, its long range allowed it to operate from airfields far from
danger, in Formosa, Jeju, and Kyushu. They continued to be used alongside the G3M in
the war in China until the start of the greater war in the Pacific. In the opening stages of
the war, the G4M was used heavily. On December 8, they began raids in the
Philippines, hitting vital targets such as Clark Field, in preparation for the invasion of
the islands. Two days later, they played a major part in the sinking of HMS Prince of
Wales and Repulse, performing torpedo strikes while the older G3Ms did high-altitude
bombing.

As the war continued, the G4M remained a potent weapon. During the Solomon Islands
campaign, the aircraft was used heavily as both a conventional and torpedo bomber,
with skilled crews flying the aircraft at incredibly low altitudes to make torpedo attacks.
While their attacks did take their toll on Allied shipping during the campaign, the G4M
was quickly beginning to show its vulnerabilities. The lack of armor was becoming a
major liability, and the aircraft was found to be incredibly prone to fires. USN F4Fs and
antiaircraft fire took their toll on the aircraft during the campaign. Catastrophic losses
during the Guadalcanal campaign led to the losses of many experienced crews. As the
battle for the Solomon Islands raged on, night raids became more common in an attempt
to mitigate losses. However, even this was not enough to stem losses: during the Battle
of Rennell Island, 10 of 43 G4Ms were lost solely to antiaircraft fire during a single
raid.
Unfortunately, the situation for the G4M would only get worse. Newer Allied fighters,
particularly the P-38, took a heavy toll on the aircraft. As the raid resulting in the death
of Admiral Yamamoto demonstrated, the G4M was incredibly vulnerable, even when
escorted. However, lacking a suitable replacement, the G4M remained in service, with
as much effort as possible put into keeping the design competitive. As the Solomon
Islands fell, they began to operate from New Guinea. In the north, they operated from
the Marianas Islands and Okinawa, attempting to halt the advancing Allies. As bases
abroad fell, the G4M was withdrawn to the home islands. As the war grew more
desperate, the G4M saw use not only in Kamikaze attacks as the attacking aircraft
themselves, but also as motherships for the MXY7 Ohka flying bombs. Regardless of
the intent of the particular mission, however, the end result was often the same; Allied
fighter presence made the attacks futile, with the large, slow bomber taking heavy losses
to enemy fighters.

Mitsubishi J2M “Jack”

Work on the J2M began in 1938, as Mitsubishi began looking into developing a land-
based interceptor to work alongside their carrier-based A6M. Specifications were much
different than those for the Zero; they called for climb rate and speed to be prioritized,
with a very short endurance, and some armor plating. Unfortunately, development was
slow, as the A6M was a higher priority. The designers were limited with their choice of
engines, and were forced to use a large radial engine. In an effort to reduce drag, the
cowling extended far in front of the engine, with a long shaft connecting to the
propellor. Development was further delayed due to issues with the engine, and poor
cockpit visibility. It took until 1942 for the aircraft to first take to the skies, and
deliveries began at the end of the year..

Production was incredibly slow, with only 14 aircraft built by March 1943. Operational
units only started to receive the design by mid 1943. The IJN soon decided on another
design to be their primary interceptor, but the J2M was retained as a stopgap while
Mitsubishi developed the A7M. The aircraft finally got to see combat in 1944, during
the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The limited numbers of the aircraft were soon
redeployed to bases in Korea and Japan. Although intended as an interceptor, it was
poorly suited to intercepting the high-flying B-29s, due to the lack of a supercharger.
Attempts were made to improve the design, adding a supercharger and two upward-
firing cannons, but performance remained lackluster. New tactics developed managed to
briefly increase the effectiveness of the J2M, but the switch to night bombing negated
the new tactics. In the closing days of the war, J2Ms also saw combat against Soviet
aircraft during the USSR’s brief involvement in the war in the Pacific.

Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu “Peggy”

In 1941, the IJA issued specifications for a bomber to replace the Nakajima Ki-49.
Unusual for the IJA, specifications called for a bomber with heavy defensive armament
and good durability. The resulting aircraft had a single 20mm cannon in a dorsal turret,
as well as five 12.7mm machineguns in tail, nose, and waist positions. It featured a
payload of over 1,00kg of bombs, and, while having a lower maximum payload than
contemporary Allied medium bombers, it was able to carry this payload for much
longer distances than Allied bombers could carry comparable payloads. Overall, despite
heavy armament and actually having armor, the aircraft was found to have good
performance, including an incredible range characteristic of Japanese bombers.
The Ki-67 originally entered service in 1943, serving primarily as a level bomber.
However, it was soon suggested that the aircraft be used as a torpedo bomber as well,
and thus several airframes were converted and tested successfully for the new role. As
torpedo bombers, they made attempts to strike US fleets around Formosa and Kyushu.
In the conventional bombing role, they performed strikes against the distant B-29
airfields. However, despite the impressive range of the Ki-67, these missions were
usually one-way. In the final stages of the war, the Ki-67 was converted for Kamikaze
strikes, with extra bombs fitted into the aircraft.

Mitsubishi Ki-109

As the bombing campaign intensified, there was a great need for interceptors. The high
performance Ki-67 was looked at as a possible solution. A hunter-killer team of two
aircraft was proposed, with one aircraft carrying the radar and search light, and the other
carrying the armament. For the killer variant, the Ki-109A, a single nose-mounted
75mm cannon would be the primary armament. Initial versions retained the defensive
guns, but this was soon reduced, with only the tail guns remaining. Unfortunately, when
the aircraft finally entered service in 1945, performance was poor. The Ki-109 was
unable to reach the B-29s on their high daylight raids, and, once the shift towards low-
level night raids was made, the radars on the hunter Ki-109B were found to be
inadequate, making the whole system effectively useless. Despite countless attempted
interceptions, the aircraft never actually managed to engage a B-29. The single unit
equipped with the aircraft was disbanded in late July 1945.
Mitsubishi A7M Reppu “Sam”

At the end of 1940, the IJN issued specifications for a replacement for the A6M.
However, as Mitsubishi was occupied with other projects at the time, work was
temporarily halted. In 1942, when the A6M3 had been completed, Mitsubishi was once
again asked to resume work on their A6M successor. Armament was two 13.2mm
machineguns and two 20mm cannon. Initially, problems finding a suitable engine
slowed the project. Suitable engines were finally found, but development was constantly
put on a low priority over more pressing needs to modernize the A6M and G4M. It first
flew in May 1944, but work continued at a very slow pace, and was further hampered
by an earthquake and Allied bombing. By the end of the war, only 9 examples had been
built. During the testing of the aircraft, the ace Saburo Sakai flew the A7M, declaring it
the best aircraft he’d ever flown, and that it would be able to outfly any Allied fighter.
Unfortunately, these claims could never be tested; the aircraft never saw combat.

Mitsubishi Ki-83
The Ki-83 was Mitsubishi’s response to specifications issued in 1943 for a long-range
escort fighter. The aircraft was a twin-engined, two man aircraft, with an armament of
two 30mm and two 20mm cannon in the nose. Despite its size, it had impressive speed
and maneuverability, although testing revealed vibration issues in the earlier models. It
first flew in late 1944, and, despite the toll the Allied bombing was taking on Japanese
industry, plans were in place for the aircraft to enter mass production. The aircraft was
found to be incredibly capable, and Mitsubishi was planning to develop a
reconnaissance variant (Ki-95) and advanced interceptor version (Ki-103). However,
the war ended with only four Ki-83s made.

Mitsubishi J4M Senden “Luke”

The J4M was a proposed advanced interceptor from Mitsubishi. It featured a radial
engine in a pusher configuration, with the tail mounted on two booms. It was to have a
single crewman, with a heavy armament of a single 30mm and two 20mm cannon in the
nose. It was projected to have a top speed of over 400mph at the B-29’s cruise altitude.
However, the IJN passed over the design for the more ambitious Kyushu J7W.
Although development was abandoned before a single example was built, the Allies
gave the aircraft the reporting name “Luke.”

Mitsubishi J8M/Ki-200
The J8M was intended to be a license-built copy of the Me 163 Komet. Japan had made
a deal with Germany to have an example of the aircraft, as well as blueprints, extra
engines, and information on manufacturing and operational procedures shipped to Japan
via submarine. Unfortunately, the submarine carrying the Me 163 was intercepted and
sunk, and the submarine carrying the blueprints was destroyed shortly later. Thus,
Mitsubishi was left with only a copy of the instruction manual of the aircraft, which was
taken from the submarine carrying the blueprints when it docked in Singapore, and
flown to Japan. Despite lacking the plans,Mitsubishi succeeded in developing a design
that was outwardly similar to the Komet, and featuring the same handling
characteristics, while being 400kg lighter through the use of wood in certain areas, use
of less ammunition, and lack of armor.

The J8M made its first powered flight in July 7 1945. Unfortunately, this first flight
ended in disaster; the engine cut out, and the aircraft rolled upon landing, bursting into
flames. Development continued, and full production was slated to begin by the end of
the war. The aircraft’s mission profile was to be similar to the Me 163, with the aircraft
making gun passes on the way up and diving down for another pass, but rather than
landing, the aircraft would instead perform a ramming attack. Plans were in place to
create a special suicide unit to employ the aircraft in this manner.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries F-1

In the 1960s, the JASDF began looking into acquiring a trainer/light attack aircraft.
Initially, they looked into the SEPECAT Jaguar and T-38 Talon, but it was soon
decided to develop a design domestically. Work started on a two-seat, twin engined
trainer, and budget cuts almost led to the cancellation of the attack variant. However,
other programs were cancelled to save it, allowing Mitsubishi to develop the first
Japanese combat aircraft since WW2. The F-1 replaced the rear cockpit of the trainer
with an avionics bay, and two additional hardpoints were added. The aircraft features a
single 20mm cannon, and seven hardpoints for armament, with provisions for various
rockets, bombs, anti-ship missiles, and defensive AIM-9 missiles. 77 were built, and
they entered service in 1978. They saw no combat due to Japan’s neutrality, and served
without incident until their replacement by F-2s. The last F-1s were retired in 2006 as
they reached the end of their airframe lives.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries F-15J

Following the decision to purchase F-15s and begin license production of the design,
Mitsubishi was assigned to produce the aircraft. Many electronic systems on the aircraft
were withheld, so the majority of the development occurred in these areas. The F-15J is
externally identical to the F-15C/D, with the only differences being the radars, radios,
jamming equipment, and navigation systems, which are all domestically developed.
This development meant that it was somewhat delayed in entering service, taking until
1981 for the aircraft to be introduced. However, it saw much more use than the F-1.
Over 200 aircraft have been produced, forming the backbone of the JASDF fighter
force. Throughout their uneventful service life, they have been continually upgraded,
using what can be acquired from the US, and developing what they can’t get from the
US domestically.

Mitsubishi F-2
In the late 80’s, Mitsubishi began work on developing a domestic version of the F-16.
Cooperating with Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi began developing an aircraft very
similar to the Agile Falcon concept, with a larger wing, uprated engine, and several
other improvements. Development was long and drawn out, and massively overbudget
and behind schedule. In the mid-90s, the aircraft took flight for the first time, but it took
until 2000 for the aircraft to enter service. Changes from the F-16 included an overall
larger airframe, with a different wing planform, larger nose, three-piece canopy, and
heavy use of composites to lower weight and radar signature, among other changes.

The F-2 began entering service in 2000, replacing the F-1, and acting as a cheaper
backup to the F-15J. A total of 94 have been made, with production ending in 2011. It
serves as both a fighter, as well as retaining the ground-attack and anti-shipping role of
the F-1. Although it has not seen any actual combat, just like the other postwar
Mitsubishi designs, it been used in the occasional interception. In early 2013, F-2s
intercepted a flight of Su-27s that violated Japanese airspace near Hokkaido. Later that
year, F-2s were scrambled again in response to Tu-95s violating Japanese airspace.
Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin

The ATD-X is meant to be a technology demonstrator for a possible next-generation

fighter aircraft developed indigenously. A mockup was constructed and tested for radar
cross-section in 2005, and a remote-controlled ⅕ scale model made its first flight a year
later. The actual aircraft itself is intended to be a ⅓ scale model of a potential next
generation fighter. Notable features of the design include three-dimensional thrust
vectoring, with paddles similar to the Rockwell X-31, and fly-by-optics controls, where
fiber optics substitute wires. A system is proposed to diagnose issues due to battle
damage, and recalibrate remaining control surfaces to keep the aircraft stable. The
ATD-X is expected to make its first flight in 2014 or 2015, with the program hopefully
resulting in a full-size combat aircraft around 2027.
Japan Mitsubishi Manufacturer
2 notes Jan 17th, 2015