Yokosuka B3Y

infobox Aircraft
name = Yokosuka B3Y
type = Torpedo Bomber
manufacturer = Yokosuka


caption =
designer =
first flight =
introduced = 1933
introduction=
retired =
status =
primary user = Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
more users =
produced =
number built = 129
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Yokosuka B3Y, or Navy Type 92 Carrier Attack Bomber was a Japanese carrier based torpedo bomber of the 1930's. Designed by the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal, while unimpressive during testing, it was ordered into service by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was used until replaced by more capable aircraft.

Development and design

In 1932, the Imperial Japanese Navy had a requirement for a new torpedo bomber to replace the Mitsubishi B2M. The air arsenal at Yokosuka prepared its own design to meet this requirement, competing against designs by Mitsubishi and Nakajima.

The resulting aircraft was a three seat single engined biplane, with a fuselage of steel tube construction and two bay wooden wings that could fold rearwards for storage aboard aircraft carriers. It was powered by a single Hiro Type 91 W engine rated between 450 to 600 kW (600 to 750 hp).

Testing proved that the aircraft had poor stability and control, and that the engine was unreliable. The competing Mitsubishi and Nakajima aircraft were even less successful however, and after modifications, the aircraft was accepted by the Navy in August 1933 as the Type 92 Carrier Attack Bomber, with a short designation of B3Y1, with production by Aichi, Watanabe and the Hiro Naval Arsenal, 129 being produced by the time that production finished in 1936.

Operational history

The B3Y1 continued to be prone to engine problems, which frequently caused the type to be grounded. It served operationally in the early part of the Second Sino-Japanese War, [cite web |url= http://www.warbirdforum.com/cafhist2.htm|title=Chinese Air Force vs. the Empire of Japan, Fly Boys of the Generalissimo (part 2)|accessdate=2008-01-20 |format= |work= The Warbird's Forum] [cite web |url= http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/sino-japanese-1937.htm |title= Sino-Japanese Air War 1937|accessdate=2008-01-20 |format= |work= Håkans Aviation page ] gaining a good for accurate level bombing against small targets. The B3Y was gradually phased out of operational service, being replaced by the Aichi D1A dive bomber and Yokosuka B4Y torpedo bomber.

Operators

;JPN
*Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

pecifications (B3Y1)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941 Mikesh 1990, p.261]

crew=3
capacity=
length main= 9.50 m
length alt= 31 ft 2 in
span main= 13.51 m
span alt= 44 ft 3¾ in
height main= 3.73 m
height alt= 12 ft 2¾ in
area main= 50 m²
area alt= 538 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,850 kg
empty weight alt= 4,087 lb
loaded weight main= 3,200 kg
loaded weight alt= 7,045 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)=Type 91
type of prop=12 cylinder W-block
number of props=1
power main= 447 kW
power alt= 600 hp
power original=

max speed main= 219 km/h
max speed alt= 118 knots, 136 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 64.0 kg/m²
loading alt= 13.1 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.14 kW/kg
power/mass alt= 0.085 hp/lb
more performance=*Endurance: 4½ hours

armament=
*One forward firing 7.7 mm machine gun and one flexible mounted machine gun in observer's cockpit
*One 800 kg (1,763 lb) torpedo "or" 500 kg (1,102 lb) bombs

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=*Mitsubishi B2M

*Yokosuka B4Y

*Blackburn Shark

*Fairey Swordfish

*Martin BM
lists=

see also=

References

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External links