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G4M file photo [69]

G4M

CountryJapan
ManufacturerMitsubishi Heavy Industries
Primary RoleMedium Bomber

Contributor:

ww2dbaseNicknamed "Betty" by the Allies, the Type 1 Bombers of the G4M family were the heavy bombers of the Japanese Navy. In May 1941 they performed their first missions in southeast China, perfecting the techniques for their future missions in Malaya and the Philippines. During the Malaya campaign, they took part in the shocking sinking of British battleship Prince of Wales and battle cruiser Repulse alongside of the older G3m "Nell" bombers; it was the first time capital ships were sunk by aircraft exclusively while at sea. When unescorted, these bombers with their unprotected fuel tanks were extremely vulnerable to interceptor aircraft, leading to the Allied airmen's nickname "one-shot lighter" for them. Their vulnerabilities were greatly exaggerated by the use of these bombers as low-altitude torpedo bombers. When used as a bomber at higher altitudes, however, they could easily make their attacks and escape before Allied fighters could reach the same altitude.

ww2dbase2,479 Type 1 Bombers were built during the war.

ww2dbaseSources: Aircraft of the Second World War, Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Mar 2006

G4M Timeline

28 Apr 1945 Japanese special attack aircraft damaged 5 destroyers, 2 hospital ships, and victory ship Bozeman Victory off Okinawa, Japan. None of the four G4M bombers carrying Ohka special attack aircraft hit their targets.
19 Aug 1945 On instructions from Douglas MacArthur, a Japanese delegation led by Japanese Imperial Army Vice Chief of Staff Lt General Torashiro Kawabe traveled from Tokyo, Japan to Ie Jima just off Okinawa where they were transferred from their two specially marked Mitsubishi G4M ‘Betty’ bombers to a USAAF C-54 Skymaster for the second leg of their trip to Manila, Philippines where they met with MacArthur.

SPECIFICATIONS

G4M1
MachineryTwo Mitsubishi Kasei 11 14-cylinder two-row radial engines rated at 1,530 hp each
Armament3x7.7mm machine guns, 1x20mm tail gun, 1,000kg internal bombs or 800kg external torpedoes
Crew7
Span24.89 m
Length19.97 m
Height4.90 m
Weight, Empty6,741 kg
Weight, Loaded9,500 kg
Speed, Maximum428 km/h
Service Ceiling9,144 m
Range, Normal5,040 km

G4M2
MachineryTwo water/methanol injection Kasei 22 engines rated at 1,850 hp each
Armament3x7.7mm machine guns, 1x20mm tail gun, 1,000kg internal bombs or 800kg external torpedoes
Crew7
Span24.89 m
Length19.97 m
Height4.11 m
Weight, Empty7,994 kg
Weight, Loaded12,500 kg
Weight, Maximum15,000 kg
Speed, Maximum437 km/h
Service Ceiling9,144 m
Range, Normal4,800 km

G4M3
MachineryTwo water/methanol injection Kasei 22 engines rated at 1,850 hp each
Armament3x7.7mm machine guns, 1x20mm tail gun, 1,000kg internal bombs or 800kg external torpedoes
Crew7
Span24.89 m
Length19.97 m
Height4.11 m
Weight, Empty8,391 kg
Weight, Loaded12,500 kg
Weight, Maximum15,000 kg
Speed, Maximum455 km/h
Service Ceiling9,144 m
Range, Normal3,640 km

Photographs

G4M1 aircraft in flight, date unknownThe tail gunner and his view out of a G4M1 bomber, 1941
See all 69 photographs of G4M Medium Bomber



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More on G4M
Notable Figure:
» Honjo, Kiro

Notable Event:
» Invasion of Malaya and Singapore

G4M Medium Bomber Photo Gallery
G4M1 aircraft in flight, date unknownThe tail gunner and his view out of a G4M1 bomber, 1941
See all 69 photographs of G4M Medium Bomber


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