B5N Kate torpedo bomber airplane model. The Nakajima B5N1 carrier-based Torpedo Bomber (Kate) was designed in 1935 by a Nakajima design team under the supervision of Katsuji Nakamura and went into production as the Navy Type 97 Model 1 attack bomber in 1937. It was soon discovered that it was extremely venerable to any modern fighter aircraft so by 1939 the B5N2 was designed and put into production. By the outbreak of the war even the B5N2 was considered obsolete, yet still an effective torpedo attack aircraft.
There were 1,150 B5N1 and B5N2 Torpedo Bombers produced during the war. The B5N had an operational range of 610 miles (fully loaded) and could carry a single torpedo or three 250-pound bombs. It was a highly maneuverable aircraft with good range and an adequate payload carrying capacity, but it had no crew armor nor self-sealing fuel tanks and its only defense was twin rear mounted 7.7 mm (30 cal) machine guns.
Mahogany wood. Wingspan 21 inches, Length 14 inches.
