Nakajima B4N

The Nakajima B4N was a Japanese carrier‑based torpedo bomber developed in the early 1930s by Nakajima Aircraft Company. Conceived to replace the aging Mitsubishi B1M, the B4N first flew in 1934 and entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1936 under the designation Type 96. The low‑wing monoplane featured an all‑metal stressed‑skin construction, a retractable under‑carriage, and a powerful Nakajima Hikari radial engine delivering 820 hp, allowing a top speed of roughly 380 km/h. Its crew of two operated a forward‑firing 7.7 mm machine gun and a rear‑facing defensive gun, while the aircraft could carry a single 800 kg torpedo or up to 500 kg of bombs beneath the wings. Though quickly superseded by the more capable Nakajima B5N “Kate” during the Second Sino‑Japanese War, the B4N proved valuable in early carrier operations, helping to refine deck‑landing techniques and torpedo‑attack doctrine for the IJN. Its development marked Nakajima’s transition from biplane trainers to modern monoplane combat aircraft, laying the technological groundwork for Japan’s later World War II carriers. The B4N’s modest production run of 250 airframes also provided valuable data that informed Nakajima’s subsequent designs, cementing its role as a stepping stone toward Japan’s formidable carrier strike capability in the Pacific theater.