Yokosuka B3Y

In 1932, the Imperial fleet of Japan, dissatisfied with the characteristics of the aircraft Mitsubishi B2M , announced a competition for the development of its replacement, approving the specification of 7-C. This time it was decided not to attract foreign companies, but to develop the aircraft on its own. The competition was attended by firms Mitsubishi , Nakajima and the 1st fleet arsenal in the city of Yokosuka .

The Mitsubishi aircraft ( factory designation 3MT10 ) was even slower than its predecessor. In addition, during one of the test flights, the prototype crashed and was not recoverable.

The aircraft of Nakajima ( designation Y3B or B3N ) had a rather original innovative design, but also did not show good results. After building prototypes, both works were discontinued.

The aircraft of the 1st fleet arsenal, developed by a team of designers under the leadership of Suzuki Tamefumi, won the competition. The designers took as a basis the aircraft Mitsubishi B2M , making a number of changes. The plane made the first flight in August 1933. After minor modifications, it was put into service under the name "Deck attack aircraft Type 92" ( or V3U1 ).

Yokosuka B3Y was a triple biplane of mixed construction. The frame of the fuselage consisted of steel pipes, covered with canvas, with the exception of the nose, trimmed with duralumin . The wings had a wooden set and plywood trim, and could be folded to fit on aircraft carriers .

The aircraft was equipped with a Hiro Type 91 12-cylinder water-cooled engine (a licensed version of the French Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb Courlis ) with a capacity of 600 hp. The engine turned out to be very unreliable; besides, the aircraft itself was far from impressive, had poor stability during flight and was difficult to drive ( unlike the B2M and B2M ).

Armament consisted of two 7.7-mm machine guns - one fixed, forward, with a synchronizer, and the other - in the turret arrow. The aircraft could carry one 800-kg torpedo or two 250-kg bombs .

Data source: sky corner

Specifications

• Crew : 3 people.
• Length : 9.50 m
• Wing Span: 13.51 m
• Height : 3.73 m
• Wing area: 50.00 m²
• Weight empty: 1850 kg
• Normal take-off weight: 3200 kg
• Power point : 1 × Hiro Type 91
• Engine power: 1 × 620 l. with.

Flight performance

• Maximum speed: 219 km / h
• Cruising speed : 175 km / h

Armament

• Cannon: Type 89
• Bombs : one 800 kg torpedo or 500 kg bomb

Yokosuka B3Y served on the aircraft carriers "Hosho" and "Ryuzo" . He was unable to oust the B1M and B2M , and at the beginning of the Sino-Japanese war in the fleet there were three different types of bombers. B3Y took a limited part in the hostilities; in particular, they delivered several bomb attacks on Shanghai . Later, when the front moved further, the Japanese command realized that B3Y could not resist the new Chinese fighters, used them only to patrol in the rear of its troops. Until 1940, the B3Y was completely decommissioned in all combat units.

• Tadeusz Januszewski, Krzysztof Zalewski. Japońskie samoloty marynarki 1912-1945 ISBN 83-86776-50-1