Air International 1984-12
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??? - The Flying Lighter ... Mitsubishi's 1-Rikko /Warbirds/
В первые месяцы войны на Тихоокеанском ТВД японцы захватили господство в воздухе. На этом снимке Mitsubishi G4M1 направляются к целям на Новой Гвинее. Этот бомбардировщик в 1942 году пришел на смену G3M той же фирмы в качестве основного бомбардировщика и торпедоносца сухопутного базирования флотской авиации.
G4M1 gata 11 bombers of the Yokosuka Kokutai
The first 1-Rikko captured by the Allies to be restored to flyable condition, this aircraft, originally belonging to the 763rd Kokutai, being found at Clark Field, Manila. Limited flight testing (three-four flights) was undertaken with this G4M2A during which these photographs were taken.
The 1-Rikko, the G4M2A version being illustrated here, was a shapely if corpulent aircraft, possessing fundamentally good flying characteristics.
A G4M1 (X-902) photographed at Rabaul.
О японском G4M британские моряки узнали только 10 декабря 1941 года, когда эти бомбардировщики вместе с G3M потопили линкор "Принс оф Уэльс" и линейный крейсер "Рипалс". На фотографии - подвеска торпеды на G4M1.
A G4M1 gata 11 of the Takao Kokutai being loaded with a torpedo in the early months of the Pacific War
A G4M2A of the 763rd Kokutai abandoned in the Philippines.
A G4M1 gata 11 of the 705th Kokutai at Rabaul in 1943.
G4M1 gata 11 bombers of the Yokosuka Kokutai, the land-based attack bomber element of which began to receive the 1-Rikko in 1942, flying this type throughout the remainder of the Pacific War.
Mitsubishi G4M стал самым многочисленным японским бомбардировщиком.
The third prototype of the G4M3A gata 34 which introduced a structurally redesigned one-piece wing with extended integral fuel tankage
A G4M1 gata 12 about to take-off from Saipan.
Mitsubishi G4M2A (Type 1 Land-based Attacker Model 24)
(Left) Nose glazing and gun position of (top to bottom) the G4M1, the G4M2 and the G4M2A/G4M3, and (right) the tail gun positions of (top to bottom) the G4M1, the G4M2 and the G4M3.
G4M1 Model 11
G4M2A Model 24
One of the 30 G6M1 convoy fighters which preceded series production of the G4M1. All aircraft of this type were relegated to crew training and eventually adapted as paratroop transports.