Japanese Yokosuka B4Y Torpedo Bomber

By Crusader1307

Deployed between 1936 and 1943, The Imperial Japanese Yokosuka B4Y was a Carrier deployed Torpedo Bomber. Bi-winged, The B4Y was nicknamed ''Jean'' by The Allies early in WWII. The Class of aircraft is best know for it's participation in The Panay Incident of 1937. Several Carrier launched ''Jean's'' attacked a US Navy ''Brown River'' Patrol Ship, The USS ''Panay'' in China. The resulting incident would come close to precipitating War between America and Japan years earlier than it did. The affair would also lead to a best selling novel and later major Hollywood Film (''The Sand Pebbles'').

Very reliable despite being a Multi-winged aircraft - The B4Y was 35-feet long with a combined wingspan of 50-feet. Power was provided by a single 9-cylinder Engine capable of producing 700-HP (with a rated airspeed of 175-mph. Operational ceiling was up to 20,000-feet. The ''Jean'' was designed to seat (3). As a close support Bomber, They had various munition deployment packages. ''Typical'' was 1,100-lbs of Bombs supported by (1) Rear Mounted 7.7mm Machine Gun. Over (200) were fielded by The Imperial Japanese Navy. However, with technical advanced, by 1943-1944, all Models (variants) were retired. None have known to have survived into today.