FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Aichi B7A2 Ryusei (allied code name "Grace") was the final and most formidable torpedo bomber designed for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Introduced in June 1944, it was another case of too little, too late. The plane was designed for large aircraft carriers which, by 1944, (mostly) no longer existed in IJN. So, the B7A operated mainly from land bases which limited its effectiveness. Despite these circumstances, the B7A was an impressive torpedo bomber. By some accounts of those pilots who flew them, the B7N, with its inverted gull wings, was as maneuverable and fast as the Mitsubishi Zero. It was hard to catch and could turn and fight after dropping its ordinance rather than fly back to home base. One wonders how good of a fighter this plane could have been if the design was altered slightly (get rid of the "crew cab" for starters). Aichi only produced a total of 114 B7A by the end of war. Here's a cool video done in IL-2 (yet another PC-based combat flight game) where a B7A does a torpedo run then takes on a US Navy F4U Corsair.

AICHI B7A2 Ryusei "Grace"

 

 

 Class: Torpedo Bomber

 Crew: 2

 Engine: Nakajima NK9C Homare 12 18-cylinder, twin row radial (1,825 hp)

 Max Speed: 352 mph at 16,076 ft

 Climb Rate: 1,890 ft/min

 Service Ceiling: 36,910 ft

 Range: 1,151 miles

 Armament: 1 x .303 inch machine gun (rear-firing)
                       2 x 20 mm cannon (wing mount)
                       1 x 1,764 lb torpedo or 1,764 lb bombload

  Model Scale:  1:100



















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