Nakajima G5N1 Attack-Bomber Shinzan (Liz)

From The Air Combat Wiki

Contents 1 Fighter Ace Screenshots 2 Fighter Ace Ratings 3 Fighter Ace Performance 4 Historical Statistics 5 Strengths 6 Weaknesses 7 History 8 Sources 9 See Also

Fighter Ace Screenshots

Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ
Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ

Fighter Ace Ratings

Durability: 4

Speed: 4

Maneuverability: 4

Firepower: n/a

Climb Rate: 2

Ground Attack: 9

Fighter Ace Performance

Top Speeds						Climb Rates
	Sea Level	4921' 1500m	9843' 3000m	19685' 6000m	Best Speed	Best IAS	to 1000m	to 3000m	to 6000m
mph	216	232	248	255	260@ 13451'	124 mph	2:48	8:09	17:43
mph WEP	218	234	249	n/a	262@ 13451'
kph	348	373	399	410	418@ 4100m	200 kph
kph WEP	351	376	400	n/a	421@ 4100m

Historical Statistics

Service Date: April 1941

Defensive Guns: 1x Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun with 800 rpg in nose, 1x Type 99-1 20 mm cannon with 250 rpg in dorsal turret, 1x Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun with 800 rpg in port beam position, 1x Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun with 800 rpg in starboard beam position, 1x Type 99-1 20 mm cannon with 250 rpg in tail

Ordnance: 40x 110 lb (50 kg) or 32x 220 lb (100 kg) or 16x 551 lb (250 kg) or 8x 1103 lb (500 kg) or 4x 1,764 lb (800 kg) or 2x 3970 lb (1800 kg) bombs

Engine(s): 4x Nakajima NK7A Mamoru 11 radials rated for 1,870 hp at sea level

Int Fuel Capacity: 15,880 lb (7,200 kg)

Ext Fuel Capacity: none

Maximum Speeds: 261 mph (420 kph) at 13,450 ft (4,100 m)

Ceiling: 24,440 ft (7,450 m)

Loaded Weight: 62,060 lbs (28,150 kg)

Wing Area: 2,172 sq ft (208.1 sq m)

Wing Loading: 28.6 lbs/sq ft (139.5 kg/sq m)

Strengths

Bomb Load: The G5N has the heaviest bomb load of all Japanese bombers.

Weaknesses

Durability: The G5N is the least durable of all heavy bombers.

Speed: Fully loaded, the G5N is lucky to reach 200 mph in level flight.

History

Rejected by American Airlines, the sole prototype of the Douglas DC-4E was purchased by the Japan Air Line Company (Nippon Kiku K.K.) in 1938 as a front for the Imperial Navy. The Navy wanted a long-range, heavy bomber and planned to design it around the Douglas prototype.

The new plane, designated G5N Shinzan (Deep Mountain), retained the original wing, engine, and landing gear designs, while featuring a new fuselage and tail assembly. It also marked a milestone in Japanese aviation history as being the first four-engine plane designed for the Navy and the first Japanese plane to feature a tricycle landing gear arrangement.

However, the Nakajima engineers lacked experience in designing such large planes and the result was an overweight and underpowered disappointment. In an effort to keep the project alive the plane was re-engined, but that too was a unsatisfactory and the four G5N prototypes ended their careers as freight transports.

Designer's Note: In order to provide JP with a four-engine bomber capable of carrying a heavy bomb load, the performance of this plane was increased above that of the historical model. However, the G5N remains the slowest and least durable heavy bomber in the Fighter Ace inventory.

Sources

Francillon, Rene J.; Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War; Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD; 1979.

See Also

Nakajima Hikoki K.K.

Aircraft Manufacturers During World War II

Japanese Aircraft Designation System

Fighter Ace Planes Inventory