G4M "Betty"

Long Range Bomber

Mitsubishi G4M1 'Betty' from Kisaratzu airgroup, Naval Forces of Japan, Kavieng, August, 1942. © Michael Bykov

Mitsubishi G4M1 "Betty" from Kisaratzu airgroup, Naval Forces of Japan, Kavieng, August, 1942.

Approximately 2,446 Betty's of all variants were built.

		G4M1mod11	G6M1-L2	G4M1mod12	G4M2mod22	G4M2mod24	G4M3mod34
G4M1 'Betty' Specification
Crew		6-7	6-7	6-7	6-7	6-7	6-7
Dimensions
Fuselage length, m		19,972	19,940	19,972	19,630	19,630	19,500
Wing span, m		24,879	24,8792	24,879	24,890	24,890	25,000
Wing area, m²		78,125	78,125	78,125	78,000	78,000	78,000
Height, m		4,898	4,898	4,898	4,898	4,898	4,898
Weight:
Empty weight, kg		6800	6800	7164	7300	7420	8300
Маximum takeoff weight, kg		12500	12500	14000	15395	15170	1300
Capacity of petrol tanks, l		4780	4780	5600	6200	6200	4400
Power Plant
Two Mitsubishi Kasei Radial		Kasei-11	Kasei-11	Kasei-15	Kasei-21	Kasei-25	Kasei-25
Power, hp/at alt. m	at take-off	2x1530	2x1530	2x1530	2x1800	2x1825	2x1825
	1 border	1410/2000	1410/2000	1410/2600	1575/1800	1680/2100	1680/2100
	2 border	1340/4000	1340/4000	1280/6000	1410/4800	1540/5500	1540/5500
Performance
Speed, km/h at altitude m	maximum	428/4200	435/4200	452/6000	437/4600	438/4600	481/5065
	cruise	325/4000	330/4000	350/4000	322/4000	322/4000	376/4700
	landing	128	128	129	130	130	130
Rate of climb, m/min		18/7000	18/7000	15/7000	14/5000	13/57000	20/7000
Ceiling, m		8240	8800	9660	8950	8950	9700
Maximum range, km		6034	6200	5719	5400	5400	4330
Armament
Torpedo, (pc.)		1	3000kg	1	1	1	1
Bombs, kg		1000	cargo	1000	1000	1000	1000
Cannon, machine guns		1x20, 4x7,71	-	1x20, 4x7,71	2x20, 3x7,71	4x20, 1x7,71	4x20, 1x13,1

G4M Prototype with two Mitsubishi Kasei 11 (1,530-hp) radial engines. First flown on October 23, 1939. After satisfactory trials it was ordered into production as the G4M1 Model 11.
G4M1 Model 11 The first production aircraft entered operational service during the Summer of 1941.
G4M2 Model 22 is equipped with two Mitsubishi MK4P Kasei 21 (1,800-hp) radial engines, leading to two subvariants, the 22A and 22B models which varied only in armament configurations.
G4M2a Model 24 is equipped with two Mitsubishi MK4T Kasei 25 (1,825-hp) radial engines and bulged bomb bay doors, leading to two subvariants, the 24A and 24B models which varied only in armament configurations.
G4M2e Model 24J is a significant modification of navy G4M2a Model 24B & 24C aircraft which allowed the aircraft to carry the MXY7 piloted missle.
G4M3 Model 34 was intended to fix several design flaws by introducing self-sealing fuel tanks and armor protection. However, this model appeared too late in the war to have any significant impact.
G6M1 fulfilled an urgent requirement for an long range escort fighter during the Sino-Japanese war. 30 airframes were produced in this major variant but proved to be unsuccessful in this role. Most of the airframes were later converted to G6M1-K trainers or G6M10L2 transports.