page_title: Nakajima B5N
section_title: Operational history
hierarchical_section_title: Nakajima B5N / Operational history
caption_attribution_description: Japanese Type 97 Shipboard Attack Aircraft ("Kate") wrecked on Indispensable Reef, at the time it was inspected by a Patrol Squadron 71 crew, 9 June 1942. The plane is from the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku and bears the tail marking "EI-306". The aircraft was one of two that sighted the US Navy ships Neosho (oiler) and Sims (destroyer) on May 7 during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Running low on fuel, the aircraft ditched on the reef and the crew was rescued by a Japanese destroyer the same day.
context_page_description: The Nakajima B5N was the standard carrier-based torpedo bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy for much of World War II.
  Although the B5N was substantially faster and more capable than its Allied counterparts, the American Douglas TBD Devastator monoplane, and the British Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore torpedo biplanes, it was nearing obsolescence by 1941. Nevertheless, the B5N operated throughout the whole war, due to the delayed development of its successor, the B6N.
  In the early part of the Pacific War, flown by well-trained IJN aircrews and as part of well-coordinated attacks, the B5N achieved particular successes at the battles of Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, Midway, and Santa Cruz Islands.
context_section_description: While B5N was primarily employed as a carrier-based aircraft, it was also occasionally used as a land-based bomber. It carried a crew of three: pilot, navigator/bombardier/observer, and radio-operator/gunner. Like with other IJN multi-seat aircraft, an individual bomber was commanded by the senior ranking crew member aboard, which could be the observer rather than the pilot.
  The initial model B5N1 first saw action in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The updated model B5N2 later played a major role in the Attack on Pearl Harbor. One of B5N2's carried Mitsuo Fuchida, the commander of the attack, with one from the carrier Hiryu credited with sinking the battleship Arizona. Five torpedo bombers were shot down in the first wave. Apart from this raid, the greatest successes of the B5N2 were the key roles it played in sinking the United States Navy aircraft carrier Lexington at the Battle of the Coral Sea and Hornet at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, and the disabling of the Yorktown at the Battle of Midway, which led to its sinking by the Japanese submarine I-168.
  B5N2 torpedo bombers normally performed a coordinated attack on enemy carriers together with Aichi D3A dive bombers. Ideally, dive bombers would help to suppress the ship's anti-aircraft fire, which improved the chances of success for low and slow flying torpedo bombers. During the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, IJN tried to minimize losses to torpedo bombers and initially sent only the dive bombers to attack and cripple US carriers for the subsequent torpedo strike. However, this proved to be unsuccessful tactic, since torpedo bombers did not even get a chance to launch before the battle was over.
  The B5N served as the basis for a follow-on design, the B6N, which eventually replaced it in front line service. The B5N continued to fly in secondary roles, such as training, target towing, and anti-submarine warfare. Some of the aircraft used for this latter purpose were equipped with early radars and magnetic anomaly detectors. B5Ns were also used as bombers during the unsuccessful defence of the Philippines in October 1944, suffering severe losses. Later in the war, they were also used for kamikaze attacks.
caption: A crashed Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" (tail marking "EI-306") from Shokaku
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