WOW468 Nakajima B6N Jill

Description

The Japanese name for the Nakajima B6N was Tenzan [Heavenly Mountain], whilst the Allies named the aircraft type the “Jill”.

The Nakajima B6N was the Imperial Japanese Navy’s standard carrier-borne torpedo bomber during the final years of WW II and the successor to the B5N “Kate”. The aircraft first flew in 1941 and there were 1,268 manufactured, however, the long development process meant the aircraft did not enter service until August 1943.  Due to its protracted development, a shortage of experienced pilots and the US Navy’s achievement of air superiority by the time of its introduction, the B6N was never able to fully demonstrate its combat potential. Originally designed as a carrier-borne aircraft, the loss of the Japanese large carriers and the defence of the Japanese homeland meant the majority of its missions were from land-based airfields.

On 5 November fourteen B6N1s, escorted by four Zero fighters, were sent to attack American shipping anchored off Bougainville. Four B6N1s were lost and no hits on the Americans were scored. Additional attacks on 8 November and 11 November, suffered heavy losses, with only 52 of the original 173 planes from the First Carrier Division making it back to Truk Lagoon in the Philippines on 13th November, among them, just six B6N1 Tenzan’s out of the forty that were committed. This was mainly due to the Japanese taking heavy losses when engaged by the US Navy’s F6F Hellcat Fighter.

The B6N1 was extensively used in the Battle of Okinawa, where it was used for Kamikaze missions for the first time.
Our 1/30 is priced at $999 plus shipping and is limited to 4 in number worldwide.

The K&C figures and TG accessories are not included (sorry) and are only shown for scale comparison purposes.