Requiring a fast medium bomber for dive-bombing, low-altitude bombing or torpedo attack, the Imperial Japanese Navy instructed the Yokosuka First Naval Air Technical Arsenal in 1940 to begin design of such an aircraft. The resulting Yokosuka P1Y prototype flown in August 1943 was a mid-wing, all-metal monoplane, powered by two Nakajima NK9B Homare 11 radial engines. Its performance was satisfactory, but the P1Y suffered from maintenance problems that plagued its service life. All remedial attempts failed, delaying until early 1945 the entry into service of the Navy Bomber Ginga Model 11. Production totalled 1098, built by Kawanishi (96) and Nakajima (1002), and if there had been adequate manpower to service these aircraft before each operational sortie they would have proved formidable adversaries. This was not possible and as a result the Ginga (Milky Way), allocated the Allied codename 'Francis', was tried unsuccessfully in a variety of alternative roles; its brief operational life of only six months was terminated by the end of the Pacific war.

3-View

A three-view drawing (752 x 985)