Wednesday 30 June 2021

Mitsubishi G4M, foreign users

 
The Mitsubishi G4M was a Japanese twin-engined medium bomber designed to success to former G3M. Its main user was the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), but as the war went on, it saw service with some other countries as well:
  • Communist China: Apparently, among the many aircraft left over by the Japanese, the Communists managed to capture some machines, probably in the Southern part of the country, as that's where the IJN had some aerial bases at the end of the conflict. As we couldn't find neither graphical nor text information about the G4M serving with the Chinese, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
  • United Kingdom: The British Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit South East Asia (ATAIU SEA) operated one captured G4M2 Model 22, registered as FI-11 for evaluation purposes at Tebrau airfield, in Malaysia. It belonged originally to the 13th Koku Kantai Yuso Tai. Its ultimate fate is unknown, but it was most probably scrapped.
  • Indonesia: Among the aircraft used by the Indonesian Air Force, was, apparently, at least one G4M captured by Indonesian guerrillas, left over by the Japanese in some remote area of the country. It was probably used by the Indonesians during their Independence War, but its ultimate fate is unknown. As we couldn't find information on the subject, the drawing and the information written here should be considered as speculative.
  • United States: The Technical Air Intelligence Unit, operated some captured G4M for evaluation purposes at Eagle Farm airfield, in Brisbane, Australia in 1945. The evaluated bomber was painted with exaggerated American markings and rudder stripes even if they were eliminated three years earlier. 













Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_G4M
2. https://captured-wings.wikia.org/wiki/FI-11
3. https://captured-wings.wikia.org/wiki/ATAIU-SEA
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_Air_Force#Before_Indonesian_independence_(1941–1945)
5. https://ww2db.com/photo.php?list=search&sp&startRow=40&keyword&source=colorall&color&foreigntype=A&foreigntype_id=12&dt&image_id
6. https://j-aircraft.com/captured/capturedfrom/TAIC/TAICSG4M/mitsubishi_g4m2_betty.htm

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