Mitsubishi Type 96 Land Based Attack Bomber Rikko / G3M Nell
Technical Information

Background
Designed by Kiro Honjo, first flown July 1935. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) designation was Type 96 Land Based Attack Bomber. In Japanese, 九六式陸上攻撃機 or Kyūroku-shiki rikujō kōgeki-ki. Nicknamed "Rikko". Allied code name "Nell". This twin engine bomber had twin tails and external bomb racks.

Wartime History
The G3M was first used in combat during the Second Sino-Japanese War flying bombing missions in China. At the start of the Pacific War, used to bomb the Philippines and Singapore flying from Vietnam. The Nell is most famous for taking part of the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse with the more advanced Mitsubishi G4M "Betty", on 10 December 1941. "Nells" provided important support during the attack on the HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse (Force Z) near the Malayan coast. HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were the first two battleships ships ever sunk exclusively by air attack while at sea during war. Already obsolete by the start of the Pacific war, but used for the first years of the war, and remained in service until the end of the war.

Transport Version (Tina)
Dai-Ichi Kaigun Kokusho (First Naval Air Arsenal) at Kasumigaura converted some Nells into Navy Type 96 Transports. Code named 'Tina' by the Allies. The version added a row of fuselage cabin windows and a door on the left side. The L3Y1 Model 11 was powered by Kinsei 3 was a modified G3M1. The L3Y2 Model 12 was converted from the G3M2 powered by Kinsei 45 engines. The transport version only had one 7.7mm machine gun.

G3M3 (Model 23)
Built by Nakajima with more powerful engines and increased fuel capacity.

Production
A total of 1,048 were built.

Technical Details (G3M2 Model 21)
Crew  5–7 (pilot, co-pilot plus air crew that varied by mission)
Engine 2 x Mitsubishi Kinsei 45 radial engine, 1,075 hp (791 kW) each driving three bladed propellers.
Span  25m
Length  16.45m
Height  3.69m
Maximum Speed  188 km/h
Range  2,730 miles
Armament  4 x Type 92 7.7mm machine guns and 1 x Type 99 20mm cannon in rear dorsal turret
Bombload  800 kg (1,800 pounds) of bombs on external bomb racks or a single aerial torpedo