IJN C5M2 Reconnaissance Aircraft (Babs)

The Mitsubishi C5M, Imperial Japanese Navy Type 98 Reconnaissance Aircraft, was an improved version of Army Ki-15 (Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance Plane) developed for the Navy. It was ordered after Ki-15 proved its great value over China. The first model C5M1 (Type 98 Model 11) went into initial low rate production in 1939 delivering a batch of 20 airplanes. The second model C5M2 (Type 98 Model 12) was powered by Nakajima Sakae 12 engine, same as A6M2 Zero (Model 21), and was 20 Km/h faster than Model 11. 30 C5M2’s were delivered to the Navy and served in South China and Southern Pacific. Equipped with Type 99 Number 3 Mark 3 cluster bombs they were used against US B-17 “Flying Fortress” formations. The kit will come with the Mark 3 bomb included.