Mitsubishi G6M

The Mitsubishi G6M was a Japanese heavy fighter of the Second World War, meant as an escort fighter or escort gunship for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. It was a derivative of the G4M medium bomber with its bomb bay replaced by a gun turret with two 20 mm cannon, extra cannon in the tail and amidships, added armour and a crew of ten. The navy ordered the conversion in late 1938 over Mitsubishi objections, and it was worked out at the First Naval Air Technical Arsenal. Poor performance meant the G6M1 never saw combat as an escort. The first two were completed in August 1940 and 30 had been built by March 1941, and they served as trainers and transports.