Hobby Master 1:72 Air Power Series Diecast Model

Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 "Kate" – Lt. Ichiro Kitajima, IJN Carrier Kaga, Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS), December 7, 1941, “Pearl Harbor first wave attack”

1:72 Scale.  Length: 5.6”.  Wingspan: 8.5"


Limited production of approximately 700 models worldwide

In the first wave attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 the group leader of the Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga was Lt. Ichiro Kitajima flying his Nakajima B5N2 torpedo bomber AII-3II. In all 40 B5N1 Kates and 49 B5N2 Kates took part in the initial raid with 54 more B5N2s arriving in the second wave along with 26 Aichi D3A Val dive bombers. When it was over Japan had sunk the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS West Virginia and USS California, USS Nevada sinking.

The Nakajima B5N (Allied code name “Kate”) was a carrier-based torpedo bomber operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. The B5N1 was first flown in January 1937 and entered service soon after with the designation Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber. It had a crew of three and featured a low mono wing that folded for storage on an aircraft carrier and retractable landing gear. The B5N2 with a more powerful engine and various modifications began entering service in 1939. Although it was nearing obsolescence by 1941, the B5N was flown throughout the war, initially in front line service and later in secondary roles including training, target towing and anti-submarine warfare.


Hobby Master is a manufacturer of high quality, pre-built, diecast models. Each model is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using specifications of the original aircraft or vehicle. They are made with die-cast metal and some plastic components.

This model of a B5N2 “Kate” features: