The Mitsubishi Ki-21 (三菱 キ21), also known as the Type 97 Heavy Bomber (九七式重爆撃機, Kyūnana-shiki jūbakugekiki), nicknamed "Sally" or "Gwen" by the Allies, was a Japanese heavy bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during World War 2. It first saw action in the Second Sino-Japanese War, and participated in most Japanese campaigns inside the pacific until 1945.
The Ki-21 was designed alongside the Nakajima Ki-19 to replace the Ki-1 and Ki-20 heavy bombers. Both the Ki-21 and the Ki-19 proved to be very similar in performance with the former having better performance while the latter was a better bombing platform and had more reliable engines. To make a decision, the Japanese government ordered Mitsubishi and Nakajima to make further alterations to their designs. Ultimately, the modified Ki-21 proved to be superior.
Though it saw great success during the war, by 1942 it became clear that the Ki-21 was being outclassed by Allied aircraft. To compensate the model received some modifications, but they proved to not enough to give it an edge against the newer models and was ultimately repurposed as a transport plane until Japan's defeat at the hands of the United States in 1945.
Battle vs. Heinkel He 111 (by Tybaltcapulet)[]
TBW
Expert's Opinion[]
TBW