Hobby Master 1/72 HA2012 B5N2 Kate 931st Naval Flying Group (KEB303), Kushira Air Base, April 1945 (Okinawa air operations)

The Nakajima B5N1 first flew in January 1937. It was quite unique for a carrier-aircraft with its low mono wing that folded for storage and wide-track inward folding retractable landing gear. The new Kates were far superior to its competition, the TBD Devastator and the Fairey Swordfish however it did have its shortcomings. It was very poorly armed for self defense and required A5M escort protection. Also the crew and fuel tanks had no protection. The B5N1 was replaced by the improved B5N2.

The 931st Japanese Naval Air Group was established on February 1, 1944 and assigned the designation KEB. Kushira Air Base on Okinawa began with the purpose of training pilots, navigators and ground crews. Later during WWII with Japan now losing they resorted to Kamikaze attacks with Kushira becoming the third largest Kamikaze base. In April 1945 B5N2 Kate KEB303 was assigned the task of Anti Submarine Warfare and later assigned to a training unit ended up saving the aircraft from the U.S. assault on Okinawa. 363 Kamikaze pilots from Okinawa were lost.