The Story of the WWII Japanese Bomber That Burned Its Crew Alive

The Story of the WWII Japanese Bomber That Burned Its Crew Alive

Designing for Distance at Any Cost The Pacific War posed a unique challenge for Japanese naval planners. Spanning 64 million square miles, the ocean demanded aircraft capable of flying thousands of miles to strike and return without refueling. In 1939, Mitsubishi’s chief engineer, Kido Hanjo, was tasked with building such a bomber. The Navy’s requirement called for a 3,300-nautical-mile range—far greater than most aircraft of the era. Hanjo’s te…