View source for Nippon (aircraft)

{{italic title}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name                 = ''Nippon''
|image                = Mitsubishi "Nippon" J-BACI (4806265340).jpg
|caption              = ''Nippon'' side view
|alt                  = <!-- Alt text for main image -->
|sole example of type?= n
|aircraft name        = ''Nippon''
|other_names          = 
|type                 = [[Mitsubishi G3M2 Model 21]]<ref name=Francillon>{{Harvnb|Francillon|1979|pp=350–357}}</ref> 
|manufacturer         = [[Mitsubishi]]
|construction_number  = 328<ref name=Francillon/>
|construction_date    =  <!-- either roll-out date or span of time for lengthy projects, whichever seems more appropriate -->
|civil_registration   = J-BACI<ref name=Francillon/>
|military_serial      = <!-- any military serial numbers carried by this aircraft -->
|radio_code           = <!-- military radio codes where this is a commonly-used way of identifying this aircraft (eg. US, British, and German military aircraft of WWII -->
|first_flight         = <!-- date of first flight -->
|owners               = [[Mainichi Shimbun]]<ref name=Francillon/>
|in_service           = <!-- time in military or revenue service, as a range of dates -->
|flights              = One around the world flight from 26 August 1939 to 20 october 1939 covering {{convert|32,850|mi|km nmi|abbr=on|0|disp=flip}} in 194 flying hours.<ref name=Francillon/>
|total_hours          = <!-- total number of hours flown by this aircraft, usually only relevant for an aircraft no longer flying -->
|total_distance       = <!-- total distance flown by this aircraft, usually only relevant for an aircraft no longer flying -->
|fate                 = Unknown, probably scrapped.
|preservation         = <!-- where this aircraft is currently preserved (if it is) -->
}}
{{nihongo|'''Nippon'''|ニッポン|Nippon}} was a converted [[Mitsubishi G3M|Mitsubishi G3M2 Model 21]] bomber operated by the [[Mainichi Shimbun]] newspaper and used to make a round-the-world flight in 1939.

==The round the World flight==
''Nippon'' took off from [[Haneda airport]]<ref>now [[Haneda Airport|Tokyo International Airport]]</ref> in the district of Kamata in Tokyo on 25 August 1939,  flew around the globe and returned to Tokyo, after 55 days, on 20 October 1939 having flown {{convert|52886|km|mi nmi|abbr=on}} in 194 flying hours.

==The aircraft==
''Nippon'' had the armament removed, was equipped with the latest [[autopilot]] and could carry 5,200 L of fuel enabling it to fly continuously for 24 hours.{{Citation needed|date=January 2013}}

== Flight course ==
[[Tokyo]] - [[Chitose, Hokkaidō|Chitose]] - [[Nome, Alaska]] - [[Fairbanks]], USA - Whitehorse - Seattle - Oakland, USA - Los Angeles - Albuquerque, USA - Chicago - New York - Washington D.C - Miami - [[San Salvador, El Salvador]] - Cali, Colombia -  Lima - Arica - Santiago - Buenos Aires - Santos (Brazil) - Dakar - Casablanca [[Morocco]] - Seville, Spain - Rhodos, [[Greece]] - Basra (Iraq) - Karachi - Kolkata, India - Bangkok - Taipei - Haneda, Tokyo

==Specifications (Mitsubishi G3M2 Model 21)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=''The Mitsubishi G3M "Nell"'';<ref name="Francillon1967p16">{{Harvnb|Francillon|1967|p=16.}}</ref> ''Imperial Japanese Navy Bombers of World War Two'';<ref name=Francillon/><ref>{{Harvnb|Francillon|1969|p=64.}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Francillon|1979|p=357}}</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|genhide=

|crew=7
|capacity=
|length m=16.45
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=25
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|upper span m=
|upper span ft=
|upper span in=
|upper span note=
|mid span m=
|mid span ft=
|mid span in=
|mid span note=
|lower span m=
|lower span ft=
|lower span in=
|lower span note=
|swept m=<!-- swing-wings -->
|swept ft=<!-- swing-wings -->
|swept in=<!-- swing-wings -->
|swept note=
|dia m=<!-- airships etc -->
|dia ft=<!-- airships etc -->
|dia in=<!-- airships etc -->
|dia note=
|width m=<!-- if applicable -->
|width ft=<!-- if applicable -->
|width in=<!-- if applicable -->
|width note=
|height m=3.68
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=75
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|swept area sqm=<!-- swing-wings -->
|swept area sqft=<!-- swing-wings -->
|swept area note=
|volume m3=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
|volume ft3=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
|volume note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=4,965
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=8,000
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|3,874|L|impgal usgal|abbr=on|1}} ('''''Nippon''''' {{convert|5,200|L|impgal usgal|abbr=on|1}}){{Citation needed|date=January 2013}}
|lift kg=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
|lift lb=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
|lift note=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Mitsubishi Kinsei]]
|eng1 type=9-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engines
|eng1 kw=791
|eng1 hp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 shp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng1 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|thrust original=
|eng1 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
|eng1 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->

|eng2 number=
|eng2 name=
|eng2 type=
|eng2 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng2 hp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng2 shp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng2 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng2 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng2 note=
|eng2 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
|eng2 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->

|eng3 number=
|eng3 name=
|eng3 type=
|eng3 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng3 hp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng3 shp=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng3 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng3 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
|eng3 note=
|eng3 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
|eng3 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
|more power=

|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=

|rot number=<!-- helicopters -->
|rot dia m=<!-- helicopters -->
|rot dia ft=<!-- helicopters -->
|rot dia in=<!-- helicopters -->
|rot area sqm=<!-- helicopters -->
|rot area sqft=<!-- helicopters -->
|rot area note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=375
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note= ('''''Nippon''''' {{convert|400|km/h|mph kn|abbr=on|0}})
|max speed mach=<!-- supersonic aircraft -->
|cruise speed kmh=280
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=4,400
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|combat range km=
|combat range miles=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=('''''Nippon:''''' 24 hours)
|ceiling m=9,200
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|glide ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|climb rate ms=6
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=<!-- sailplanes -->
|sink rate ftmin=<!-- sailplanes -->
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|disk loading kg/m2=
|disk loading lb/sqft=
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=

|more performance=
<!--
        Armament
-->
|guns=

|bombs=
|rockets= 
|missiles= 
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|hardpoint rockets=
|hardpoint missiles=
|hardpoint bombs=
|hardpoint other=

|avionics=
}}

== Occupants ==
There were seven occupants in total.
;Captain : Sumitoshi NAKAO 中尾純利
;Flight engineer : Hajime SHIMOKAWA 下川一
;Communication operator : Nobusada SATO 佐藤信貞
;Pilot : Shigeo YOSHIDA 吉田重雄
;Professional Engineer : Hiroshi SAEKI 佐伯弘
;Flight engineer : Nagasaku YAOKAWA 八尾川長作
;Ambassador of goodwill: Takeo OHARA 大原武夫, Aerial director of Mainichi Shimbun.

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book|last=Francillon|first=René J.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/6124909|title=Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War|date=1979|publisher=Putnam|isbn=0-370-30251-6|location=London|oclc=6124909}} (new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, {{ISBN|0-85177-801-1}}.)
* {{Cite book|last=Francillon|first=René J.|title=The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Aircraft in Profile, Volume 5, No. 118)|date=1966|publisher= Profile Publications Ltd.|isbn=|location=Windsor, Berkshire, UK|oclc=}}
* 翼をください, 2009, {{ISBN|462010745X}}
* 毎日新聞ウェブページ・ニッポン号：世界一周の快挙から70年
* [http://homepage3.nifty.com/airhistory-nippon/nipponflight.html JCAL NIPPON Round the World Flight] Japanese
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* [http://blog.goo.ne.jp/sat-kamikaze/e/c94bee3b772b43cfb8128595ae80137d A blog with images]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nippon}}
[[Category:History of aviation]]
[[Category:Aircraft manufactured in Japan]]
[[Category:Mitsubishi aircraft]]
[[Category:Individual aircraft]]