Mitsubishi Type 97 Heavy Bomber / Ki-21 (Sally)
Technical Information

Background
Designed and built by Mitsubishi. The Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) Type 97 Heavy Bomber / Ki-21 was the main long range Army bomber in service at the start of the Pacific War. This bomber was a contemporary of the Mitsubishi Type 96 / G3M Nell. Allied code name "Sally".

Wartime History
During the fall of 1938, the Ki-21-Ia was first used during the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. During the Nomonhan Incident / Battle of Khalkin Gol, the Ki-21 saw service during June-September, 1939. Combat revealed that the greatest weaknesses of the design was the weak defensive armament and lack of self-sealing fuel tanks. Production delays prevented the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) from re-equipping the 60th Sentai and 61st Sentai until the end of 1939. Although obsolete after the start of the war, and replaced by the Nakajima Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber / Ki-49 Donryu (Helen), which was only a marginally superior. Regardless, the Sally remained in service until the end of the Pacific War was liked by aircrews because of the bomber's ease of maintenance and handling.

Ki-21-IIB
Eventually the Type 97 heavy bombers model 2b was produced with a 12.7mm machine gun in a dorsal turret, armor up to 16mm thick, and other improvements.

MC-21 Transport Version
Transport version of the bomber, with four crew members, that could carry a maximum of nine additional passengers or cargo.

Production
A total of 2,064 built by Mitsubishi at Nagoya and Nakajima at Ota.

References
Production Record for the Type 97 Heavy Bomber (Ki-21) (Sally) by James Long

Technical Details (Type 97 Heavy Bomber Model II / Ki-21-II Sally)
Crew  Five (pilot, co-pilot, navigator/bombardier, radio, gunner) or nine passengers or cargo
Engine  Two x 14 cylinder radial with three bladed propellers
Span  22.5m
Length  16m
Height  4.85m
Maximum Speed  302 mph at 15,485'
Range  (normal) 1,500 miles (maximum) 1,680 miles
Armament (nose, ventral, dorsal) flexible 7.7mm Type TE-4 machine guns
Bombload  (bomb bay) 1,653 lbs (maximum) 2,205 lbs