Nakajima A4N

The Nakajima A4N was a carrier-based fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the last biplane designed by Nakajima. The first prototype was completed in 1934, but due to engine trouble, the aircraft did not see service until 1936. Given the Nakajima internal designation Nakajima YM, the Japanese Navy designation was Navy Type 95 Carrier Fighter. A total of 221 were built. It saw combat in the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s.

Design and development
The A4N was a further development of, and replacement for the Nakajima A2N which was a private venture by Nakajima. The A4N was powered by the Nakajima Hikari 1 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, coupled to a Hamilton two blade metal propeller, and it was armed with 7.7 mm caliber Type 97 machine guns. The aircraft was flown by one pilot.

In 1935 there was a combat trial of many aircraft including the A4N, prototypes, and older aircraft in which the A5M and Ki 10 prototype were considered the most maneuverable.

The Nakajima A4N1 was succeeded by the Mitsubishi A5M Type 96, a monoplane fighter.

Service
The A4N was one of the aircraft types involved in the Panay incident, in which Japanese forces sunk the USS Panay river gunboat. Three Yokosuka B4Y Type 96 bombers and nine Nakajima A4N Type 95 fighters attacked the boat. In addition to bombing the Panay, they also strafed the lifeboat evacuating wounded to shore. The USS Panay was evacuating nationals and foreigners, as Japanese aircraft were there in Shanghai because of the Sino-Japanese war, with the incident being resolved diplomatically.

In the Second Sino-Japanese War, A4Ns were used to escort G3M medium bombers starting in August after they proved vulnerable to the Chinese Air Force.