ARMY TYPE 87 LIGHT BOMBER 2MB1

The Mitsubishi 2MR (another designation: Mitsubishi Type 10) was a Japanese, fixed-undercarriage, biplane reconnaissance plane from the interwar period. The drive - in the basic version - was provided by a single engine Mitsubishi Hi with a power of 300 hp. The prototype flight took place in 1922. Serial production started shortly after, which lasted until 1930, ending with the production of about 160 examples of this aircraft. The deck armament consisted of four 7.7 mm machine guns. The plane could carry a load of bombs weighing up to 90 kilograms. In 1921, the command of the Japanese Navy placed an order with Mitsubishi plants for three types of new on-board aircraft: a fighter, a torpedo plane and a reconnaissance machine. To meet the task, the plant decided to hire a team of British engineers from the Sopwith Aviation Company. Herbert Smith, who was also the "father" of this machine, was responsible for the design of the reconnaissance aircraft. In order to shorten the research and development time, it was decided to use the components and the general concept of the Mitsubishi 1MF fighter to a large extent. During the serial production of this successful aircraft, several development versions were created, including: 2MR1 (reconnaissance version, which is also the first production series), 2MR4 (the final and most produced reconnaissance version with a shifted pilot seat) or 2MRT1 (training version). Mitsubishi 2MR served in the Japanese Navy until the early 1930s.