at Ambon, in the Dutch East Indies. G3Ms attacked alongside 27 Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bombers. These bombers followed an 81-strong first wave of Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters, Aichi D3A dive bombers and Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers. G3Ms of the 701 Air Group put two torpedoes into heavy cruiser on January 29, 1943 during the Battle of Rennell Island, paving the way for her sinking by further torpedoes dropped by G4M bombers the next day. From 1943 until the end of the war, the majority of G3Ms served as glider tugs, aircrew and paratroop trainers, and transports for high-ranking officers and VIPs between the home islands, occupied territories, and combat fronts. Variants Ka-15 Prototype with either Hiro Type 91 (559 kW/750 hp), Mitsubishi Kinsei 2 (619 kW/830 hp), or Mitsubishi Kinsei 3 (679 kW/910 hp) engines and glass or solid nose. 21 built. G3M1a/c Redesignated prototypes powered by Hiro Type 91 or Mitsubishi Kinsei engines, glass nose. G3M1 Model 11 Land-based attack bomber navy Type 96 first series model. Major extension of the cabin with a revised cover, some with fixed-pitch propeller. 34 built. G3M1-L G3M1 converted into an armed or unarmed military transport version and powered by Mitsubishi Kinsei 45 (802 kW/1,075 hp) engines. G3M2 Model 21 More powerful engines and increased fuel capacity, dorsal turret; 343 constructed by Mitsubishi, 412 G3M2 and G3M3 manufactured by Nakajima. G3M2 Model 22 Upper and belly turrets substituted for one upper turret, glass side positions. 238 built. G3M3 Model 23 More powerful engines and increased fuel capacity for longer range, constructed by Nakajima. L3Y1 Model 11 Transport navy Type 96, advanced conversion of G3M1 armed transport, built by Yokosuka. L3Y2 Model 12 Modification of G3M2 with Mitsubishi Kinsei engines, built by Yokosuka. Mitsubishi twin-engined transport Around two dozen G3M2 Model 21 bombers converted for use by civil operators such as Nippon Koku K.K. Nippon One of the twin engined transports converted to carry out a round the world flight in 1939 on behalf of the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. Operators Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Postwar Indonesian Air Force People's Liberation Army Air Force Specifications (Mitsubishi G3M2 Model 21) See also References Notes Bibliography Bridgwater, H.C. and Scott, Peter. Combat Colours Number 4: Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire: Guideline Publications, 2001. . Horodyski, Joseph M. "British Gamble In Asian Waters". Military Heritage, December 2001. Volume 3, No. 3: