Sometimes, assuming they did not catch fire in the first place, G4Ms also proved to be able to remain airborne despite being badly shot up. The 20 mm cannon in the tail turret was much heavier armament than commonly installed in bombers, making dead astern attacks very dangerous. Using its long range and high speed, the G4M could appear from any direction, and then be gone before many fighters could intercept them. When used for medium- to high-altitude bombing against stationary targets like a supply depots, seaports, or airfields, 'ease of interception' was another matter entirely. The 'Betty''s relatively-large size made it a large target to shoot at, and the simplified approach path on a torpedo run to attack a ship, meant for a generally easy interception. This was due to the fact that on many occasions, it was used for low-altitude torpedo attacks where its performance advantages were negated. Similarly, pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy called the G4M the 'Type One Lighter' and ' Hamaki' ('Cigar'). Consequently, weight saving measures were incorporated into the design, such as dispensing with self sealing fuel tanks, which caused Allied fighter pilots to give it the derisive nicknames 'one-shot lighter', 'flying Zippo' and 'flying cigar'. The G4M was designed for long range and high-speed at the time of its introduction.

Betty bomber crew positions