Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (Zeke / Zero) Carrier-Borne Fighter (1942)
The Japanese Zero became synonymous with the war in the Pacific.
The A6M was of a low-monoplane wing design, armed with a formidable array of two 20mm cannons and two 7.7mm machine guns. The system proved quite capable of handling all of the current Allied aircraft in the Far East, being more maneuverable than its counterparts. As production totals increased, the A6M would find itself already seeing major combat in China and elsewhere. The system would fully reveal itself to American war planners in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
The A6M would maintain control of the skies up until the middle of 1942, where a full A6M specimen was captured by Allied forces. After researching the airframe engineering and construction, the A6M was revealed to have several major drawbacks which played well into Allied tactician hands. The A6M suffered from weak pilot protection, as the system was built for speed. Fuel tanks were also found to have minimal protection and were thusly targeted in fights.
As Allied fighter design continually improved, the A6M would basically stay as the design first conceived in 1937. Improved engines, armor and training in tactics allowed Allied fighter pilots to achieve an edge against Zeroes and basically nullify the Zero's advantage through to the end of the war. Kamikaze squadrons would later be fielded with A6M's in a last-ditch effort to help stave off the Allied onslaught and in some macabre way help to turn the tide of the war in the Pacific. Alas, the system was relegated to the defense of the homeland by war's end and became the most produced Japanese fighter of the war.
In the end, the Zero enjoyed a period of air dominance for a number of the early war years though its deficiencies in armor for pilot and fuel tanks alike was soon exposed. It was an effective fighter design for a time that proved quite a handful for Allied pilots facing off against it. To that end, the A6M series would nevertheless forever be associated with the struggle in the Pacific Theater and become a most respected adversary. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (Zeke / Zero)
Carrier-Borne Fighter
Country of Origin: Imperial Japan
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi - Japan
Initial Year of Service: 1942
Production: 10,938
Focus Model: Mitsubishi A6M5 Reisen (Zeke / Zero)
Crew: 1
Length: 29.72ft (9.06m)
Width: 36.09ft (11.00m)
Height: 9.78ft (2.98m)
Weight (Empty): 4,136lbs (1,876kg)
Weight (MTOW): 6,025lbs (2,733kg)
Powerplant: 1 x Nakajima NK1C Sakae 21 14-cylinder two-row radial piston engine generating 1,130hp.
Maximum Speed: 354mph (570kmh; 308kts)
Maximum Range: 1,193miles (1,920km)
Service Ceiling: 37,730ft (11,500m; 7.1miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 2,812 feet per minute (857m/min)
Hardpoints: 2
Armament Suite:
2 x 20mm cannons
2 x 7.7mm machine guns
Variants:
A6M1 - Prototype Model Designation fitted with 780hp Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 radial piston engine.
A6M2 - Initial Production Model Designation fitted with 950hp Nakajima Sakae 12 radial piston engine.
A6M2-N - Naval Float Version dubbed "Rufe" by Allied forces.
A6M3 - Fitted with two-stage supercharged Sakae engine; sans folding wingtips.
A6M5 - Fitted with Sakae 21 radial piston engine; improved exhaust system; multiple subvariants of this model existed.
A6M6 - Fitted with water-methanol boosted Sakae 31 engine.
A6M7 - Fighter / Dive-Bomber Hybrid.
Operators: Imperial Japan
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