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Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe)


Fighter-Bomber / Interceptor Floatplane Aircraft


Imperial Japan | 1942



"The Nakajima A6M-2 fighter was a floatplane derivative of the classic Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter line of World War 2."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe) Fighter-Bomber / Interceptor Floatplane Aircraft.
1 x Nakajima NK1C Sakae 12 air-cooled 14-cylinder radial piston engine developing 950 horsepower.
Propulsion
270 mph
435 kph | 235 kts
Max Speed
32,808 ft
10,000 m | 6 miles
Service Ceiling
1,106 miles
1,780 km | 961 nm
Operational Range
2,525 ft/min
770 m/min
Rate-of-Climb
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe) Fighter-Bomber / Interceptor Floatplane Aircraft.
1
(MANNED)
Crew
33.1 ft
10.10 m
O/A Length
39.4 ft
(12.00 m)
O/A Width
14.1 ft
(4.30 m)
O/A Height
4,222 lb
(1,915 kg)
Empty Weight
6,349 lb
(2,880 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe) Fighter-Bomber / Interceptor Floatplane Aircraft .
STANDARD:
2 x 7.7mm Type 97 machine guns in fixed, forward-firing positions along the fuselage.
2 x 20mm Type 99 cannons in wings (one to a wing)

OPTIONAL:
2 x 132 lb conventional drop bombs.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe) family line.
A6M2-N - Base Series Designation
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/21/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

As an island nation with a primary military focus placed on a powerful navy, the Empire of Japan was forced to rely upon a healthy stable of floatplane and flying boat aircraft during its conquest of the Pacific during World War 2 (1939-1945). In 1940, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) commissioned for a dedicated "fighting floatplane" - a floatplane aircraft capable of operating from water while retaining the abilities and firepower of a modern military fighter. This sort of fighter type was brought about by the need for Japan to field forward-operating elements not relying on fixed airfields or aircraft carriers for their general operation and support. The nation was the only one of the war to put a premium on "fighting floatplanes" as a result.

Kawanishi headed the charge to produce the new fighting floatplane (becoming the N1K "Kyofu" detailed elsewhere on this site) while Nakajima was selected to provide an interim solution which was based on the famous Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" carrier-based fighter platform. The model of choice became the A6M2 and saw its retractable, wheeled undercarriage completely removed. In its place, a triple-float arrangement was added utilizing a large central float section with two underwing floats for additional stability on the water. The float arrangement would remain fixed in flight which added drag and reduced performance some. The cockpit seated one under a greenhouse-style canopy with generally adequate views around the airframe. The original A6M armament of 2 x 20mm cannons and 2 x 7.7mm machine guns was retained which had already proven sufficient against enemy aircraft over Asia and the Pacific in the early campaigns of the war. While IJN forces were busy enacting their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7th, 1941, the new fighting floatplane recorded its first flight in prototype form. It was subsequently adopted into IJN service as the "A6M2-N" and eventually given the Allied codename of "Rufe".

Entering service in 1942, the A6M2-N was pressed into immediate action in several of the mid-war campaigns including the Aleutians and the Solomon Islands Campaign. The A6M2-N inventory suffered a severe setback when, on August 7th, 1942, a seaplane base was destroyed by Allied fighter-bombers, taking with it most of the available A6M2-Ns stationed there. Nevertheless, total production was able to net 327 aircraft and these were used with good efficiency against Allied positions - marking patrol elements, aiding warship guns, engaging convoys, and reconnoitering areas over-the-horizon. However, when Allied fighter coverage became more numerous and effective, the value of the A6M2-N dwindled and losses began to naturally mount. For the final months of the war, the series was used in defense of the Japanese homeland as an interceptor where the aircraft's capabilities were severely hampered against high-flying Allied bombers and faster, better performing enemy fighters.

In the post-war period, the French managed to capture a single example in Indochina though this aircraft was quickly lost in a crash marking the only foreign use of the type - however brief it was.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 327 Units

Contractor(s): Nakajima Aircraft Company - Imperial Japan
National flag of France National flag of modern Japan

[ France (single examples, post war); Imperial Japan ]
1 / 1
Image of the Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe)
Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The Nakajima A6M2-N (Rufe) Fighter-Bomber / Interceptor Floatplane Aircraft appears in the following collections:
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