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Japan's Mitsubishi A6M2 Rei-sen (zero fighter) fighter1,2,3,4
Navy Type 03
Allied Name: "Hamp", "Zeke"1,2,3,4
Mitsubishi A6M2 fighter on the carrier Hiryu: |
Design
Engine
The Sakae 12 engine resulted in the the carburetor intake being made integral in the cowling and placed in the lower part of it.5
Cockpit
At the rear the glass panels were shortened.5
Wings
The A6M2 Model 11s were tested on the Soryu in June 1940.5 It exceeded all expectations but it was found that the wing tips could sustain damage while being moved on the elevators.5 The Model 21 was designed with 20" on each end of the wing being able to fold upwards to make for more room on the elevators.5
Production
The A6M2 first flew on December 28, 1939.3
Variants
- A6M2 Model 114: Deliveries began in July 1940.3
- A6M2 Model 214, "Zeke 21"4: Had folding wings.3 These allowed for the Model 21 to ride a carrier's elevator easier as this made the wing span 20" shorter.4
- A6M2-K: Trainer.3
Usage
The Model 11 saw its first combat in China4 and the first kills were in September 1940 when 13 A6M2s fought 27 Chinese Polikarpovs and shot all of them down.3,4
Units
In central China the 12th Kokutai had around 30 Model 11s.5 In southern China the 14th Kokutai had around 9.5
Burma, Malaya, Pearl Harbor and the Philippine Islands
The A6M2 was the primary version that was used in the first months of the war in the Pacific.2,3 It made up 2/3 of the Japanese Navy's fighter force.3
First Complete Airframe
In July 1942 the Americans were able to retrieve a complete A6M2 airframe from the Aleutian Islands, where it had been forced to land.2 A report was issued on September 4, 1942, after tests were conducted.2
| Mitsubishi A6M21,2,3 | Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 114 | Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 213 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Navy fighter bomber3 | ||
| Crew | 13 | ||
| Engine (Type) | Nakajima Sakae 122,5 Nakajima NK1C Sakae 123 |
Nakajima Sakae4 | Sakae 125 |
| Cylinders | Radial2, Radial 143,5 | ||
| Cooling | |||
| Net HP | 9503,5 | 9504 | 9405 |
| Propeller blades | 33 | ||
| Dry weight | 530 kg5 | ||
| Diameter | 1.15 m5 | ||
| Dimensions | |||
| Span | 39' 4.5"3 12 m3 |
||
| Length | 29' 8.75"3 9.06 m3 |
||
| Height | 10'3 3.05 m3 |
||
| Wing area | |||
| Weight | |||
| Empty | 3,770 lb3 1,710 kg3 |
||
| Loaded | 5,313 lb3,5 2,410 lb3 |
||
| Maximum load | 6,164 lb3 2,796 kg3 |
||
| Performance | |||
| Speed | 288 mph5 | ||
| Speed at sea level | 282 mph3 454 kph3 |
||
| Speed @ 14,930' / 4,550 m |
331 mph3 533 kph3 |
||
| Climb | 3,150'/minute3 960 m/minute3 |
||
| Climb to 19,685' / 6,000 m |
7.5 minutes3 | ||
| Service ceiling | 32,810'3 10,000 m3 |
||
| Range | 1,162 miles3 1,870 km3 |
||
| Range with drop tanks | 1,926 miles3 3,100 km3 |
1,930 miles5 | |
| Armament | |||
| Nose | 2: 7.7 mm MG2,3 | 2: 7.7 mm MG5 | |
| Wings | 2: 20 mm2,3 | 2: 20 mm5 | |
| Bombs | 2: 132 lb3 2: 60 kg3 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of World War II, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
- Seafire vs A6M Zero Pacific Theatre, Donald Nijboer, 2009
- A6M Zero in Action, Shigeru Nohara, 1983
