Mitsubishi A6M
| Mitsubishi A6M | |
|---|---|
|
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| Type: | Fighter plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
April 1, 1939 |
| Number of pieces: |
approx. 11,000 |
The Mitsubishi A6M ( Japanese 零 式 艦上 戦 闘 機 rei-shiki kanjō sentōki "Type Zero carrier-based fighter") is a Japanese carrier fighter from Mitsubishi that was used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Forces during World War II . With 11,000 units built, it is the most-built Japanese aircraft of the war and, due to its media presence, also the best-known. The aircraft was very manoeuvrable and had an unusually long range for a fighter aircraft, but this was bought at the cost of renouncing protective devices such as armor or self-sealing fuel tanks, which is why it was considered extremely vulnerable.
The type designation comes from the last digit of the year of commissioning 2600 of the Japanese era (1940). Unofficially, the A6M was also abbreviated as Reisen or Zero-sen in Japan . Zero (English zero ) is the best known name of this type of aircraft.
history
The first flight took place on April 1, 1939; the total production was about 11,000 copies. There were eight versions, A6M1 through A6M8. The A6M4 was never realized and, according to the memories of the A6M's designer, Jirō Horikoshi , could have been reserved for a variant with a turbocharged engine.
The first use took place even before the production release, when 15 prototypes were used in mid-1940 for attacks on Chinese targets near Hong Kong. They were so successful that production began immediately in July 1940.
The A6M (allied codename Zeke , for the A6M3 Model 32 with rectangular wing ends Hamp ) was an uncompromising fighter designed for flight performance. Although the A6M proved to be significantly more maneuverable than most Allied fighters, it was in this respect from the perspective of the Imperial Navy a step backwards compared to the Mitsubishi A5M , which was only justified by the better flight performance, especially the long range.
Thanks to the latest technology and materials, the manufacture of the wing and the central fuselage segment as a single unit with continuous spars without heavy dividing points, but also by doing without armor and self-sealing fuel tanks , the high demands of the Navy for maneuverability and, above all, long range could be met.
Although Claire Chennault , commander of the American Volunteer Group deployed in China, had recognized and documented the strengths of the A6M before the United States entered World War II , after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US pilots were initially impressed by the A6M's capabilities surprised and suffered heavy losses. In the Pacific War , especially during the aerial battles over the Philippines ( Corregidor and Bataan , March / April 1942), the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 1942) and the Battle of Midway (June 1942), the American aircraft of the A6M were severely inferior.
The superiority of the A6M was only broken after improved tactics were developed - first by pilots of the US Navy and later by the Army Aviation ( USAAF ) - which emphasized aerial combat in the unit in order to compensate for performance inferiority through mutual support. Its lack of protection and armor for pilots and fuel tanks proved serious, and the lightweight construction of the A6M, as well as its design for air combat at low speeds, meant that the advantage at high speeds - especially in a dive - lay with the Allied aircraft. The fabric-covered ailerons of the Zero hardly worked at too high speeds. From autumn 1942 onwards, several types were developed by the US aircraft manufacturers that were superior to the A6M, such as the F6F Hellcat , the F4U Corsair , the P-51 Mustang and the P-38 Lightning . Above all, these four Allied aircraft types were produced in larger numbers than the A6M and the other Japanese aircraft and were therefore able to gain the upper hand.
In June 1942, during the attack on Dutch Harbor by Japanese planes, an A6M was hit by small caliber weapons and attempted to make an emergency landing on Akutan Island . The A6M overturned on landing, killing the Japanese pilot; however, the aircraft remained largely intact. The machine was recovered by American soldiers in July. After repairs, the weak points of the A6M were analyzed in extensive tests and used to the benefit of the Allied forces.
Later versions of the A6M fell behind the performance of the Allied aircraft. The main reason was the lack of powerful Japanese piston engines that fit into the airframe of the "Zero". From 1944, the A6M was hardly competitive and was used in large numbers for kamikaze attacks (Shimpū Tokkōtai).
Nakajima A6M2-N
The A6M2-N Rufe was a modification of the A6M2. At Nakajima Hikōki it was converted into a catapult-capable seaplane with floats , which reduced its speed and load compared to the basic version. It could carry 120 kg bombs, was equipped with two machine guns and two automatic cannons and was used as a hunter and reconnaissance aircraft. It was used, for example, in Guadalcanal during the American invasion. The French bought some planes after World War II to use against the rebels in Indochina .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | A6M | A6M5b | A6M2-N |
|---|---|---|---|
| crew | 1 | ||
| length | 9.07 m | 10.131 m | |
| span | 12.00 m | ||
| height | 2.80 m | 4.305 m | |
| Total mass | 2,940 kg | ||
| Top speed | 561 km / h at an altitude of 6,000 m | 436 km / h at an altitude of 4,300 m | |
| Service ceiling | 10,700 m | ||
| Max. Range | 1,560 km | ||
| Engine | 1 × air-cooled 14-cylinder double radial engine Nakajima Sakae 21; 831 kW (1,130 hp) |
1 × air-cooled 14-cylinder double radial engine Nakajima Sakae 21; 708 kW (963 hp) / 4,200 m |
|
| Armament | 2 × 20 mm cannons in the wings 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns above the engine up to 318 kg bombs |
2 × 20 mm cannons 1 × 13.2 mm machine gun 1 × 7.7 mm machine gun up to 318 kg bombs |
2 × 20 mm cannons 1 × 13.2 mm machine gun 1 × 7.7 mm machine gun 120 kg bombs |
