Mitsubishi A6M Reisen ("Zeke")

• Role: single-seat naval fighter
• Conception: Mitsubishi engineering team, directed by Jiro Horikoshi
• Production: 10,264 A6Ms have been made; 3,415 planes by Mitsubishi, 6,570 by Nakajima, and 279 by Hitachi.
• First flight of prototype: April 1st, 1939

Why is it nicknamed the "Zero" ?

Development

• A6M1: The Zero prototype, powered by a 780 hp Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 14-cylinder radial engine, first flew on April 1st, 1939.
  
• The A6M2 Model 11, being the first operational version of the Zero, was introduced in Summer 1940 during the China-Japan war, with incredible success; this plane was vastly superior to anything the Chinese could send against it. The A6M2 Model 21 featured folding wing tips to accomodate aircraft carrier elevators. There was also an A6M2-K two-seat advanced trainer.

	Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 21
	Engine	Nakajima Sakae 12, 14-cylinder air-cooled radial	940 hp
	Armament	2x 7.7mm guns + 2x wing-mounted 20mm cannons (60 rounds)
	Performance	Max speed: 510 km/h (320 mph) - Ceiling: 10,300 m (33,800 ft)

• The Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" was the result of the conversion of the A6M2 Model 11 into a floatplane. 327 were produced by Nakajima; it entered service in April of 1942.

A brand new Nakajima A6M2-N floatplane.

• The A6M3 Model 32 introduced a better engine, requiring a redesigned cowling. Because of its shorter squared-off wings (which eliminated the need for folding wing tips), the Americans thought at first it was not a Zero, and it was assigned the new nickname "Hamp".
  Click here to see my A6M3 Model 32 1/48th scale model.
  

	Mitsubishi A6M3 Model 32 "Hamp"
	Engine	Nakajima Sakae 21, 14-cylinder air-cooled radial	1,130 hp
	Armament	2x 7.7mm guns + 2x wing-mounted 20 mm cannons (100 rounds)
	Performance	Max speed: 540 km/h (336 mph) - Ceiling: 11,050 m (36,255 ft)
	Production	343 planes produced from April 1942 to August 1943

• As the A6M3 Model 32 was suffering from an unsufficient operational range to be carrier-based (because of smaller fuel tanks and a more powerful engine), it was soon replaced by the A6M3 Model 22 with new wings containing additional fuel tanks, and rounded folding wing tips.
  343 A6M3 Model 32 and 560 A6M3 Model 22 were built by Mitsubishi, and some more by Nakajima; it entered service in Spring 1942.

Japan's #1 ace (87 kills) Hiroyoshi Nishizawa in his A6M3 Model 22 over the Solomon Islands, 1943

• The two A6M4 prototypes were powered by an experimental turbosupercharged Sakae engine, to improve performance at high altitude. The project was cancelled because of technical problems.
• The A6M5 Model 52 was the main production version of the Zero; with new stronger wings and individual exhaust stacks, it was faster and had much better diving abilities than previous Zekes.
  It entered service in Autumn of 1943, but by that time, the American Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat and Vought F4U-1 Corsair it had to fight were superior in every aspect but low-speed handling. The A6M5 was built by Mitsubishi (747 planes) and by Nakajima.
• The A6M5a Model 52A had its wings strenghtened again for a better diving speed, and its 20 mm cannons were now Type 99 Model 2 Mk4 high muzzle velocity cannons with more ammunition. 391 were built by Mitsubishi and some also by Nakajima; it entered service in March of 1944.

	Mitsubishi A6M5a Model 52A
	Engine	Nakajima Sakae 21, 14-cylinder air-cooled radial	1,130 hp
	Armament	2x 7.7mm guns + 2x high velocity 20 mm cannons (125 rounds)
	Performance	Max speed: 550 km/h (342 mph) - Ceiling: 11,100 m (36,255 ft)

• The A6M5b Model 52B introduced armored protection for the pilot. The fuel tanks were fitted with automatic CO2-type fire extinguishers. One of the fuselage-mounted 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns was replaced by a 13 mm Type 3 machine gun. Mitsubishi built 470 Model 52Bs, delivered from April of 1944.
• The A6M5c Model 52C was the result of the Imperial Navy requesting more armor, armament, fuel tankage, and bomb delivery capability for the Zero. With an armor plate behind the pilot and a new armament of two wing-mounted cannons, two wing-mounted 13 mm guns, and one cowl-mounted 13 mm gun, the A6M5c had become too heavy for its Sakae 21 engine, and only 93 machines were built.

These A6M5c are sent back from Korea to the Kyushû island, to take part in a Kamikaze attack (early 1945)

• The A6M5-K Model 22 was a two-seat advanced fighter trainer.
• The A6M6c Model 53C was powered by a Nakajima Sakae 31 engine introducing a water/methanol boost system offering 1,210 hp in case of emergency, and also had self-sealing fuel tanks.
• The A6M7 Model 63 was adapted to the fighter/bomber role, with a bomb rack under the fuselage able to carry either a 250 kg (551 lb) or 500 kg (1,100 lb) bomb. It entered service in May 1945.
• The A6M8 Model 64 prototype was powered by the 1,560 hp Mitsubishi MK8P Kinsei 62 engine, requiring to delete the cowl-mounted gun, and had a bomb rack. But none of the last Zero series could be delivered as the war was nearing its end, and Japanese industry had been crushed by American bombings.

Stof's notes about this plane in iMOL's WarBirds

The opinions expressed below are only my own, and nothing more...

Strong points:

• Its great turning abilities, especially at low speeds, make it a good plane for protecting your home field from a raid, when you have to take off then engage the enemy at low height and speed.

Weak points:

• It's slow, and lacking armor, is very vulnerable to enemy fire.
• The Zeke hates high speeds, it's harder and harder to control as speed increases.