Japanese Zero A6M
More Zero-Sens were produced than any other wartime Japanese aircraft. Mitsubishi alone produced 3,879 aircraft of this type, Nakajima built 6,215 which, together with the 844 trainer and floatplane variants produced by Sasebo, Hitachi and Nakajima, brought the grand total of A6M series aircraft to 10,938. The Zero-Sen possessed complete mastery in the air over the Pacific until the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the actual turning point of the Pacific War although recognized by only a few at the time. The value of the fighter steadily declined and its lowest point was reached when it was selected to lead the Navy's Air Force in mass suicide--and the Japanese nation followed. The installation of the Kinsei engine brought Zero-Sen closer to Allied standards attained at that stage in the war, but the moment for decision had passed and, with it, victory for the Allies had become a foregone conclusion. The fighter that started the Pacific war was no longer able to fight it--nor was the nation that conceived it.
Specifications:
Mitsubishi A6M6c Model 53C Zero-Sen
Dimensions:
Wing span: 36 ft. 1 in (10.99 m)
Length: 29 ft. 9 in (9.06 m)
Height: 9 ft. 2 in (2.79 m)
Weights: Empty: 3,920 lb (1,778 kg) Operational: 6,026 lb (2,733 kg)
Performance:
Maximum Speed: 346 m.p.h. (556 km/h) at 19,680 ft (5,998 m)
Service Ceiling: 35,100 ft (10,698 m)
Range: 1,130 miles (1,818 km) at 152 mph (244 km/h) 875 miles (1408 km) at 212 mph (341 km/h) Max.
Range: 635 miles (1,022 km)
Powerplant: One Nakajima NKIP Sakae 31, fourteen cylinder air-cooled two-row radial engine rated at 1,120 h.p. at 2,800 r.p.m. for take-off and, 1,210 h.p. (war emergency rating) at 8,000 ft., 1,055 h.p. at 20,400 ft.
Armament: Two Type 99 (Oerlikon) 20-mm. cannon and two 13.2-mm. machine-guns in wings and one 13.2-mm. machine-gun and one 7.7-mm. machine-gun in the upper decking of the engine cowling.
