The Japanese Fighter

The Japanese Fighter Zero. Picture From Galvin Library
Mitsubishi A6M Zero

If the world recalls anything of Japans weapons during the second war it would be the Japanese Zero. This aeroplane’s reputation far proceeded itself in the far eastern circles as being great as the Spitfire or the FW190 in Europe and with great justification for during its time of production it was far superior then any plane in the Japanese Navy and many others in service. The Zero-Sen or code named Zeke by allies owed much of its inception to the 1937 specification issued by the Japanese Navy. The specifications were so demanding that only Mitsubishi was willing to try and meet it. It was intended to replace the A5M and was designed under the leadership of Jiro Horikoshi.

The Zero made its first flight on April 1st 1939 and was powered by a weak 780 h.p. Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 radial engine. There were two prototypes designed and both were picked up by the Japanese Naval Air Force. Though it wouldn’t be until January of 1940 that the new A6m2 would be designed with a new power plant bumping its power to 925 h.p. Nakajima Sakae 12 radial were later that year a small group of zeros were successfully employed in China. There would be 64 of the new zeros built but it wouldn’t be until the A6M2 model 21 that they would be massed produced due to the folding wingtips so they could be stored on aircraft carriers. About 740 model 21's were in service when Japan entered the war. During 1942 there were 508 examples of a two-seat zero training variant, the A6M2-K which were manufactured by Hitachi and Sasebo. The A6m3 was introduced being powered by a 1,130 h.p. Sakae 21. Though the new model was faster and had longer range it would not be put into production until 1 ft. 8 in. Was cut from the wing tips so it could be stored on carriers.

In 1943 there was a demand for a much improved more powerful plane, thus the introduction of the A6M5 model 52 which would ultimately account for half of the production of the Zero aircraft. There was a short wing span which the Zeke 32 utilized but the wing tips had been rounded off, and the new Sakae 21 engine was
modified to produce a top speed of 358 m.p.h. There were various refinements to the A6M5 with differing degree in armour protection and firepower. Further adaptations of the A6M5 were the A6M7 which would play a role as a dive bomber which entered production as the European war ended. With difficulties from Sakae in trying to produce enough engines Mitsubishi was finally forced in late 1944 to introduce its 1,560 h.p. Kinsei 62 engine which would be the last zero variant, the A6M8. Total production the zero was 10,611 aircraft, Mitsubishi built 3,879 and Nakajim built 6,215.

The Zero was a formidable opponent to allies because it had a great turning radius and high speed. The zero had reached the height of its success after the invasion of Pearl Harbor. The Zero had lacked armoured plating and self-sealing fuel tanks and so it became an easy target for newer aircraft.