Table of Contents
Was the A6M Zero a good plane?
The Zero quickly gained a fearsome reputation. Thanks to a combination of unsurpassed maneuverability – compared to contemporary Axis fighters – and excellent firepower, it easily disposed of Allied aircraft sent against it in the Pacific in 1941. It proved a difficult opponent even for the Supermarine Spitfire.
What was the top speed of the Japanese Zero?
351 mphMitsubishi A6M Zero / Top speed
What American plane beat zero?
It was a dominant fighter plane in the early portion of World War II in the Pacific Theater, only to become an easy target. But how did this happen? In some ways, the story we know about the Grumman F6F Hellcat isn’t the whole truth. Yes, the discovery of the Akutan Zero helped the United States beat this plane.
How many zeros did Japan survive?
Time and American airpower made the Zero, a staple of the Japanese air force during World War II, a highly endangered species. Nearly 11,000 Zeros have dwindled to only two airworthy specimens: The Commemorative Air Force flies one, and the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California, flies the other.
What is the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter?
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighter was the finest shipboard fighter in the world during the first year of the Pacific War. It was the first shipboard fighter capable of defeating its land-based opponents.
What is an A6M Zero?
One of them was a superbly maneuverable, well-armed naval fighter designated the “A6M”, better known simply as the “Zero”. In the hands of well-trained Japanese pilots, the Zero gave the Imperial Japan Navy air superiority in its wave of conquests.
What are the different variants of the Mitsubishi A6M2?
* Zero variants include: 1 A6M1: Two initial prototypes, with Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 engine, plus armament of two 7.7-millimeter guns and two 20-millimeter cannon. 2 A6M2 Model 11: Similar to A6M1, but with Nakajima Sakae 12 engine. 3 A6M2 Model 21: Similar to A6M2 Model 11, but with folding wingtips, 740 built.
Mitsubishi assigned Jirou Horikoshi the task of designing the new fighter. The result was the “A6M1”, or “Naval Fighter, Mitsubishi Design Number Six, Variant 1”. It first flew on 1 April 1939, with test pilot Shima Katsuzo at the controls. The initial prototype was fitted with the Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 engine, with 580 kW (780 HP).