Mitsubishi A6M Zero

[Hank Taylor]

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On tarmac getting ready to chase after a F4F Wildcat.

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[Cuthbert]

Sure it's a real Zero and not a Texan who's cosplaying a Zero?

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[stuny]

Very nice.

[Pecole]

Sure it's a real Zero and not a Texan who's cosplaying a Zero?

A Texan ! just look at the cockpit canopy, and you'll be convinced it is truly an original Zero, guy !

[tobey bilek]

The A6M was king of the hill until the F6F Hellcat went into service.  All downhill from there.

 

The problem with Japanese designs was no self sealing gas tanks and little to no armor .   A few hits in the right places, then crash and burn.  The advantage it had could turn, dive, and out climb the competition.

[Jeff Bird]

Another great photo Hank. I like the expression on the pilot's face. He looks like he feels confident in his airplane.

[pauledell]

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Hank,

 

A fine shot of that relic. 

 

Paul

[Cuthbert]

The A6M was king of the hill until the F6F Hellcat went into service.  All downhill from there.

 

The problem with Japanese designs was no self sealing gas tanks and little to no armor .   A few hits in the right places, then crash and burn.  The advantage it had could turn, dive, and out climb the competition.

 

Not that easy! The Zero acquired a mythological status in the first months of the war first for the high quality of the training of the Japanese pilots (pre-war era) and secondary because it was a wonderful design, a high quality piece of engineering.

 

They made a movie on his chief design engineer, "the wind rises" that I highly recommend to watch...its drawbacks were caused by the lack of power of the engines the Japanese had, the Zero at the beginning of its development didn't have a poweplant in the 1000 hp class so they only way to achieve the performance they needed was to remove everything non essential, including the  armour and self sealing tanks (pilots like Saburo Sakai also removed the radios...they weren't great and they need a long endurance to fly for instance from Okinawa to Formosa), that was the same problem Italian planes had: fighter like the G50, Re2000 and the Macchi 200 with serious German engines like the DB601 and 605 proved to be superior to Spitfires and Mustangs.

 

Another drawback is that the training of the japanese pilots didn't take into account team playing, but that was unknown to the Americans until they capture a Zero and the flying manuals in 1942, then they realised the weak points of men and machines, but already at that time they knew that while engaging a Zero with a Wildcat in a one to one fight was lethal four Wildcats were worth of more than four Zeros.

 

...Ok I stop the little lecture on WWII air superiority! 

[Pecole]

Not that easy! The Zero acquired a mythological status in the first months of the war first for the high quality of the training of the Japanese pilots (pre-war era) and secondary because it was a wonderful design, a high quality piece of engineering.

 

They made a movie on his chief design engineer, "the wind rises" that I highly recommend to watch...its drawbacks were caused by the lack of power of the engines the Japanese had, the Zero at the beginning of its development didn't have a poweplant in the 1000 hp class so they only way to achieve the performance they needed was to remove everything non essential, including the  armour and self sealing tanks (pilots like Saburo Sakai also removed the radios...they weren't great and they need a long endurance to fly for instance from Okinawa to Formosa), that was the same problem Italian planes had: fighter like the G50, Re2000 and the Macchi 200 with serious German engines like the DB601 and 605 proved to be superior to Spitfires and Mustangs.

 

Another drawback is that the training of the japanese pilots didn't take into account team playing, but that was unknown to the Americans until they capture a Zero and the flying manuals in 1942, then they realised the weak points of men and machines, but already at that time they knew that while engaging a Zero with a Wildcat in a one to one fight was lethal four Wildcats were worth of more than four Zeros.

 

...Ok I stop the little lecture on WWII air superiority! 

OK, I stop...but was definitely interested (especially as a former pilot and a WW2 witness...unfortunately). Thanks for the "little lecture", Cuthbert!