The new line of Zero Motorcycles bikes is more powerful. The new line of bikes Zero Motorcycles features more power Was 6 m and its

This aircraft, which became one of the symbols of the war in the Pacific, was the main fighter aircraft of the Imperial Navy. Its development was carried out in accordance with the requirements of 12-Ci, formulated in 1937. The new machine, intended to replace the A5M fighter in the future, was supposed to significantly surpass it in speed (by 100 km / h), while not yielding in maneuverability. Deck-based requirements necessitated good takeoff and landing characteristics, and the features of the theater of operations - a long flight range. For the first time in the practice of Japanese military aviation, cannon armament was provided for a new fighter - two 20-mm cannons, supplemented by a pair of 7.7-mm machine guns.

The development of the aircraft was headed by aircraft designer D. Horikoshi. The choice of engine for the future aircraft became decisive for all subsequent work. The customer demanded the use on a fighter of one of the engines already developed and implemented in mass production. The designers had to agree to the installation of a 14-cylinder Nakajima Sakae 12 engine, although two prototypes received Mitsubishi Zyuisei 13 engines (875 hp). The aircraft received a closed cockpit and retractable landing gear, which significantly improved aerodynamics. The first prototype was flown on April 14, 1939. It, like the second car, was a little short of the required speed of 500 km/h. The third car, which was considered pre-production, received the Sakae 12 engine (940 hp). The first three aircraft were designated A6M1 ("carrier-based fighter type 0").

Serial production began in the spring of 1940. The total output was 10964 aircraft (3879 produced by Mitsubishi, 6570 by Nakajima, 279 by Hitachi and 238 by the 21st Arsenal). In the allied code system, it was designated "Zek", but the designation "Zero" - "zero" (Zero) was more often used.

Specifications Mitsubishi A6M2 model 11

• Engine: Sakae 12
• power, hp: 940
• Wingspan, m: 12.00
• Aircraft length, m: 9,050
• Height, m.: 3.525
• Wing area, sq.m.: 22.438
• Empty weight, kg: 1695
• Take-off weight, kg: 2338
• Maximum weight, kg: 2574
• Maximum speed, km/h / at height, m: 533/4550
• Climb time, m: 7’27″/6000
• Practical ceiling, m.: 1008

The main modifications of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero

• A6 M2 ("sea type 0 carrier-based fighter model 11") - pre-production version. Sakae 12 engine (940 hp). Armament - 2 20 mm type 99-1 model 3 wing cannons (60 rounds of ammunition per barrel) and 2 7.7 mm type 97 synchronous machine guns (500 rounds per barrel); suspension of 2 30-kg or 60-kg bombs under the wing is possible, and under the fuselage - 300-l PTB. 64 aircraft were manufactured.
• A6 M2 ("Model 21") - folding wingtips were introduced, a number of other changes were made. The power plant and armament correspond to the "model 11". Produced from the second half of 1940, approximately 1540 aircraft were built (800 by Mitsubishi and 740 by Nakajima).
• A6 M2- N("sea fighter-seaplane type 2 model 11") - a hydrofighter with a three-float landing gear, developed according to the terms of reference 16-C by the Nakajima company based on the A6M2. Armament and power plant corresponded to the base model. From March 1942 to July 1943, 254 vehicles were manufactured. In the Allied code system, "Ruth" was designated.
• A6 M2- TO("type 0 training fighter model 11") is a two-seat training aircraft developed by the 21st Arsenal in Omura. The motor mount is similar to the A6M2, the armament is 2 7.7-mm synchronous machine guns. Manufactured 2 prototypes and 508 production aircraft, incl. 236 by the 21st arsenal (January 1943 - October 1944) and 272 (under the designation "model 21") - by Hitachi from May 1944 to July 1945.
• A6 M3("Model 32") - Sakae 21 engine (1130 hp). Wing tips trimmed. Armament - 2 20 mm type 99-1 model 4 wing cannons (ammunition load 100 rounds per barrel) and 2 7.7 mm type 97 synchronous machine guns (500 rounds per barrel); suspension of 2 30-kg or 60-kg bombs is possible. It was serially built from July 1942, 343 cars were manufactured by Mitsubishi; It was also produced by Nakajima, but the exact number of aircraft manufactured by it is unknown. Initially assigned the designation "Hump" by the Allies, but soon changed to "Zek 32".
• A6 M4("model 22") - 2 45-l additional fuel tanks, normal endings. The Mitsubishi company produced 560 aircraft, including a number of Model 22a aircraft (with Type 99-2 cannons with an elongated barrel). It was also produced by Nakajima, but the exact number of aircraft manufactured by it is unknown.
• A6 M5 ("Model 52") - the design has been strengthened in order to increase the allowable dive speed. The wing was again made non-folding, using new rounded tips. The power plant and armament are similar to the A6MZ. Produced since the autumn of 1943, Mitsubishi built 747 vehicles, the number of Nakajima produced is unknown.
• A6 M5 A("Model 52a") - the wing structure was again reinforced, the ammunition load of the guns was increased to 125 rounds per barrel. Since March 1944, Mitsubishi has built 391 aircraft, the number produced by Nakajima is unknown.
• A6 M5b("Model 52b") - windshield bulletproof glass and a fire-fighting system of fuel tanks were installed. The right synchronous machine gun was replaced by a 13.2 mm Type 2 machine gun. Suspension of 2 150-l PTBs is possible under the wing. Produced by Mitsubishi since April 1944, 740 vehicles were built.
• A6 M5 With("Model 52c") - an armored back is installed. Armament - 2 20-mm cannons "type 99-2 model 4" (125 rounds per barrel), 3 13.2-mm machine guns "type 3" (1 synchronous and 2 wing-mounted; 230-240 rounds per barrel); under the wing suspension 8 NAR "air-to-air" is possible.
• A6 M5- TO- double training version A6M5. At the beginning of 1945, Hitachi manufactured 7 cars.
• A6M6s("Model 53s") - an analogue of the A6M5s with an engine equipped with a water-methanol mixture injection system. At the turn of 1944-1945. firm "Nakajima" manufactured several aircraft of the installation series.
• A6 M7 ("naval type 0 fighter-bomber model 63") - a 250-kg bomb can be suspended under the fuselage instead of the PTB. Armament is similar to A6M5s. The Sakae 31 engine with a water-methanol mixture injection system (some of the aircraft were equipped with the old Sakae 21 - they were called "model 62"). Produced since the spring of 1945.

The A6M8 was not serially built under the Kinsei 62 engine (1500 hp) - only 2 prototypes were built before the surrender.

Combat use of Mitsubishi A6M Zero aircraft

The debut of the A6M2 took place in August 1940 in China. Aircraft of the 12th and 14th Kokutais were mainly used to escort bombers. In total, China received no more than 40 A6M2s, which fought intensively for about a year - until August 1941. During the year, their pilots made 354 sorties and announced the destruction of 103 enemy aircraft in the air and 163 on the ground. Own combat losses amounted to only 3 A6M2, and even those were shot down by anti-aircraft guns.

By the time the war with the United States began, the aviation of the Imperial Navy had about 400 A6M2 fighters. Aircraft from the aircraft carriers Akagi, Kara, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku took part in the raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, providing cover for two shock waves, as well as storming airfields. The Zeros of the 3rd Kokutai and the Tainan Kokutai based in Taiwan took part in the capture of the Philippines, and then Malaya, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies.

In February 1942, A6M2 with Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu took part in the attack on the Australian Darwin. In April, a carrier strike formation undertook a raid into the Indian Ocean, striking targets in Ceylon.

In the battles of the first months of the war, Mitsubishi "Zero" showed a convincing superiority over all fighters opposing them. Not least contributed to this high level training of Japanese pilots.

May 7-8, 1942 "Zero" participated in the first ever aircraft carrier battle- battle in the Coral Sea. They failed to cover light aircraft carrier"Shoho", sunk by American aircraft, but ensured the actions of the strike groups from the "Shokaku" and "Zuikaku", which sank the aircraft carrier "Lexington". And on June 4, during the battle at Midway, the fighters could not reliably cover their own aircraft carriers, which resulted in the death of four Japanese aircraft carriers and all the aircraft based on them (about 250).

Seaplanes A6M2-N from July 1942 to April 1943 fought in the Aleuts. From June 1942, such aircraft fought on Rabaul and Guadalcanal, engaging in interceptions. In the area of ​​New Guinea in the summer of 1942, the Tainan kokutai, armed with the A6M2, also operated. Here, as part of the 2nd Kokutai, the new A6MZ debuted. By September 1942, 5 Kokutais with the Zero were operating in the Solomon Islands, but due to significant losses and difficulties in obtaining replenishment, their composition was far from regular. And if in August and October 1942, Japanese aircraft carrier formations still appeared near Guadalcanal, then already in March 1943, the remnants of air groups had to be removed from aircraft carriers, transferring them to Rabaul. "Zero" acted not only as fighters, but also as attack aircraft and dive bombers, but failed to turn the tide. After February 20, 1944, the initiative in the air war completely passed to the Americans. In the battles over the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, the best carrier-based pilots were killed, and long intensive training was required to prepare a replacement. The once formidable force of the Japanese carrier fleet turned into a pale shadow of its former power. And when the Americans moved the fighting to the central part of the Pacific Ocean, the Imperial Navy could no longer effectively resist this.

In 1943-1944. Zero fighters participated in repulsing enemy air raids on targets in the Dutch East Indies, the Marshall and Mariana Islands, about. Truk. Zeros from 6 aircraft carriers took part in the battle in the Philippine Sea in June 1944, with the new A6M5 being used as fighters, and the A6M2 as attack aircraft. From September 1944, the Zeros stationed in the Philippines (mainly from the 201st Kokutai) repelled American air raids, and from October they also acted as kamikazes.

After the surrender of the Philippines, the importance of Taiwan as an air base increased. Suicide attacks became the main way to counter the American onslaught. Since January 1945, the Zeros participated in these raids both as cover vehicles and as kamikaze aircraft. In the last months of the war, the A6M operated in the Japanese air defense system, participated in the Kikusui operation in the Okinawa region. Probably the last sortie of the Zero took place on the morning of August 15, 1945, when 17 A6M5 and A6M7 took off to intercept American and British carrier-based aircraft, shooting down 4 Hellcats at the cost of losing 15 of their aircraft.

Mitsubishi designers created, without a doubt, an outstanding fighter aircraft for its time. The undoubted advantages of the aircraft were high maneuverability and a huge flight range by those standards. If it had a combat radius equal to at least half that of the Zero, the outcome of the Battle of Britain could have been completely different, because in this case the German fighter aircraft from bases on the continent would have completely controlled the airspace over Britain. The high maneuverability of the A6M led to the appearance of instructions directly forbidding the pilots of allied aircraft to get involved with the Zero in a maneuverable dogfight. However, from the second half of 1942, the advantage of the A6M gradually disappears due to the appearance of new aircraft.

The weakest point of the "Zero" was a small engine, which did not have reserves for a significant increase in power. However, it should be taken into account that already from 1943, the Zero was to be replaced by a new Japanese carrier-based fighter A7M Repu, surpassing it in all respects. But he did not manage to get into the series. As a result, "Zero" turned out to be a kind of "over-conscript", forced to pull the soldier's strap until the end of World War II, although in terms of service life he should have been transferred to the reserve a long time ago ...

Japan

Type: single engine fighter

Crew: one pilot

Aside from the initial surprise of the Pearl Harbor raid in the early hours of December 7, 1941, perhaps the biggest shock to US forces in the Pacific was the outstanding performance of the Imperial Japanese Navy's main carrier-based fighter, the A6M2 Zero-Sen (Zero-Sen). Sen) of the company "Mitsubishi" (Mitsubishi), which had excellent proportions. It was fast and agile, armed with two 20mm cannons and two 7.7mm machine guns, and had an incredible range of 2,000 miles when using a drop-down ventral fuel tank.

The plane was completely missed by British and US intelligence in the months leading up to the Pearl Harbor raid. The Zero traces its origins to the 1937 Imperial Navy Headquarters requirement for a new aircraft to replace Mitsubishi's A5M, then the fleet's main fighter. Work proceeded without delay, and the first prototype flew on April 1, 1939, and the first fighters entered service on next year. About 10,500 Zero fighters were built in no fewer than eight different versions, and although more powerful US fighters have surpassed them since late 1943, the Zeros retained some combat capability due to their weight. By the end of 1944, most of the Japanese squadrons were forced to fly from land bases as the once-proud carrier fleet was sunk.

Finally, in a desperate attempt, scores of Zeros were hastily converted into "flying bombs" and deployed by kamikaze pilots to attack the massive invasion naval forces in the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Today, in the US, two copies of this aircraft are maintained in a state of airworthiness, at the same time, several more aircraft are being restored to flight.

This aircraft was once one of the symbols of the Second World War. It belonged to the fighter aviation of the Japanese fleet. The new machine was intended to replace the A5m fighters in the future. Moreover, he had to surpass the previous counterparts in speed, but would not be inferior in this case in terms of maneuverability.

The aircraft is deck-based and, of course, must have good takeoff and landing characteristics. This is especially true for flight range. For the first time in Japanese practice, this aircraft was armed with cannons (20 millimeters) and a pair of machine guns.

The aircraft was designed by aircraft designer Horikoshi. The most important component of such an aircraft is its engine. The fighter received a closed cockpit and improved aerodynamics. The first type of aircraft was tested in 1939.

Characteristics

The plane had a power of 940 horsepower. The wingspan is 12 meters, its length is 9 meters, and its height is 3.5 meters. The wing area is 22 square meters. The empty plane had a weight of 1695 kilograms, the ceiling of the plane was 1 kilometer. Aircraft of this type were mainly used to escort heavy bombers. They were often used in the war, and they made a large number of sorties. When the war with the United States began, the imperial fleet had more than 400 fighters of this type.

In April 1842, an aircraft carrier formation carried out a raid; it struck targets in Ceylon. Here, the Zeros showed great superiority over all those fighters that opposed them. In this case, the level of training of pilots in Japan played a big role. In addition, they participated in the battle of aircraft carriers during the battle in the Coral Sea. Unfortunately, they did not have time to cover the aircraft carrier Sehu, and the American aircraft nevertheless sank it, but they ensured the actions of their strike groups. Fighters of this type could always reliably cover their own aircraft carrier.

Sometimes they could act not only as fighters, but also dive like attack aircraft. Still, during the war in 1944, the initiative passed to the Americans. When battles took place over the islands, many carrier-based pilots died here. The Japanese carrier fleet lost its former power, and Zero fighters took little part in air battles. It can be added here that such aircraft often participated as kamikaze aircraft. It is safe to say that at this time such an aircraft was outstanding. He had a huge range.

For example, if the Messerschmitt-109 had a combat turning radius like that of the Zero, then the Battle of Britain could have been completely different. In this case, Germany would be able to completely control the airspace over Britain.

We can say about some of the weak points of this aircraft. He had a subcompact engine that did not have a reserve in order to increase power much. It is impossible not to say that the work on the aircraft was carried out by the design bureau. They worked on the design of the airframe for a long time.

The Japanese have always followed the direction of technological development in the global aircraft industry. Much attention was also paid to weapons. Here, some developers understood that in order to destroy enemy aircraft, Zero needed to have heavy weapons. All this was due to the fact that the vehicles of the potential enemy had a large margin of safety. That is why the Swiss Oerlikon guns were put on the plane. At that time, such guns were common in Europe.

The Japanese were able to draw attention to the fact that the cannon had a low muzzle velocity, but the cannon was light and had small dimensions. It could be installed under the low profile fenders without any problems. Simply put, it became the main armament of Japanese aircraft. When the car was introduced ready-made, then, according to the design of the aircraft, many opponents immediately appeared.

Very serious controversy flared up around this aircraft. Some have spoken of the disadvantage of having a closed cockpit, which can limit the pilot's view. One of the commanders came to the defense of the aircraft and said that its main advantage lies in its good maneuverability. In this case, it is even possible to abandon heavy weapons, besides, the range was also limited, they could not accompany the bombers. The Chinese used this and did what they wanted with the Japanese bombers. Another important characteristic of the fighter was the maximum speed.

In this case, he always had the advantage of imposing his battle tactics on the enemy. If the pilot is well trained to control such an aircraft, then he can defeat the enemy. This may be even when the enemy will have an advantage in maneuverability.

There were a lot of contradictions, and there was a threat that the project could be closed. However, the designer Horikoshi himself provided the commission with theoretical calculations, in which he said that the future aircraft would have everything necessary qualities to a sufficient extent.

The aircraft was assembled at one of the Mitsubishi factories. It was tested for a long time, and only after that the aircraft was accepted into the Japanese fleet. Many pilots spoke positively about this aircraft. He performed well in combat, and all efforts were directed towards increasing the production of these aircraft.

The Japanese bombers suffered heavy losses, so they needed protection. This aircraft at that time had no competition in the skies during the war. It was issued by the best airlines. In the forty-first year, Japan's aviation was far superior to its opponents and allies.

To this we can add that some Japanese pilots considered this aircraft a sword for a samurai. This fighter participated in almost all air battles conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its high range and maneuverability have become almost legendary. Today, this aircraft remains a symbol of Japanese aviation.

Basic data

Dimensions:

• Length: 9.07 m
• Wingspan: 11 m
• Height: 3.5 m

• Empty: 1894 kg
• Maximum takeoff: 2950 kg

Flight performance:

• Maximum speed: 557 km/h
• Flight range: 1800 km

Power point: the NK1C Sekei (Sakae) 12 engine from the Nakayama company (on the A6M2 modification), the Sekei (Sakai) 21 engine (on the A6M5 modification) and the Pratt-Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine (on the copy A6M2 at the Museum of Flight)

Power: 925 l. With. (690 kW), ISO l. With. (843 kW) and 1200 hp. With. (894 kW) respectively

Date of first flight:

• April 1, 1939

Remaining airworthy modifications:

• A6M2 and A6M5

Japanese plane Zero video

Zero Motorcycles has made a name for itself by making e-bikes that appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts and alternative fuel enthusiasts. Her products have become a hit with thrill seekers. The company recently unveiled its 2019 lineup, which makes it clear why it outperforms its competitors.

Most of the changes have affected power. The entry-level Zero S and DS with the base ZF7.2 battery increased by 35%. In addition, they are able to reach speeds that are 8% higher than the current maximum mark. In essence, this puts electric bikes on par with standard motorcycles that run on an internal combustion engine.

Meanwhile, the S and DS with the optional ZF14.4 power pack can now cover 223 miles of city driving and 150 miles of combined range. They come with a long-term storage mode, for example, if the rider wanted to store his bike for the winter.

By the way, the company decided to add support for fast charging Charge Tank, which was previously only available on 2018 models, to its older models. New models of electric

February 11th, 2016

It seems that so much material has already been read and viewed about the Second World War, but as with any event in history, you constantly stumble upon small details that in a certain way complete important elements in your picture of these historical events. Let's read an article on the site warspot.ru, which will explain to us what this "zero American intelligence" was

The heavy defeats of the Americans at the initial stage of the Pacific War were largely caused by the catastrophic underestimation of the enemy, including the underestimation of the technical level of the Japanese. The reason for this was frank hatred and neglect of intelligence, multiplied by the swagger of "white people".

One of the clearest examples of such an underestimation was the story of the ignored information about the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter.

Masterpiece Horikoshi Jiro

The outstanding virtues of the Zero carrier-based fighter were, as often happens, a direct continuation of its shortcomings, and vice versa. This machine acquired the well-known speed and maneuverability characteristics in many respects “thanks to” the absence of powerful, but at the same time light and compact aircraft engines from Mitsubishi. Since the customer demanded a highly maneuverable fighter, it was decided to abandon the use of a sufficiently powerful (1075 hp) engine of the Kinsei series due to its weight and dimensions. The new aircraft was designed for a lighter Zuisei-13 engine with a power of only 780 hp. s., which for 1939 was, to put it mildly, not enough. It was impossible to compensate for this by improving aerodynamics alone, so the only way to achieve the flight performance set by the fleet was to radically reduce the weight of the airframe of the new machine.

This was partly due to the use of an extremely expensive ESDT aluminum-zinc-magnesium alloy, “extra-super duralumin”, developed by Sumitomo Metal and having strength characteristics almost one and a half times higher than conventional aluminum-copper duralumin, in the power set of the aircraft. , but this was not enough. As a result, the chief designer of the fighter, Horikoshi Jiro, was forced by a strong-willed decision to lower the strength standards by which the power set was calculated.

Horikoshi Jiro

Wherever possible, openings were made to reduce the weight of the load-bearing elements, the thickness of the skin varied widely, etc. The resulting ultra-lightweight machine did meet the requirements of the fleet. And after the customers insisted on using a more powerful engine of competitors from the Nakajima concern - the NK1C Sakae-12 with a capacity of 950 hp. With. - and surpassed them. Finally, the aircraft was put into service, having received the name " Rei-shiki kanjo sentoki"- naval fighter model 0 (1940) of the year.

Thanks to the light glider, the Zero received a specific power that was not inferior to American fighters, which had much more “horses” under the hoods. The low weight provided both less inertia and less wing loading (and therefore a lower stall speed), resulting in outstanding rate of climb and maneuverability.

familiar stranger

Of course, you have to pay for everything - and in the case of the Zero, this price was the low survivability of the aircraft, as well as the only flight indicator in which the Japanese fighter, for obvious reasons, was inferior to its own American competitors- dive speed. But in order to take advantage of the first drawback, the American pilots first needed to at least catch a nimble and torquey enemy in sight. The second they used more often, if they lived to realize that the only way to “throw off the tail” of a caramel-colored car with “meatballs” on the planes was to push the stick, full throttle and pray for enough height.

June 22, 1942 Surviving pilots of the 221st Fighter Squadron, United States Marine Corps. They already know how to get away from Zero. Soon they'll learn how to shoot them downOfficial U.S. Navy Photograph #80-G-357083, NARA

Reviews of American pilots, who first encountered the Mitsubishi A6M, can only be described as "enthusiastic-panic". For example, the few surviving pilots of the 221st Marine Fighter Squadron, who flew their F2A-3 Buffalo and F4F-3 Wildcat into combat with superior enemy fighters during the Japanese air raid on Midway Atoll, described them in the following terms :

The Zero Fighter is exceptionally maneuverable and has an amazing rate of climb. It is so superior to the F2A-3 on verticals that it seems pointless to try to make more than one pass on any target. […] The Zero fighter outperforms the F2A-3 in horizontal speed. It is much more maneuverable than the F2A-3. It outperforms the F2A-3 in climb rate. It has more firepower than the F2A-3."

Captain Kirk Armistead (Acting Squadron Leader)

The F2A-3 is not a combat aircraft. In all respects, it is inferior to the aircraft with which we fought. The F2A-3 has almost the same speed as the Aichi 99 dive bomber. The Japanese Zero fighter is capable of circling the F2A-3. From what I've seen I appreciate top speed Zero at 450 mph. I am sure that every commander sending a pilot into battle on the F2A-3 can write him off in advance as a loss.

Captain P. R. White

I saw two Brewsters trying to attack the enemy Zeros. One was shot down, the other was saved by anti-aircraft fire that covered his tail. Both looked like they were tethered when the Zeros approached them. I am sure that if we had planes half as good as the Zero, we could completely stop this raid.

Lieutenant Charles Hughes (observed the battle from the ground)

I think that the "00" fighter was seriously underestimated. I think this is one of the best fighters of this war. At the same time, the F2A-3 (or "Brewster Trainer") should be in Miami as a training aircraft, and not used as combat fighter first line.

Lieutenant K. M. Kunz

Japas have very maneuverable and fast aircraft in the form of their "00" fighter, which has plenty of firepower. They can safely turn around inside the Brewster's turn.

Lieutenant W. W. Brooke

24–25 June 1942 Midway Atoll Not the worst consequences of the first acquaintance with the Zero: the Grumman F4F-3 from the 221st Squadron, damaged in battle and during an emergency landing, was dismantled and is waiting to be sent for repair, its pilot, ILC Captain John Carey, is in the hospital.Official U.S. Navy Photograph #80-G-11636, NARA

These reports provide a lot of food for thought, but on our current topic, two things are worth noting: first, American pilots - both regular and reservists - at the first meeting confidently identify the Zero (although everyone calls him as a god to the soul put: 00 Fighter, Zero Fighter, Zero Isento Ki Navy Fighter, type 00 ISENTO KI Navy fighter, etc.); secondly, the aerobatic capabilities of the main fighter of the Japanese fleet were a complete surprise to them even in the seventh month of the war. The latter can be attributed to the entire US Navy and Army - the capabilities of the Mitsubishi A6M came as a surprise to everyone. And this despite the fact that naval intelligence had fairly accurate information about the "Zero" in early 1941.

It cannot be said that American undercover intelligence in the Japanese metropolis was poorly organized. Because it didn't exist at all. It’s hard to believe now, but practically the only channel through which military and military-technical information came from Japan to the United States in the pre-war period was “official intelligence”, that is, the military and naval attache at the US Embassy in Tokyo, and also their small staff. Analysis of open sources, official visits to military facilities and events, exchange of information with colleagues from other embassies, personal contacts with the Japanese military. As well as one-time successes caused by the strange behavior of the Japanese authorities themselves, usually obsessed with the secrecy of everything and everyone.

The first rumors about a new Japanese fighter began to reach China as early as 1940. What was the astonishment of the Assistant Air Force to the US Naval Attaché, Lieutenant Commander Stephen Jurika, when he visited the annual military sports festival in January 1941 (where the Japanese Navy and Army traditionally measured the length of their trunks), discovered this latest aircraft, as they say, in kind.

Lieutenant Commander Stephen Jerica

And not just put on public display (even with the opportunity to inspect the cockpit), but also kindly provided with a plate with the main flight performance, including weight, engine power and speed indicators. The diplomat with the pilot's "wings" on the tunic conscientiously rewrote all the numbers, visually estimated the dimensions of the fighter and the wing area, assessed the weapons, the design of the skin, the instruments in the cockpit, and then also watched the car in action when it competed in the sky with army fighters. Then he sent a detailed report to the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI).

Americans are captivated by stereotypes

However, Stephen Jerica was even more surprised a couple of months later, when he received a response from ONI to his report. As he later recalled, the first and last answer for his entire two-year service in Tokyo. The irritated superiors urged the lieutenant commander to no longer send such nonsense and misinformation to Washington. American aviation experts unanimously declared that a machine with such a set of characteristics simply cannot exist in nature (this was especially true for the ratio of dimensions and weight, as well as the declared flight range). Even more absurd seemed to them the very idea that the "backward Asians", capable at best of producing degraded copies of obsolete Western aircraft, were able to build a fighter superior to latest machines US fleet. In the same way, reports about the characteristics of the A6M, already received from China, were subsequently ignored (for example, the message that the almost 6-meter wing of the downed Zero was so light that two people could lift it).

How did the American experts from the Aviation magazine see their future opponents. Pay attention to the captions, which necessarily indicate which western aircraft is a “clone” of this or that Japanese car “Legends In Their Own Time”

And I'm not exaggerating at all about the "backward Asians." In the official American annual digest of naval aviation in 1939, without a shadow of a doubt, it was written that the Japanese “had not independently designed any of the aircraft that they currently produce for the needs armed forces". In reality, the only foreign-designed Japanese aircraft was the legendary American Douglas DC-3, produced under license.

Aviation magazine was no less categorical; in September 1940, the technical level of Japanese aviation was described there in the following words: “American aviation specialists need only a cursory glance at the latest Japanese military aircraft to conclude that they are all either obsolete or obsolete ". It was also concluded there that the Japanese aircraft industry and the level of their aircraft designers were seriously inferior even to Italian ones.

In the January issue of the Flying and Popular Aviation magazine of 1941, Japanese aviation is analyzed in an article with a telling title: “Japan is NOT an air power”, where, in support of his “analytics”, the author, in all seriousness, retells the story about the German military observer. The gallant pilot of the First World War, who has not sat in the cockpit of an aircraft since then, the next morning after a booze organized in his honor, gets into a fighter and easily wins "ten best Japanese pilots" in training battles one after another.

The well-known popularizer of naval history, Fletcher Pratt, in the book Sea Power and modern warfare” also wrote with absolute seriousness that the Japanese, in principle, cannot be good pilots. As befits any racist constructions, this statement had a scientific justification in the form of “physiological features characteristic of this race”, such as: myopia inherent in all “Asians” without exception, as well as an incorrect arrangement of the inner ear responsible for the vestibular apparatus. In the summer of 1941, an article of similar content was published by the serious professional journal Aviation Review.

It was only six months before the "Day of Shame" at Pearl Harbor and Clark Field.

Another interesting thing about aviation: let's think, but we looked at and at. Look at and at . See what it is and what it is The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -

942 m/min Dimensions Length: 9.06 m Height: 3.05 m Wingspan: 12.0 m Wing area: 22.44 m² Weight Empty: 1680 kg Equipped: 2410 kg Power point Engines: 1 × Nakajima Sakae 12 star 709 kW (950 hp) Armament Cannon armament: 2 × 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns on the engine
2×20 mm Type 99 guns in wings Suspended weapons 2 x 30 kg bombs under the wings and 1 x 60 kg bombs under the fuselage

Name "Marine carrier-based fighter Type 0" (jap. 零式艦上戦闘機 Rei-shiki kanjo: sento:ki) A6M received from the last numbers of the year of issue - 2600 according to the Japanese calendar (1940). In Japan, he was informally called "Rei-sen" or "Zero-sen" ("rei" - "zero", "sen" from the word "sentoki" - "fighter"); the codename given by the Allies is "Zeke". The pilots called the A6M simply "Zero" (Eng. "Zero").

Development

Captured A6M2 with US markings at the NACA Research Laboratory, March 8, 1943

Compared to Western aircraft, the Zero did not have an armored pilot's seat back and sealed fuel tanks, which reduced its resistance to combat damage. Most aircraft were built from T-7178 aluminum, which was lighter and stronger, but also more brittle. Very low gave a stall speed of about 110 km / h - the ability to make sharp turns, inaccessible to allied aircraft of that time. Due to the deviation of the aileron trimmers in the opposite direction, the efforts on the control stick decreased, but this reduced the rotation speed at high speeds - at 260 km / h it was 56 degrees per second. At speeds of about 500 km / h, the rotational speed dropped to zero due to the flexibility of the wings.

The US military was able to study the Zero in detail after recovering a nearly intact aircraft that had landed in Alaska. This aircraft is known as Akutan Zero. The Japanese pilot flew too far from the base and, hoping to make an emergency landing on US soil, rolled over and broke his neck.

In service

The debut of "Zero" took place in August 1940 in China. Due to insufficient range, the aging A5Ms could not escort Japanese bombers, and they suffered heavy losses from Chinese fighters. Everything changed with the arrival of the Zero. During the first bomber escort operations, not a single fighter took to the air to intercept, as the Chinese learned of the Zero's arrival and carefully dispersed their aircraft. In total, the pre-production Zeros destroyed 266 enemy aircraft in China.

Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe

In early 1941, development of a float aircraft based on the Model 11 began. Nakajima engineers removed the landing gear, installed a large ventral float with a fuel tank inside, attached two support floats to the spar, increased the rudder area and added a small keel under the fuselage. On December 8, 1941, the prototype made its first flight. Adopted in July 1942 under the designation "naval float fighter type 2 model 11".

A6M2 model 21

In November 1940, a modification was introduced with 500 mm folding wingtips, which made it possible to be placed on aircraft carriers. Previously, this was not possible, since the deck lifts of the aircraft carriers of the Japanese fleet were not adapted for aircraft with a wing length of more than 11 meters. 740 aircraft of this modification were built by Mitsubishi and 800 by Nakajima.

This model also served as the basis for the A6M2-K two-seat trainer, 508 of which were built by Hitachi and the 21st Naval Aviation Arsenal at Sasebo.

A6M3 model 32

In late 1941, Nakajima introduced the Sakae 21 engine with 1,130 hp. (840 kW) equipped with a two-stage supercharger that increases performance at high altitudes. Due to the supercharger, the new engine was somewhat heavier and longer, which caused the center of gravity to shift too far forward. It was decided to shorten the engine mounts to the motor mount by 200 mm, thus shifting it to the cockpit. This resulted in a reduction in the capacity of the main fuel tank, located directly behind the engine, from 518 to 470 liters.

Another major change was the removal of folding wingtips. This gave a much greater effect than originally expected. The smaller wing area increased the rotation speed, and the reduced drag made it possible to dive at speeds up to 670 km/h. On the other hand, maneuverability and flight range decreased, which the pilots and the Naval Aviation Headquarters did not like very much. The shorter range introduced serious limitations during the 1942 Solomon Islands campaign.

The magazines of the 20 mm wing cannons were also increased, now they could hold up to 100 rounds (previously 60). Shops made in the form of drums began to protrude beyond the dimensions of the wing and were covered with fairings.

The Model 32 began production in April 1942. A total of 343 aircraft were built. At first, the US military reserved the code name "Hamp" for this model before realizing that it was just a modification of the "Zero".

A6M3 model 22

Due to the loss of part of the aircraft carriers at Midway Island, aircraft had to operate from land bases, flying over long distances. Folding wingtips were reintroduced to compensate for the reduced range of the Model 32. Two additional wing fuel tanks of 45 liters each were also installed. Thus, it was possible to achieve the longest flight range among all Zero models.

Some aircraft (designated "model 22a") were equipped with improved guns Type 99 model 2 modification 3 with an extended barrel and increased rate of fire. A few more prototypes, designated "model 22b", were armed with a 30 mm Type 5 cannon, but did not go into production due to the weakness of the wing design, which could not withstand the recoil of such powerful guns.

In total, since December 1942, 560 aircraft of this model were produced.

A6M4

Two A6M2s powered by an experimental Sakae turbocharged engine for use at high altitudes were designated A6M4. In 1943, the 1st Naval Aviation Technical Arsenal at Yokosuka took over the development and testing of these two prototypes. The lack of necessary alloys used in the production of a gas turbine supercharger greatly affected the development, and it was curtailed. The data obtained during the development of the A6M4 was later used in the production of the more technologically advanced A6M5, and made it possible to accelerate its development by Mitsubishi at that time.

A6M5 model 52

A6M5 model 52

A6M5 - a modification of the A6M3 on which they began to install a wing of a smaller span - 11 meters (area 21.3 m²) with reinforced skin, due to which the rotation speed increased and a speed of 657 km / h was reached in a dive. The exhaust system was also redesigned - each pair of cylinders received an exhaust pipe instead of a common exhaust manifold - this gave a few extra km / h to the speed. To prevent hot exhaust gases from burning through the casing in the area of ​​​​the nozzles, it was reinforced with a steel sheet. The speed of the aircraft increased to 565 km / h at 6000 meters, thus becoming the fastest modification of the Zero. A total of 1701 aircraft were built.

Options

• A6M5a "Kou"- guns Type 99-II Mk 4 were installed with belt feed of 125 rounds.
• A6M5b "Otsu"- the first model to receive a 50-mm bulletproof windshield. The fuselage tanks were equipped with a fire extinguishing system. One 7.7 mm machine gun was replaced with a 13.2 mm Type 3 machine gun.
• A6M5c Hei- the remaining 7.7 mm machine gun was dismantled. In the wing, next to the 20 mm guns, two additional 13.2 machine guns were mounted. The pilot received protection in the form of an armored back and an armored head. Behind the cockpit, an additional 140-liter gas tank was mounted.
• A6M5d-S- a night fighter armed with one 20-mm cannon mounted obliquely in the rear of the fuselage (analogous to the German "wrong music").

A6M6c

A6M6 at the Maritime Museum in Kure (Yamato Museum)

Identical to the A6M5c, but fitted with a Nakajima Sakae 31a engine with methanol-water injection and sealed wing tanks.

A6M7

Identical to A6M6. Nakajima Sakae 31b engine, with two-stage supercharger and no water-methanol injection system. Used for kamikaze attacks.

A6M8

Identical to A6M6. Powered by Mitsubishi Kinsei 62 engines. Two prototypes built.

see also

• Zero (roulette)

Notes

Literature

• Kolov S. Mitsubishi Zero. About the best Japanese fighter (Russian) // Wings of the Motherland. - M ., 2000. - No. 6. - S. 27-31. - ISSN 0130-2701.

Links

• Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero-Sen Rene J. Francillon - Aircraft profile 129, 1969 Translated by A. Plakhov, edited by V. Moiseev
• Horikoshi D., Okumiya M., Kaidin M. "Zero!" (Japanese Air Force in World War II)

Aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II
carrier-based fighters
Carrier-based dive bombers
Deck torpedo bombers and bombers
carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft
Ground-based fighters
night fighters	S1A Denko
Land based bombers
Patrol bombers
reconnaissance aircraft
Transport aircraft
Training aircraft
Special purpose aircraft
flying boats
Hydroplane fighters
reconnaissance seaplanes
Seaplanes for special purposes