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Mitsubishi A6M5 'Zero'

Description
  Manufacturer:Mitsubishi
  Base model:A6M
  Designation:A6M
  Version:5
  Nickname:Zero
  Basic role:Fighter (Japan)
  Crew:Pilot

Specifications
  Length: 29' 9" 9.0 m
  Height:9' 2" 2.7 m
  Wingspan: 36' 1" 11.0 m
  Max Weight: 6,047 lb 2,742 kg

Propulsion
  No. of Engines: 1
  Powerplant: Nakajima Sakae 21
  Horsepower (each): 1300

Performance
  Range: 975 miles 1,570 km
  Max Speed: 346 mph 557 km/h 301 kt
  Ceiling: 35,100 ft 10,698 m

Examples of this type may be found at
MuseumCityState
National Air and Space MuseumWashingtonDist of Col
The Air Museum "Planes of Fame"ChinoCalifornia

A6M5 on display

The Air Museum

The Air Museum "Planes of Fame"
   


 

Recent comments by our visitors
 Lorna
 , UT
I am looking for some information. My father is a WWII vet and a former POW out of the Philippines. He recently gave me some "souveniers" from the war tht include some metal pieces that are supposedly from a Zero fighter, specifically the red rising sun. The interesting part to me is the back of these pieces of metal. It is a light blue-turquoise color and has some letters on it. The letters are English letters - SDCH underlined twice underneath the letters and once on top of the letters.

Can anyone tell me anything about these pieces of metal? Do you believe them to be authentic? Do you know what the letters mean? I am just curious about them. I am a history teacher and I like to show my students actual items.

Thank you for your help. Please e-mail me back at ljnm@yahoo.com

05/12/2010 @ 20:53 [ref: 26161]
 Lorna
 , UT
I am looking for some information. My father is a WWII vet and a former POW out of the Philippines. He recently gave me some "souveniers" from the war tht include some metal pieces that are supposedly from a Zero fighter, specifically the red rising sun. The interesting part to me is the back of these pieces of metal. It is a light blue-turquoise color and has some letters on it. The letters are English letters - SDCH underlined twice underneath the letters and once on top of the letters.

Can anyone tell me anything about these pieces of metal? Do you believe them to be authentic? Do you know what the letters mean? I am just curious about them. I am a history teacher and I like to show my students actual items.

Thank you for your help. Please e-mail me back at ljnm@yahoo.com

05/12/2010 @ 20:52 [ref: 26160]
 Josh
 Stillwater, OK
I love the A6M5. It was (and still is) a beautiful plane. I am majoring in Aerospace Engineering and I am going to rebuild one of these beautiful birds. I want an A6M5. I am going to restore it completely with its original engine. Or I hope to.

And Bob, the Zero used during Pearl Harbor were A6M2's. Their original paint scheme was White with a black nose.

Hope that helps.
01/13/2010 @ 12:10 [ref: 25562]
 bob duplissis
 north muskegon, MI
I would like to know what color the zero a6m5 was that attacted pearl harbor. were they white,gray,green. thank you for your help.
02/12/2009 @ 09:45 [ref: 23706]
 Robert West
 , CA
No Gus that is not the reason the aircraft was named the Zero. The rising sun is the symbol of the country of Japan. Similar to us using a star on our aircraft.
The "Zero" is a type designator.
There are sources to research on that whole system if you want to go into that.
01/09/2007 @ 09:01 [ref: 15144]
 Anonamouys
 , ND
Sweet
01/08/2007 @ 15:48 [ref: 15139]
 gus petrakis
 freeport, IL
I'm told that the zero was named for the red circle, rising sun on the plane. Is this correct?
11/28/2006 @ 16:14 [ref: 14866]
 Paul
 , QC
I built an exact replica of the A6M5-52c radio controlled 1/6th scale. The model was not only precision scale in it's dimensions but also in dynamic : scale power to weight ratio and weight to wing area ratio. Exact aifoil and center of gravity.
Since i am a privite pilot with more then 1000 hours flight time and r/c flight intructor, i can fairly evaluate the way an aircraft fly.
The A6M5 was a pure delight...
Precise, stable yet totally aerobatic, the best i ever flew. The landing phase was like handling a trainer : easy and predictable down to the flare..
Flying the real one should have been a dream (with ear plugs ! )
The a6m5 was lost in a midair with another model.


06/13/2005 @ 20:01 [ref: 10473]
 George
 , WA
Production of an initial service test batch of A6M2s began, and initial flight trials were completed in July of 1940. On July 31, the aircraft was formally accepted for production as the Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 11. The popular name was Reisen (which was an abbreviation for Rei Sentoki, or Zero Fighter), so chosen for its type number which was 0, standing for the last digit of the current Japanese year, which was 2600 in the Japanese calendar. The official Allied code name was "Zeke" but the name Zero was also used.

06/13/2005 @ 03:36 [ref: 10464]
 gus petrakis
 freeport, IL
How was the Zero named? Is the name one we gave it or did the Japanese name it? And why Zero?
05/27/2005 @ 13:52 [ref: 10320]

 

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