Mitsubishi A6M3 Reisen Model 32 (Zero)


Plane:Mitsubishi A6M3 Reisen Model 32 Zero

Weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): 3,984lb/ 5,609lb /

Wing Area: 232sq ft

Wing Loading: 17.1lb/sq ft / 24.1lb/sq ft /

Length: 29' 9"

Span: 36' 1"

Wing Aspec Ratiot: 5.7

Engine: 1130hp Nakajima NK1F Sakae 21 Radial

Flaps: 3 settings

Visibility:

Control Feel:

Stall Speed 1k (No Flaps/Full Flaps) 70/65mph

Guns:

  type/ammo ROF Duration WB Punch Muzzle Velocity Ammo/Gun
Primary: 2x7.7mm Type 97 MG 12.8/s 52s 3.2x.30cal/ping 2460ft/s 680
Secondary: 2x20mm Type 99 Cannon 7.2/s 13.8s 1.8x20mm/ping 1970ft/s 100

Ordnance:
0: none
1: 2x100lb bombs
2: none
3: none

Fuel Time/Percent: 38 seconds/percent

Power/weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): 3.5lb/hp / 5.0lb/hp /

Corner Velocity: 205mph

Durability: Horrible

WEP time: no WEP

Maximum Angle-of-Attack (no flaps/full flaps): 16.5/16.5 degrees

Wing Incidence Angle (no flaps/full flaps): 4.5/3.5 degrees


Accleleration:

  1,000ft 5,000ft 10,000ft 15,000ft
Stall-200mph 20.1s 21.9s 28.4s 34.0s
150mph-200mph 10.8s 12.2s 16.3s 19.8s
200mph-250mph 16.9s 17.4s 23.3s 35.0s
250mph-300mph - - - -

Climb:
1k-5k: 52s
5k-10k: 75s
10k-15k: 86s

Zoom Climb:
1k 400mph: +4,900ft
1k 300mph: +2,900ft

Dive:

  Max Speed After 30s After 60s
15,000ft to 10,000ft 355mph 295mph 290mph
15,000ft to 5,000ft 460mph 320mph 295mph
10,000ft to 5,000ft 395mph 310mph 295mph
10,000ft to 1,000ft 480mph 325mph 295mph
5,000ft to 1,000ft 380mph 310mph 295mph

Max Speed

  1,000ft 5,000ft
Climbing before levelling 290mph 290mph
Diving before levelling 290mph 295mph

Turn Performance

300mph 1,000ft 5,000ft 10,000ft 15,000ft
One 360 11.1s 12.2s 12.2s -
Two 360s 21.8s 23.7s 27.1s -
250mph
One 360 10.0s 10.3s 11.7s 12.8s
Two 360s 22.5s 23.6s 27.0s 30.2s
Sustained
No Flaps 13.8s 14.9s 16.7s 19.3s
Full Flaps 14.9s 14.9s 17.8s 20.1s
Best Flap none full none none
Speed/best 110mph 95mph 105mph 100mph

Corner Speed and Radii (1,000ft):

Speed: 205mph
Radius: 306ft
Sustained Turn Speed: 125mph
Sustained Turn Radius: 403ft
Full Flaps Speed: 105mph
Full Flaps Radius: 365ft

Corner Times 1,000ft 5,000ft 10,000ft 15,000ft
180 degrees 4.7s 5.1s 5.1s 5.7s
360 degrees 10.4s 11.6s 12.0s 13.7s

Roll Rate:
150mph: 3.4s
200mph: 4.3s
250mph: 4.7s
300mph: 9.7s
350mph: 19.2s
400mph:

Minimum Full-Flaps Full-Power Split-S altitude:
150mph: 750ft
200mph: 1000ft
250mph: 1300ft
300mph: 1500ft


Hoof's Tips and Opinions:

The A6M series of carrier based fighters were designed with maneuverability being of prime importance, and niceties such as high speed handling, durability, and pilot protection being secondary. Thus Japan's A6M series of fighters are the best dogfighters in the world, being light, extremely maneuverable, and able to outturn virtually any other plane in the game.

Use this maneuverability. The A6M is slow (although a few planes such as the F4F wildcat are slower), it handles poorly in a dive, making a chase in a dive all but impossible if the other plane maneuvers in defense. In fact, don't pursue anyone you can't kill quickly, since you can sneeze on this bird and have something fall off, so if someone starts after you, break off *immediately*, or some part of your plane will break off!

Turning is key with this bird. If a FW or other meat cleaver fighter swoops down on you, start barrel rolling or maneuvering, but be sure that you are moving in something other than a straight line from his point of view (in other words a break turn into him is a bad idea). The reason for this is that most FW fliers are good shots at breaking targets since that is often the only decent shot they get once they are noticed

The A6M3 is the best manoeverer of the three A6Ms Warbirds models. Sure the A6M2 will outturn it (eventually), but the A6M3 outrolls it by a large margin at all speeds, had a better horsepower to weight ratio, and does better at higher altitudes. Plus the A6M3 has better higher speed handling. But wheras the A6M5 loses turn performance and a bit of roll performance with all the extra weight added, the A6M3 is free from those degrading add-ons, and thus is the perfect TnB machine. Plus the A6M3 is on Parity with the Ki43 in all areas except turning, unlike the A6M2, which helps immensly. The A6M3 is the most agile fighter at slow speeds, and thus is the most capable of defending itself at slow speeds, such as when in a close knifefight and some BnZ plane passes through.

See the A6M2 tips and opinions section for tips on how to dodge attackers. Another advantage over the A6M2 is a much larger ammunition capability, but the lower velocity cannon on the A6M2 is still there, thus don't bother making long range shots. Keep convergance at 200 or less and shoot only when you see a "2","1", or "0" over the target.

Sucker planes into turning with you and fly with friendlies nearby. There's nothing more pleasant than to stumble on a friendly dogfighting an enemy, since you can latch onto the enemy's 6 and then he's in trouble.

Keep one thing in mind when you fly this bird: Turn turn turn! Oh, and roll a lot too :)

Tip: Don't turn with a Ki43, as it turns better than all variants of the A6M

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