Mistubushi A6M2 Reisin Model 21 (Zero)


Plane: Mitsubushi A6M2 Reisin Model 21

Weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): 3,704lb/ 5,313lb / 6,164lb

Wing Area: 241.5sq ft

Wing Loading: 15.3lb/sq ft / 22lb/sq ft / 25.5 lb/sq ft

Length: 29' 9"

Span: 39' 4"

Wing Aspect Ratio: 6.4

Engine: 940hp Nakajima NK1C Sakae 12 Radial

Flaps: 3 settings

Visibility:

Control Feel:

Stall Speed 1k (No Flaps/Full Flaps) 65/60mph

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 8.4s 1.8x20mm/ping 1970ft/s 60

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

Fuel Time/Percent: 56 seconds/percent

Power/weight (Empty/Loaded/Max): 3.9lb/hp / 5.7lb/hp / 6.6lb/hp

Corner Velocity: 200mph

Durability: Horrible

WEP time: no WEP

Maximum Angle-of-Attack (no flaps/full flaps): 17/17 degrees

Wing Incidence Angle (no flaps/full flaps): 16.5/16.5 degrees


Accleleration:

  1,000ft 5,000ft 10,000ft 15,000ft
Stall-200mph 24.9s 26.6s 32.9s 39.1s
150mph-200mph 13.3s 15.2s 19.1s 24.6s
200mph-250mph 24.6s 27.9s 36.6s 48.5s
250mph-300mph - - - -

Climb:
1k-5k: 62s
5k-10k: 92s
10k-15k: 98s

Zoom Climb:
1k 400mph: +4,400ft
1k 300mph: +2600ft

Dive:

  Max Speed After 30s After 60s
15,000ft to 10,000ft 350mph 290mph 270mph
15,000ft to 5,000ft 440mph 300mph 285mph
10,000ft to 5,000ft 360mph 295mph 280mph
10,000ft to 1,000ft 460mph 305mph 285mph
5,000ft to 1,000ft 350mph 295mph 280mph

Max Speed:

  1,000ft 5,000ft
Climbing before levelling 270mph 270mph
Diving before levelling 275mph 270mph

Turn Performance

300mph 1,000ft 5,000ft 10,000ft 15,000ft
One 360 11.2s 11.5s 12.5s -
Two 360s 21.5s 23.2s 25.3s -
250mph
One 360 9.8s 10.4s 11.4s 12.5s
Two 360s 21.6s 22.7s 25.7s 28.8s
Sustained
No Flaps 13.2s 14.2s 16.7s 18.5s
Full Flaps 13.5s 15.6s 17.3s 19.6s
Best Flap none none none none
Speed/best 100mph 95mph 95mph 95mph

Corner Speed and Radii (1,000ft):

Speed: 200mph
Radius: 291ft
Sustained Turn Speed: 110mph
Sustained Turn Radius: 339ft
Full Flaps Speed: 95mph
Full Flaps Radius: 299ft

Corner Times 1,000ft 5,000ft 10,000ft 15,000ft
180 degrees 4.5s 4.7s 5.1s 5.8s
360 degrees 9.9s 10.2s 11.7s 12.7s

Roll Rate:
150mph: 4.9s
200mph: 5.9s
250mph: 6.9s
300mph: 14.8s
350mph: 21.6s
400mph:

Minimum Full-Flaps Full-Power Split-S altitude:
150mph: 700ft
200mph: 1000ft
250mph: 1500ft
300mph:


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.

The biggest drawback to the A6M2, other than the problems all the A6M fighters have (durability, firepower, speed, altitude problems), is the mediocre amount of ammunition for the 20mm cannon. The early Type 99 20mm cannon that the Japanese used were drum fed cannon, employing 50 round drums. Thus, the 20mm cannon on the A6M2 have 50 round each, about enough to kill one target, and mess up another rather easy. Never, ever fire these cannon unless you are sure that you are going to hit. If you are the spray and pray type, expect to be downing planes with the 7.7mm machine gun, due to the cannon ammo load.

The A6M2 is an effective fighter in the GA. The general rule for the Zero is Good Situational Awareness. In many ways you need better Situational Awareness in a Zero than in a FW or P51, as even a single ping can cause critical damage. One must become proficient in spotting icons and threats while twisting and turning with the enemy in a furball.

Be particularly wary of following an enemy, especially if the enemy isn't turning. The Zero is most vulnerable when after an enemy, and any time you start to turn with an enemy and have to work him *assume* someone is attacking and do a visual scan to disprove your theory. At any time, if you are being attacked, *DEFEND YOURSELF*.

As far as defence, the A6M2 doesn't have the slow speed roll capability of the A6M3 and A6M5. Thus you have to start your defensive manoevers earlier, and cannot do knee-jerk jinks like with those planes. If you are being headoned, start a barrel roll, then reverse direction about a second before the attacker gets within about range 7. Then start a lead turn after you've reversed, and watch your 7 or 9 oclock (depending where you are turning) for the enemy to overshoot. Then reverse again and at minimum he is no longer a threat.

The key to all of the Japanese early war planes is to know how to completely dodge enemy attacks reliably. This means spotting the attack early, and knowing what to do. Picture yourself from the attacker's perspective and try to remember what makes hitting a Zeke in a Dora so difficult. Most planes can roll, but at high speeds can't follow your barrel roll if you reverse. A well timed barrel roll and reversal, or some other 3 dimensional manoever will usually do the trick.

Other than that, the tactics useful for an A6M3 work for an A6M2. This is the bird that swept Brewser Buffalos and F4F's aside. The F4F turns inferior, accelerates slower, climbs slower, and is slower than the A6M2, so in a historical setup, avoid that initial head-on shot, and a Wildcat becomes a virtual flying kill decal to a Zero, unless he has friends or has a couple thousand feet of altitude to work with. Unfortunately, although the A6M is awesome vs early US planes 1 vs 1 or few vs few, in a big furball the A6M's fragility starts to hurt bigtime, as the A6M is a great solo plane but a very poor wingman plane, since it cannot drag well at all, nor absorb glancing blows like the heavy American iron can.

One final tip: Don't turn with a Ki43, as it outturns all the A6M series.

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