The Rise and Fall of the Legendary Mitsubishi A6M Zero!
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Whether you call it the A6M, Zero, Zeke, or Rei shiki Kanjō sentōki, let's take a close look at THE Iconic Japanese fighter from WWII! How did a fighter that literally flew circles around its enemies end up being SO outclassed by the end of the war? / worldofwarbirds
There was ( ten years ago so I don’t know if it’s still there) a flying Zero at the Texas Flying Legends museum at Ellington field in Texas. If I’m not mistaken, one of the notables was that it had the Sakai engine still when I saw it.
Yes, I have seen this plane close up once in Palm Springs at the aircraft museum.
your first video was good, this one was even better, keep it up, you are on to something here
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Very good. Technical but that is the reason it stands out from others that just show the same footage as others already did
Thanks! I made a podcast (and now a channel) “that I would want to listen to”. There’s a few of us that feel the same way!
Another wonderful presentation! You are a great storyteller.
Very good video. I would like to interject that the AVG went up against Ki-27 Nate and Ki-43 Oscar. I believe after the AVG was incorporated into the USAAF as the 23rd fighter group and possibly faced some A6Ms at that time. Of course early during WWII all fighters were reported as Zeros. Good stuff though!
Both airplanes that I will eventually look at!
Really close to perfection! Great!
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Excellent.
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Everyone should pause the video at 9:13 and read Capt. McCoy's memo. It is quite witty but respectful of Japanese competence in aircraft design. He mentions "Tony", the codename he suggested for the Ki-61, which was so unconventional compared to the other fighters used by Imperial Japan, that Allied intelligence agencies suspected it was a license-built version of the Italian Fiat G.55, hence "Tony" as in Antonio.
Wow this is high quality for being such a young channel. Keep it up man, you’ll be bigger than dark skies in no time! I would recommend throwing in some music tho, maybe classical, always loved that in wings of the red star (which if you haven’t seen you must!)
Yes, I’m open to music! Thanks for the feedback
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@@worldofwarbirds already am my boy. I like to “invest early” on CZcams channels and this might be the earliest I’ve been. Keep up the good work!
It's easy to spot the real Zeke in a gaggle of replicas -- the replicas have seams where the outer wings attach to the fixed inners and airframe, while the Zero has a smooth, unencumbered surface from fuselage to the hinge for tip folding.
Only the tip folds, for two reasons. First, to maintain the strength of the wing, and second, to make replacement fast and easy in case of hangar rash.
Until the folding tip modification, the Zeke couldn't fit the plane elevators on Japanese aircraft carriers.
The Zero was successful because it was a very fine rendition of a "light fighter" (see Wikipedia article) in the technology of the late 1930's. A light fighter maximizes the four main fighter effectiveness criteria. In order of importance, these are surprise (small size, hard to see, good visibility out of the cockpit), numbers (light weight allows fixed resources to create more aircraft), maneuverability (light weight again), and weapons performance. It's really just that simple, just as it was with the Bf109, Spitfire, and P-51. In modern jets the American F-16 and the Swedish Saab Gripen do the same thing. Light fighters win over heavy fighters via these advantages so long as they have competitive aerodynamics, power to weight ratio, and pilots. The Zero's advantages held until the United States came up with more modern fighters with greater performance in all areas except maneuverability, and the Japanese pilot corps was so degraded over time that American pilots were fighting rookies with inadequate training. The pilot is always the most important factor.
A very insightful comment. Thank you.
Great job Sir!! Lots of great information ℹ️
Glad you liked it!
Well done. Instant sub.
Amazing documentary!! Its not a single vídeo ... Do more plz
More are coming! Be sure to subscribe!
15:30 I may be mistaken but everything I have read stated that the AVG never fought against the Zero, they were up against Ki-43 Oscars which looked similar to the Zero but were an army aircraft.
I think the problem probably came about because "Zero" became synonymous with "Japanese Fighter". You are correct that the AVG never actually tangled with Zeros, but they did learn the tactics that could defeat them. Good catch! My audio podcast version of this episode has almost 3000 listens and no one mentioned it!
I'd imagine that the IJN would never let the army touch a zero let alone fly one lol.
At 120 Kts airspeed in long range cruise, the A6M2 burned less gasoline per 100km than a modern Porsche Turbo... amazing.
So, the Zero is the Mazda Miata of the skies.
As a Miata owner and amateur fighter aircraft historian, I have thought that same thing many times. Both Miata and Zero are just big enough to do the job, with no wasted size or cost.
Wow
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The A6M3 Mod 22 largely restored the range of the Mod 32.
The American Volunteer Group fought Nakajima Ki 43 and Ki 27 fighters operated by the Imperial Japanese Army rather than the Zero. The Ki 43 being powered by the same engine as the Zero and also possessing a bubble canopy bore a strong family resemblance to the navy machine - hence the confusion between the two types.
Hmmm, more planes to look at 👀 !
中島 Nakajima are superior planes to the 三菱 Mitsubishi.
Nakajima Ki-27 introduction 1937 allied named (Nate) had it limitations outdone over all by the Mitsubishi A6M Zero introduced 1939
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa is the out gunned & flew the zero
The Ki-44 Shoki(1941) & Nakajima Ki-84 (1944) armament made the Mitsubishi A6M Zero zero look naked in comparison though the latter gave up 1/2 the guns for 2 250KG bombs still more guns then the Zero mind.
They did away with the 7.7mm's on the Zero & put 12.7 mm machine guns with cannons.
Ki-shoki armaments as the extreme.
Guns: 2x fixed, forward-firing, synchronised 12.7 mm (0.500 in) Ho-103 machine guns + 2x wing mounted 12.7 mm (0.500 in) Ho-103 machine guns
Optional provision for two 40 mm (1.575 in) Ho-301 cannon in the wings, firing caseless ammunition.
Kishoki the most armed of the lot was called Tojo after Japan prime minister at the time.
Any who say the Zero is the best Japanese fighter of ww2 I laugh though it was better then anything the yanks had entering ww2 after pearl harbour having dealt them a bloody nose.
Issue with the Nakajima is they couldn't build enough of the later models as the Mitsubishi at approximately (3300 Ki-21's), (5900 Ki-43's), (exactly 1225 Ki-44's) & (3500 Ki84's)
Mind if all 4 fighters are included together 13925 > 10,939 zeke's/zero fighters.
There are some great ideas for future episodes in your comment!
@@worldofwarbirds A minor point you didn't mention the Mistubishi Zero float plane is called (Nakajima A6M2-N).
The float plane version was made by Nakajima not Mitsubishi but did use their A6M2 modified hence the N designation.
A few other Japanese planes that deserve more attention.
Kawasaki Ki-45 Heavy fighter
Interceptor, Night fighter, Escort fighter& Fighter-bomber/Strike-fighter
The Ki45 designated 屠龍-toryu means dragon slayer
A very versatile plane only limited by that 1701 were built from 1941 October till ww2's end
Nakajima J1N1 Gekkō/moonlight is similar but as night fighter not quite heavy or normal but was never built in meaningful number 479 retired 1944 for many reason
Kawasaki Ki45/dragon slayer was to be replaced by the Kawasaki Ki-102 but only 200 odd built.
Yokosuka D4Y introduced 1942 a carrier based Dive bomber, reconnaissance, night fighter.
The D4Y4 variant was likely the fastest dive bomber in ww2.
A bit over 2000 D4y's built.
Japanese dive bombers & night fighters get sat on.
USA night fighter till 1945:
-mainly Douglas P-70 leaved a lot to be desired though served as medium bomber & night intruder.
shy of 7500 P-70 made roughly.
-Grumman F6F-3E/F6F-3N/F6F-5N Hellcat
-Lockheed P-38M "Night Lightning"
Vought F4U-2/F4U-4E/F4U-4N Corsair
3 above not dedicated & modified to the role out of desperation with so many designations out of tweaking as shown.
USA was so desperate for good Night fight they used
'Bristol Beaufighter' & very few 'De Havilland DH 98 Mosquito' (British supplied).
Effectively until post 1945:
Northrop P-61 Black Widow introduced 1944 assembly line issues till 1945 is the only good night fighter the USA had in ww2.
Japan effectively ruled the skies at night in the pacific something very few admit to.
British night fighters were better but were prioritised for other theatres for the most part.
The Experimental Aichi S1A Denko=電光= Bolt of Light.
This experimental fighter- night fighter if not for engine issues & the 1944 Tōnankai earthquake was to have a built-in radar to counter B29's.
The Aichi S1A1 was to house 6 cannons 4 of 20mm & 2 of 30mm.
This wouldn't have won the war but if the 2 incomplete prototypes had been built then put into production it would have been a significant threat to all USA bombers.
Correction - Mod 21 rather than 32.
First
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