The story
In 1941 nothing could turn with a Zero. Mitsubishi built it light, with a long range and a big wing, and for a year it outflew everything the Allies had. The cost was no armour and no self-sealing tanks, and once American pilots learned to fight it with speed instead of turns, the Zero's day was over. Nearly 11,000 were built; a handful fly today, and only one or two of them still run an original Japanese Sakae engine.
The Zero's range, over 1,900 miles with a drop tank, let it fly from Rabaul to Guadalcanal and back in 1942, a round trip of over 1,100 miles that no Allied fighter of the day could match.
Quick answers
How do you identify a A6M Zero?
A slim fuselage, a long greenhouse canopy and a big, rounded wing with the tips sometimes clipped square. Most fly in Imperial Navy green over grey with red hinomaru roundels.
What does a A6M Zero sound like?
A smooth 14-cylinder radial; the Sakae-engined survivor sounds lighter and higher than a Hellcat.
How fast is the A6M Zero?
Top speed is 288 kts.
How many people does the A6M Zero carry?
Typical configuration: Single pilot.
How far can the A6M Zero fly?
Range is about 1,675 nmi.
How big is the A6M Zero?
It is 29 ft 9 in long and 39 ft 4 in across the wings.
When did the A6M Zero first fly?
Its first flight was in 1939.
How many A6M Zeros have been built?
10,939 built.
What do crews call the A6M Zero?
The Zeke.
How rare is a A6M Zero in Bogey?
LEGENDARY. The top tier. Spotters plan trips around a catch like this. Your first A6M Zero catch is worth 1,000 points.
