Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Zero>HA8803

General Background

The A6M entered service in 1940 and became known as the Zero because of the Japanese designation of Type 0 Carrier Fighter. The Zero technology was years ahead of any other fighter and had no problem clearing the skies of opposing aircraft. There were numerous variants of the Zero including the folding wing A6M2 Model 21 designed for carrier operations. The A6M2 was the most produced Japanese aircraft of WWII. As the war went on the Model 21 would be the Zero variant that most Allied pilots would encounter.

The Aircraft

Tetsuzo Iwamoto became a 1st Class Airman in December 1936. In 1938 he was sent to China where on February 25, 1938 Iwamoto downed three Chinese fighters and one probable. In September 1938 with fourteen victories to his credit, Iwamoto returned to Japan as an instructor. In October 1943 Iwamoto and the 201st AG were sent to Rabaul and were confronted with USAAF 5th AF bombing and strafing. While on Rabaul Iwamoto scored 142 of his 202 victories over almost every type of aircraft the Allies flew in the Pacific.

Specifications :

Role:	Fighter
Production Of All Zero Types:	Almost 10, 500
Crew:	1 Pilot
Power plant:	1 X Nakajima Sakae 12 Producing 925 HP
Performance:	Speed - 331 mph (533 km/h)
	Ceiling - 33,792.5 ft (10,300 m)
	Range – 1,044 miles (1,680 km)
Weight:	3,703.7 lb (1,680 kg) Empty
Dimensions:	Wingspan – 39 ft 4.4 in (12 m)
	Length – 29.72 ft (9.06 m)
	Height – 10 ft (3.05 m)
Armament	2 X 7.7 mm Type 97 Machine Guns On Upper Fuselage Firing Through A Synchronized Propeller
	2 X 20 mm Type 99 Cannon Wing-Mounted
	2 X External 132 lb (60 kg) Bombs