Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Zero>HA8807

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

The 12th Kokutai was formed on July 11, 1937 equipped with 12 Type 95 fighter aircraft. In the summer of 1940 the new A6M Zero arrived and between August 1940 and September 1941 Zeros claimed 103 aerial victories and 163 aircraft damaged or destroyed on the ground with 2 Zeros lost and 39 damaged. There are 28 victories painted on the tail that represent the unit score and Lt. Minoru Suzuki is credited with 8 victories. The 12th Kokutai was disbanded on September 1941.

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