Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

A6M2

Totals

324000 Price

170 Survivability

2560 kgWeight

201.6 Damage

Speed

1127.4 Airspeed

500 km/hTop Speed at Sea Level

500 km/hTop Speed at Best Altitude

800 mOptimum Altitude

580 km/hMaximum Dive Speed

101.9 m/sRate of Climb

90 km/hStall Speed

256 km/hOptimum Airspeed

Mobility

86.5 Controllability

8 sAverage Time to Turn 360 deg

100 °/sRate of Roll

1556.6 Maneuverability

A6M1

A6M2

A6M5

V

324000

Early in the Pacific War, the A6M was the world's most capable carrier-based fighter, which gave Japan air superiority.

Tech Tree

Engine

IV

0

EngineSakae 12

Specifications:
Engine Power, hp	925
Type	air-cooled
Weight, kg	540

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

IV

Sakae 12

V

3100

EngineSakae 21

Specifications:
Engine Power, hp	1130
Type	air-cooled
Weight, kg	570

Price:
Research cost	3100
Purchase price	33500

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

V

3100

Sakae 21

VI

3600

EngineSakae 31a

Specifications:
Engine Power, hp	1210
Type	air-cooled
Weight, kg	540

Price:
Research cost	3600
Purchase price	42700

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero, Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

VI

3600

Sakae 31a

VI

0

Engine

Specifications:
Engine Power, hp	1210
Type	air-cooled
Weight, kg	540

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

VI

VIA6M5 →

Airframe

IV

0

AirframeA6M2 Model 11

Specifications:
Survivability	170
Weight, kg	1780

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

IV

A6M2 Model 11

V

0

Airframe

Specifications:
Survivability	180
Weight, kg	1840

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

V

V

3750

AirframeA6M2 Model 21

Specifications:
Survivability	180
Weight, kg	1840

Price:
Research cost	3750
Purchase price	44500

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

V

3750

A6M2 Model 21

Synchronized machine gun

III

0

Machine gun7.7 mm Type 97 Model 2 (S)

Specifications:
Caliber	7.7
Muzzle Velocity, m/s	960
Damage	26
Rate of Fire, rounds/min	800
Weight, kg	30

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M1 Zero, Nakajima Ki-43-I Hayabusa, Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero, Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

III

2x7.7 mm Type 97 Model 2 (S)

III

0

Machine gun

Specifications:
Caliber	7.7
Muzzle Velocity, m/s	960
Damage	26
Rate of Fire, rounds/min	800
Weight, kg	30

Price:
Purchase price	4500

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

III

2x

Wing-mounted weapon

V

0

Machine gun20 mm Type 99-1 Model 1 (W)

Specifications:
Caliber	20
Muzzle Velocity, m/s	1200
Damage	65
Rate of Fire, rounds/min	360
Weight, kg	90

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M1 Zero, Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero, Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

V

2x20 mm Type 99-1 Model 1 (W)

VI

2850

Machine gun20 mm Type 99-1 Model 3 (W)

Specifications:
Caliber	20
Muzzle Velocity, m/s	1200
Damage	75
Rate of Fire, rounds/min	360
Weight, kg	90

Price:
Research cost	2850
Purchase price	26000

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

VI

2850

2x20 mm Type 99-1 Model 3 (W)

VI

0

Machine gun

Specifications:
Caliber	20
Muzzle Velocity, m/s	1200
Damage	75
Rate of Fire, rounds/min	360
Weight, kg	90

Price:
Purchase price	26000

Applicability:Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

VI

2x

No weapons

No weapons

No weapons

Premium aircraft

Gift aircraft

Modules

Engine

Tier	Engine	Engine Power, hp / Thrust	Type	Weight, kg	Price,
IV	Sakae 12	925	air-cooled	540	24000
V	Sakae 21	1130	air-cooled	570	33500
VI	Sakae 31a	1210	air-cooled	540	42700

Airframe

Tier	Airframe	Survivability	Weight, kg	Price,
IV	A6M2 Model 11	170	1780	23000
V		180	1840	44500

Synchronized machine gun

Tier	Machine gun	Caliber	Muzzle Velocity, m/s	Damage	Rate of Fire, rounds/min	Weight, kg	Price,
III	7.7 mm Type 97 Model 2 (S)	7.7	960	26	800	30	4500

Wing-mounted weapon

Tier	Machine gun	Caliber	Muzzle Velocity, m/s	Damage	Rate of Fire, rounds/min	Weight, kg	Price,
V	20 mm Type 99-1 Model 1 (W)	20	1200	65	360	90	21000
VI		20	1200	75	360	90	26000

Player Opinion

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Superb maneuverability
• good firepower
• 20mm can deal more quick damage with burst fire

Cons:

• Fragile airframe
• Poor high altitude performance makes it vulnerable to diving attacks
• One of the slowest planes in its tier
• Firepower does not improve much from the A6M1, will struggle some against Tier 6 planes

Historical Info

While the Navy was testing the first two prototypes of A6M1, they suggested that the third be fitted with the 700 kW (940 hp) Nakajima Sakae 12 engine instead. Mitsubishi had its own engine of this class in the form of the Kinsei, so they were somewhat reluctant to use the Sakae. Nevertheless, when the first A6M2 was completed in January 1940, the Sakae's extra power pushed the performance of the Zero well past the original specifications.

The new version was so promising that the Navy had 15 built and shipped to China before they had completed testing. They arrived in Manchuria in July 1940, and first saw combat over Chungking in August. There they proved to be completely untouchable by the Polikarpov I-16s and I-153s that had been such a problem for the A5Ms currently in service.

Success of A6M2 made Navy immediately order the A6M2 into production as the Type 0 Carrier Fighter, Model 11. Reports of the Zero's performance filtered back to the US slowly. There they were dismissed by most military officials, who felt it was impossible for the Japanese to build such an aircraft.

After the delivery of only 65 aircraft by November 1940, a further change was worked into the production lines, which introduced folding wingtips to allow them to fit on aircraft carriers. The resulting Model 21 would become one of the most produced versions early in the war. A feature was the improved range with 520lt wing tank and 320lt drop tank. When the lines switched to updated models, 740 Model 21s had been completed by Mitsubishi, and another 800 by Nakajima.

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Historical Gallery

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