Mitsubishi A6M Zero
by: RLindsey
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Word Count: 177
The Mitsubishi A6M Rei-Sen, or Zero-Sen, or "Zeke" was the most feared airplane in early World War II. Sacrificing protection and firepower for maneuverability and endurance, the Zero could fly circles around anything the Allies had in 1941. The Zero was the first carrier-based fighter that could best a land-based fighter.
Although basically outdated by late 1943, the Zero remained in production through the end of World War II for over 10,000 produced. Japan had little resources to devote to research and development of new planes by that time. Horikoshi said that the F6F Hellcat was the first Allied plane that was better than the Zero.
Type: Fighter
County: Japan
Length: 29 feet 11 inches (9.12 m)
Wingspan: 36 feet 1 inches (11m)
Speed: 351 mph (565 km/h)
Ceiling: 37,500 feet (11,500m)
Range: 976 miles (1,570 km)
Engines: one 1,130 hp Nakajima Sakae 21 14-cylinder air-cooled radial
Crew: one
Armament: two .303 caliber (7.7mm) Type 97 machine guns, two 0.5 inch (13.2mm) machine guns, two 0.79 inch (20mm) Type 99 cannons, one 1,100 lbs (499 kg) bomb and two 132 lbs (60 kg) bombs
About the Author
Robert M. Lindsey
http://lindseyfreelancing.com/
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