A6M2-21Engine:
NK1C Sakae-12
Power: 950 HP
Maximum speed: 430km/h at sea level and 515km/h at 4600m
Turn Time: 15.5sec at 1000m
Armament:
• nose - 2 x 7.7mm Type 97 MG (1000 rpg/66 sec), wings - 2 x 20mm Type 99 cannon (60 rpg/7 sec)
• 2 x 60 kg bombs
A6M3
Engine:
NK1C Sakae-21
Power: 1,130 HP
- 2 Stage Super Charger
Maximum speed: 465km/h at sea level and 560km/h at 6000m
Turn Time: 16sec at 1000m
Armament:
• nose - 2 x 7.7mm Type 97 MG (1000 rpg/66 sec), wings - 2 x 20mm Type 99 cannon (60 rpg/7 sec)
• 2 x 60 kg bombs
Notes
• Switch supercharger speeds at 3,300 meters (10,800 feet)
• Manually folding wings
A6M5
Engine:
NK1F Sakae-21
Power:
Take-off: 1,130 HP
Indicated: 1,100 HP at 3,500 m
- 2 Stage Super Charger
Armament:
• nose - 2x7.7mm Type97 MG (500rpg/33sec), wings - 2x20mm Type99 cannon (100rpg/11sec)
• 2 x 60 kg bombs
Notes
• Switch supercharger speeds at 3,300 meters (10,800 feet)
• Non-folding wings
• Thicker skinned for better stability in dives.
• Improved exhaust system that provided slight thrust.
A6M5a
Armament:
• nose - 2x7.7mm Type97 MG (1000rpg/33sec), wings - 2x20mm Type99 cannon (125rpg/14sec)
• 2 x 60 kg bombs
Notes
• Identical to A6M5 except slightly redesigned wings to accept belt fed instead of magazine fed cannon ammo, adding 250 rounds of cannon.
A6M5b
Armament:
• nose - 1x13.2mm Type3 MG (230rpg/16sec), wings - 2x20mm Type99 cannon (125rpg/14sec)
• 2 x 60 kg bombs
Notes
• Identical to A6M5a except the 7.7 mm MG's replaced by a 13.2 mm
• Added armored glass to the cockpit canopy.
A6M5c
Armament:
• nose - 1x13.2mm Type3 MG (230rpg/16sec), wings - 2x13.2mm Type3 MG (240rpg/15sec),
wings - 2x20mm Type99 cannon (125rpg/14sec).
• 2 x 60 kg bombs
Notes
• Identical to A6M5a+b
• Even thicker armored glass added to the cockpit canopy.
• A6M5c has a better engine with methanol injection. The cockpit has a gauge showing the quantity of the methanol mix located where the left cowling machine gun space is.
A6M Tips
•The Zeros are not good at diving. The early models disintegrate at 650km/h and the later ones over 740km/h.
• They are extremely vulnerable to enemy fire. Until the A6M5b model they lacked sufficient pilot protection
and self-sealing fuel tanks. The Japanese mindset was purely "Attack". Do not stalk and wait, attack. Do not jockey for the best position, attack. Do not evade or defend, attack. The A6M series exemplifies this.
• As you cannot absorb hits, run, or dive away, attack constantly.
• The earlier versions will instantly snap into position. Use rudder to increase your roll rate then allow the large surface areas to hold you on your mark. Roll out, dive hard on your target yet begin to pull out early losing sight of him under the nose. After practice you will find him suddenly in front of you, where you should fire all guns.
• Trust the Zero to hold a climb well. It is quick, and when your opponent stalls and must struggle to regain
control use your superior maneuverability to stabilize quickly and attack.
• Do not hesitate to turn fight.
• Feel confident at very low speeds, 140-150km/h is stable for the Zero and it can quickly regain speed if needed. Lure your opponents into wasting their energy, so that you can utilise your plane's abilities at low speed. Use your
climb to force them to struggle, then loop with °aps causing your opponent to stall.
• Generally lower is better for the Zero. Supercharger 2nd stage shifts comfortably at 2.8km (A6M3 and later).
• Early WEP systems (up to A6M5b) can be run indefinitely at 95% power, 85% prop pitch and radiator 6. Water methanol systems overheat after roughly 5 minutes, yet quickly can be restarted after brief cooling.
• Up to A6M5a the Zeros have excellent nose guns with copious ammunition.
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