A6M5 Zero

that is actually quite true :P, I just tried to be a bit polite, but yes, what you said is quite true

I stumbled across this video. It's more a podcast/interview than a video... so, it's just as good to listen to (the visuals are just so photos and occasional references). Still I found it very interesting and learned a lot of things about the Zero that I did not know.

 

"The Zero was wholly of Japanese origin."

 

Somethng that the western nations had a hard time accepting. Even today, you will hear claims that the Zero was a copy of this American design or that one. The rascist Western mind could not accept the fact that an Asian country could have designed something better than they could.

 

You realize that racism is a form of painting with a broad brush yes?

 

,.I..

This last comment must have some deep, cosmic, meaning which my miniscule brain cannot comprehend.

Maybe.

Edited July 24, 2020 by M1Combat

Racism is evaluating groups of humans based on your personal prejudices - and all wrong. So how about sticking to the topic at hand?

To the Japanese, the Zero fighter is both a source of pride and sadness. I am in favor of adding the A6M to the DCS, but as a Japanese, I can't agree with it if it is used by the "Kamikaze", even if it is the DCS.

People can of course do what they want offline, but nothing stopping server admins imposing penalties on those who play that way in MP.

A couple of months ago I stumbled on a post in the Mods section about Zuikaku carrier (which in itself is quite nicely done): https://forums.eagle.ru/forum/english/dcs-world-topics/mods-and-apps/dcs-mods/287684-ww2-aircraft-carrier-zuikaku. But there was also a mention of an A6M that the guy had done. Here's the link to his site: http://virtualcockpits.web.fc2.com/mod/dcsw_reisen52/dcsw_reisen52.html. Unfortunately, the Zero is no longer flyable, but it makes a nice AI enemy to test your skills against. And, believe me, it will test your skill (though I'm not sure how realistic the flight model is...). Here's a video of me taking on an AI-controlled A6M in my I-16 (one of very few victories I managed against this A6M)...

 

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Doc3908

Well Maybe it did happen in Manchukuo that some I-16 might face of some Ki 61s or so.. I don´t think The IJN might have had Zeros there, but quite interesting Find. By the way I love the sound of the Zero flybys

The Soviet Union supplied a greater number of I-16s to the Chinese. They fought against Zeros regularly over mainland China.

The Soviet Union supplied a greater number of I-16s to the Chinese. They fought against Zeros regularly over mainland China.

 

Yes, the Zeros used to regularly encounter Chinese I-16s (and I-15s) during 1940. The results were quite one-sided (and not in favor of the I-16s). In DCS, however, we can write our own history... :)

 

I believe Zeros didn't operate over China mainland, they were IJA aricraft, so Ki-43.

 

Anyhow, whatever we got will be nice to use :pilotfly:.

 

S!

12th kokutai operated with A6M2a in 1940 - 1941 over China mainland and cleaned sky from most of Chinese planes like I-16..

Lost two A6Ms,due to AAA.

12th kokutai operated with A6M2a in 1940 - 1941 over China mainland and cleaned sky from most of Chinese planes like I-16..

Lost two A6Ms,due to AAA.

Then I guess I'm confusing the story about Flying Tigers which despite their claims apparently never faced a Zero since they flew against IJA. Different dates maybe?

 

S!

Yes. 12th Ku operated over China since summer of 1940 for around a year, maybe less. AVG Flying Tigers combat debut did not occur until Dec 1941, so many months after Navy retired from China.

 

For Americans everything in 1941 - 1943/1944 was Zero, even though they often faced Oscars. Misidentification and overclaims were just a thing of the time, but that one thing is right. Flying Tigers did not face IJN Zeros. Only Ki-43s, and even those in a limited number of clashes (once or twice 64th Sentai and maybe 59th Sentai) as IJA Air Force in 1941 was still mostly comprised of old Ki-27. And P-40B is distinctly superior to Ki-27 in many ways.

Well its good to hear from Kate that the Zero is on the internal wish list! 

I’d imagine the Zero is probably one of the few Japanese WW2 planes with decent references. Apparently there is a Zero and a Ki43 Oscar at Duxford although neither are in restored condition.

Edited January 11, 2021 by Mogster

On 11/1/2020 at 6:27 AM, Doc3908 said:

A couple of months ago I stumbled on a post in the Mods section about Zuikaku carrier (which in itself is quite nicely done): https://forums.eagle.ru/forum/english/dcs-world-topics/mods-and-apps/dcs-mods/287684-ww2-aircraft-carrier-zuikaku. But there was also a mention of an A6M that the guy had done. Here's the link to his site: http://virtualcockpits.web.fc2.com/mod/dcsw_reisen52/dcsw_reisen52.html. Unfortunately, the Zero is no longer flyable, but it makes a nice AI enemy to test your skills against. And, believe me, it will test your skill (though I'm not sure how realistic the flight model is...). Here's a video of me taking on an AI-controlled A6M in my I-16 (one of very few victories I managed against this A6M)...

 

Nice vid. Too bad about the map you had to use. Batumi is hardly the proper battleground.     

Still holding my breath for Marianna's Islands.

 

 

 

Here is the vid of the mod:

 

On 11/2/2020 at 9:41 PM, Doc3908 said:

 

Yes, the Zeros used to regularly encounter Chinese I-16s (and I-15s) during 1940. The results were quite one-sided (and not in favor of the I-16s). In DCS, however, we can write our own history...

Nope. 
Saburo Sakai tells clearly what planes were used in that conflict. There was no A6M Zeke in the air there. 

As every pilot Saburo Sakai had limited knowledge of the entire scope of air war, being low ranking flyer at a time. His memoirs (but not Martin Caidin reconstruction of them) are good source for variety of events and experiences, but I would not take them for granted for any information. Especially when it comes to organization and unit employment across the frontline.

 

There were Zeros in China. I've written article about that few years ago: 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/27807-debut-of-zero-sen/

It's based on a number of sources, including 12th Ku combat reports and one of its pilots translated diary. 

10 hours ago, Hiromachi said:

As every pilot Saburo Sakai had limited knowledge of the entire scope of air war, being low ranking flyer at a time. His memoirs (but not Martin Caidin reconstruction of them) are good source for variety of events and experiences, but I would not take them for granted for any information. Especially when it comes to organization and unit employment across the frontline.

 

There were Zeros in China. I've written article about that few years ago: 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/27807-debut-of-zero-sen/

It's based on a number of sources, including 12th Ku combat reports and one of its pilots translated diary. 

Nice article. Thanks for your hard work!

On 5/30/2020 at 9:57 AM, Ercoupe said:

"The Zero was wholly of Japanese origin."

 

Somethng that the western nations had a hard time accepting. Even today, you will hear claims that the Zero was a copy of this American design or that one. The rascist Western mind could not accept the fact that an Asian country could have designed something better than they could.

Except gunsight and propeller. Airframe itself was designed by Horikoshi Jiro. Gun sight was from German Junkers Revi 2b and ironically that propeller was designed by American company Hamilton Before WW2, Japanese industry was way behind the other great powers. In fact, Japanese couldn't mass-produce powerful engines like "Homare", that installed in Ki-84(Best Japanese fighter I guess) so most of the processes were made by craftsmen.

 

Here is Japanese article

https://trafficnews.jp/post/94569/2

Japanese engineers didn't live under the rock. It makes not sense to reinvent the wheel when optimal solution exists elsewhere. And Revi 2b was considered at a time a fine gunsight that was used as basis for designs in more than Japan. Besides, the same point could be made about armament. Japanese Type 99 20 mm cannon was a licensed copy of Oerlikon FF used in Bf 109, PZL P.24 or bunch of other designs around the world. 

Although realistically I dont think the statement is wrong. Zero design was of Japanese origin. However what it was furnished with wasn't up to Mitsubishi but IJN. And it doesnt change its origin just as furnishing Hurricanes by VVS with 12.7 mm Berezin machine guns didnt make them Soviet.

 

As for propeller, that's a bit of exaggeration. Constant speed unit in the propeller was based off the Hamilton Standard design (due to acquired licence), which at a time (again) was leading prop company. But propeller blades were designed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries.