The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a light-weight carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945.

It is universally known as Zero from its Japanese Navy designation, Type 0 Carrier Fighter (Rei shiki Kanjo sentoki), taken from the last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940), when it entered service. In Japan it was unofficially referred to as both Rei-sen and Zero-sen. The official Allied code name was Zeke (Hamp for the A6M3 model 32 variant); while this was in keeping with standard practice of giving boys' names to fighters, it is not definitively known if this was chosen for its similarity to "Zero".

In order to correct the deficiencies of the Model 32, a new version with folding wingtips and redesigned wing was introduced. The fuel tanks were moved to the outer wings, fuel lines for a 330 L (87 US gal) drop tank were installed under each wing and the internal fuel capacity was increased to 570 L (150 US gal). More importantly, it regained its capabilities for long operating ranges, similar to the previous A6M2 Model 21, which was vastly shortened by the Model 32.

However, before the new design type was accepted formally by the Navy, the A6M3 Model 22 already stood ready for service in December 1942. Approximately 560 aircraft of the new type had been produced in the meantime by Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K.

According to a theory, the very late production Model 22 might have had wings similar to the shortened, rounded-tip wing of the Model 52. One plane of such arrangement was photographed at Lakunai Airfield ("Rabaul East") in the second half of 1943, and has been published widely in a number of Japanese books. While the engine cowling is the same of previous Model 32 and 22, the theory proposes that the plane is an early production Model 52.

The Model 32, 22, 22 kou, 52, 52 kou and 52 otsu were all powered by the Nakajima (Sakae) 21 engine. That engine kept its designation in spite of changes in the exhaust system for the Model 52.

Pictured here is a 1:48 scale replica of an Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M3 "Zero" Type 0 Model 22 fighter that was piloted by Shoichi Sugita, who was attached to the 204 Kokutai during 1943. Pre-order! Ship Date: October 2024.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 9-inches
Length: 7-1/4-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "Defending Nippon" - Fighter pilot of the Imperial Japanese Navy Shoichi Sugita (1924 - April 15th, 1945) fought in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II. Sugita is one of the highest scoring Japanese pilots in World War II.

He fought his first air battle on December 1st, 1943. He was one of the pilots escorting Admiral Yamamoto when his plane was shot down by American fighters. On April 15th, 1945, this Japanese pilot was attacked and shot down by an American F6F Hellcat fighter while taking off from the Kanoya airfield. According to official data, he had 70 downed enemy aircraft personally and 40 in the group.