Micubiši A6M2-K [Zeke, Zero]

Mitsubishi A6M2-K
零式练习战斗机 / Rei-shiki-rensen / maritime training stihací aircraft Type 0

History:
Kaigun Koku Hombu at the end of 1942, the subpoenaed air naval arsenal in Omuře (Dai-Nijuichi Kaigun Kokusho) technical specification 17-Shi, which zformulovalo requirements for a training aircraft for future pilots on-board fighters. The technical department of the naval air force as recognized the requirements of the training units, from which was running out of information about the obsolescence of the practice A5M4-K.
Must say that the japanese naval air force was in this regard very modern because already in the early thirties began to use the training unit aircraft A3N1-To and a year before the war, replacing them when the modern A5M4-K. The use of training aircraft, which was adjusted to the double of the normal on-board fighter planes, it was pilots coming out of flight schools very facilitate the transition to the combat types of fighters.
In the naval aviation arsenal of the go project and design work is moving forward rapidly. The basis was the use of fighter Zero version A6M2behind the pilot seat was installed seat the other, for the instructor, he had available a second procedure and limited instrumentation. The instructor was not protected by their own the label, the disciple sat in the front open cockpit and ahead of me was the windshield. To save weight were removed both wing cannons and covers of bogie wheels. For increased stability instead were added two horizontal surfaces in front of the tail section, these plots prevented the aircraft in the transition into a tailspin. The first prototype of this modified machine flew in November 1943. Naval air arsenal made a total of 236 aircraft, the A6M2-K, into production get involved, also smaller factory Hitachi Kokuki K.To. in Tachikawě, which stood up to 272 aircraft of this version and about 7 aircraft a more modern version A6M5-K, the development of which was commissioned in 1944.
Several aircraft A6M2-TO serve the towing chain targets, these targets were used for shooting practice. The targets were carried by the housings under the wings and their discharge served the second member of the crew, who handled the reel and thus secured the necessary distance of the target from the aeroplane. This Zera know each other safely according to the missing cone at the end of the fuselage, this was replaced by the construction of the tubes, which was going through the towing cable.
Even practice Zerům was spared the fate of many other japanese aircraft, was used for suicide bombing, then of course it took off as a single, but with dvousetpadesátikilovou bomb under the fuselage.


_____________________________________________________________.

Mitsubish A6M2-K at the airport.

and in flight

and two more for the flight.

Three-view sketch of Mitsubishi A6M2-K trainer

sources:
Rene J. Francillion PhD, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Naval Institute Press, rok 1987, ISBN-13: 978-0870213137
William Green and Gordon Swanborough, The Complete Book of Fighters, Salamander Books Ltd; New Ed edition, 2001, ISBN-10: 1840652691
Vaclav Nemecek, Military aircraft 3 part, the second supplemented edition, Our Troops, Prague 1992, ISBN 80-206-0117-1
Tadeusz Januszewski, Krzysztof Zalewski, Japońskie samoloty marynarki 1912-1945, tom1., Wydawnictwo Lampart, Warsaw, 2000, ISBN: 83-86776-56-0
Rene J. Francillion, The Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero-Sen Aircraft in Profile, Well. 129, Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., year 1966
Shigeru Nohara, A6M Zero in Action, Aircraft No.59, Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., year 1983, ISBN O-89747-141-5.
L+K 25/1989, Aircraft 39-45
http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/a6m.htm
http://www.vectorsite.net/avzero.html
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/WarPrizes.htm
http://base13.glasnet.ru/aoj/mi/a6m.htm
archives of the author.