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The Americans

USS CABOT
(CVL-28)

USS ESSEX
(CV-9)

USS HANCOCK
(CV-19)

USS INTREPID
(CV-11)

 

The Japanese

The Kamikazes

A6M Zero

D4Y SUISEI

IJN Kumano

IJN Yasoshima

 

Narrated By

Marvin Scott

 

Historical Advisor

Michael Marmé, PH.D.
Fordham University,
New YORK, NY

 

REcommended links

World War II
Multimedia Database

Nine Sisters

 

Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen Fighter

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen Naval fighter was revolutionary when it was introduced in 1940. Like most other Japanese fighters, it lacked self-sealing fuel tanks and pilot armor which increased its speed. The two 20-millimeter cannon and two 12.7-millimeter machine guns gave it a powerful armament.

Specifications (A6M2 Type 0 Model 21)

A6M2-K Two-Seat Trainer model

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 9.06 meters (29 feet 9 inches)
• Wingspan: 12.0 meters (39 feet 4 inches)
• Height: 3.05 meters (10 feet 0 inches)
• Wing area: 22.44 m² (241.5 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,680 kilograms (3,704 pounds)
• Loaded weight: 2,410 kilograms (5,313 pounds)
• Powerplant: 1× Nakajima Sakae 12 radial engine, 709 kW (950 hp)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 660 km/h (356 knots, 410 mph)
• Maximum speed: 533 kilometrs/hour (287 knots, 331 miles per hour)
  at 4,550 m (14,930 ft)
• Range: 3,105 kilometers (1,675 nautical miles, 1,929 miles)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 meters (33,000 feet)
• Rate of climb: 15.7 meters/second (3,100 feet/minutes)
• Wing loading: 107.4 kilograms/square meter (22.0 pounds/square feet)
• Power/mass: 294 W/kiloggrams (0.18 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns:
• 2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns in the engine cowling
• 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon in the wings

Bombs:
• 2× 66 pounds (30 kilograms) and
• 1× 132 pounds (60 kilograms) bombs or
• 2× fixed 250 kilogram (550 pound) bombs for kamikaze attacks

 

The Premiere Imperial Japanese Navy Weapon of World War II

First used over China, the A6M was the standard shipboard fighter from Pearl Harbor through the rest of the war. Americans tended to label any single-engine plane a “Zeke” – the Allied code name – since it was so ubiquitous. In the hands of a skilled pilot, it was a deadly weapon.

However, by November 1944 the Zero-Sen was outclassed by the American shipboard fighters, the F6F Hellcat and the F4U Corsair, both in performance and armament. The rigid wooden tail and the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks made the A6M burn if light damage was inflicted on it. Plus, the toll on Japanese pilots meant that most were green fliers right out of flight school. To simplify training and maximize effectiveness, the Japanese Imperial Navy began using kamikazes – “Shimpu” – in October 1944. The 200th Sentai (fighter group) flying A6M5 Zero-Sen fighters, was completely used up in the November 25 battle, all their pilots killed in kamikaze attacks.

According to Japanese records, all but one of the six kamikazes on November 25 were A6M5 Zero-Sen fighters modified to carry bombs. Isamu Kamitake crashed into USS Hancock, Suehiro Ikeda and Kohichi Nunoda hit USS Intrepid, and two unknown pilots hit USS Cabot. All were flying the venerable A6M5 Zero-Sen.