A6m5b Please check the model

[surfinn]

Please check the Model

Did several flight test in this ac. It was capable of diving at various throttle settings over 500mph actual. I started my dive test from between 13k and 19k. In all test the ac did well over 500mph actual in a dive prior to loosing a rudder and in every case I was able to pull up and maintain flight. In one test I had it up to 600 mph actual and 550 indicated before I lost parts. I did have a rider in one of the test who assures me he will post the film.

[gyrene81]

if you think it's a bug, why didn't you post this in the bug reports section?

[GScholz]

Didn't the M5 have substantially increased skin thickness and structure strengthening over previous models, specifically to increase dive speed?

[Karnak]

Didn't the M5 have substantially increased skin thickness and structure strengthening over previous models, specifically to increase dive speed?

Yes, something like 600 or 700 additional pounds of aluminum in the skin to allow for higher dive speeds.  I don't recall to what speed that increased its allowed dive speed though.

[nrshida]

I wonder if a certain FM-2 has been unable to escape (from considerable altitude) by diving 

[Tracerfi]

I have a problem with that to because i have had a zero keep up with my F4U-4 a fews times by diving on me

[Karnak]

I have a problem with that to because i have had a zero keep up with my F4U-4 a fews times by diving on me

How fast was your F4U-4 going?

[save]

Please check the Model

Did several flight test in this ac. It was capable of diving at various throttle settings over 500mph actual. I started my dive test from between 13k and 19k. In all test the ac did well over 500mph actual in a dive prior to loosing a rudder and in every case I was able to pull up and maintain flight. In one test I had it up to 600 mph actual and 550 indicated before I lost parts. I did have a rider in one of the test who assures me he will post the film.

WTG you can even catch a set of B17 diving in formation @ 525 mph in a zeke m5 !!!  
But of course they can still kill you at 1.5k out doing it .....

[Acidrain]

How fast was your F4U-4 going?

Irrelevant, because F4U-4!

[The Fugitive]

Irrelevant, because F4U-4!

It's not irrelevant. If the F4U-4 had just finished up a fight and was just starting to build speed from 250 the zero would have no trouble catching him if he dove in at 400.

[Tracerfi]

It's not irrelevant. If the F4U-4 had just finished up a fight and was just starting to build speed from 250 the zero would have no trouble catching him if he dove in at 400.

actually those few times i was going about 400

[Karnak]

actually those few times i was going about 400

A6M2 can dive past 400mph.  A6M5 can go well over 400mph, though it handles like a pig at those speeds.

[SirNuke]

A6M2 can dive past 400mph.  A6M5 can go well over 400mph, though it handles like a pig at those speeds.

here is the catch, you can roll out of the zero's trajectory easily at high speeds

[hlbly]

Didn't the M5 have substantially increased skin thickness and structure strengthening over previous models, specifically to increase dive speed?

Yes it did. The max dive speed achieved was 460 mph . Jiro Horikoshi in his book Eagles of Mitsubishi The Story of the Zero Fighter . States that performance requirements demanded by the IJN pretty much limited max dive speed to 460 mph . Though in his book it is stated in kilometers rather than miles per hour . I will give the exact pages when I find my book again. I am finishing moving . I am a little disorganized normally ,during a move it gets worse. Surfinn I will post the film if needed. I think the important part is posting the designer of the planes quotes. It is very easy to reproduce your claims as to dive speed achieved. I will make that the number one priority. All of your test speeds achieved are well in excess of what the plane was able to do.

[Karnak]

here is the catch, you can roll out of the zero's trajectory easily at high speeds

As I said, handles like a pig.