I was doing some reading on the a6m5b since I was not familiar with the difference between it and the a6m5a.
http://home.interlink.or.jp/~katoh00/kaigun/a6m/a6m.html In 1943 august, Zero model 52 became official adoption. Reducing a wing 50cm each it processed roundly simultaneously. An exhaust pipe is made a rocket style, an independent thing. Making an outside board thick of a wing 360kt dive restriction speed are made.Abolishing an engine part an automatic fire fighting device was attached to a wing part.
This figure is at the time of factory completion. Like a battle corps of the south pacific in the next figure propellers dark brown were applied. Also it did so as not to be conspicuous and paint the white circle of rising-sun flag.
Feb 1944,Nakajima aircraft industory stops manufacturing model_21 and started model_52.
Pay attention to that green and gray boundary line differ, in order to Mitsubishi and Nakajima are distinguished. Also, green appreciably darker than Mitsubishi and cowling is deep-black.
http://home.interlink.or.jp/~katoh00/kaigun/a6m/a6m552.html Model_52 were manufactured a lot in a zero. There are 4 kinds of model_52. Each are caused by a difference of armaments mainly.
A6M5a:model_52"koh"....1944 Feb.
Change 20mm gun to Type99mark2model4.
Up to 400kt dive restriction speed.
A6M5b:model_52"otsu"....1944 Jun.
Change body right side 7.7mm gun to 12.7mm gun.
Bulletproof glass is fixed to the front. An automatic fire fighting device is equipped to the body tank.
A6M5c:model_52"hei"....1944 oct.
13mm guns are added in 20mm guns outside of wings. Body of 7. 7mm gun abolition.
Proof against bullets steel board addition in a cockpit seat back.
4 bomb emission installation for enemy bomber in the air to under wings or 4 rocket installation possibility.
"Subvariants were the model 52a with improved ammunition feed and further thickening of the wing skinning for more diving speed; Model 52b belatedly fitted with armor protection for the pilot and fuel tanks, a fire extinguisher system and improved armament; and model 52c with further armament revisions and a new fuel tank behind the pilot which caused serious center of gravity problems. At least it was self sealing, a zero first. By now the ever heavier zero was struggling on its sakae 21 engine and mitsubishi's pleas to install a more powerful kinsei engine were rejected by officialdom. The water injected sakae 31 was suggested but it failed."
it sounds to me like the a6m5b will not need the fuel tank fire modelling advances that the a6m5a and earlier zeros would need which is fine and good.
but with all these added gadgets and safety measures one tends to get the picture that the a6m5b was not as capable of the legendary maneuverability the a6m3 had with the same little sakei 21 1130 hp engine.
but i guess it wont be all that bad.
only slightly less maneuverable right?
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"There are no born fighter pilots. Some are a little better than others, thats about it. But I would say time, training, training, training and more training are the key... to any success." -Francis Gabreski
Citabria
=357th Pony Express=
[This message has been edited by Citabria (edited 04-27-2000).]
