The Zero was fast and nimble, yes. The design reflected the Imperial philosophy of the war; to sign up for the Imperial Air Force was to sign your life away for glory, even if you didn't go for the ultimate Kamikaze troops. The Mitsubishi Zero could be mass produced in high quantities because of it's light and simple design. That didn't make it any less fearsome, though.
hard to believe that the zero was originally a howard hughes design that he tried to sell to the us army air force and they passed on it only to its way to japan!
@trevinor3 you're right, it is hard to believe because that's not a true statement. The Zero was as original as any other fighter of WWII. The design of the A6M Zero grew out of the Japanese Navy's request for an improved fighter to replace the earlier A5M. The designer, Jiro Horikoshi, probably incorporated design features of foreign aircraft like all manufacturers did. But I wouldn't say that the Zero was a "copy?" of the Hughes design you're talking about.
hammergood is correct that their command structure was the problem. It was the Military leadership that 'wanted' war and did not value the concept of peace. They also needed resources from other countries, hence their war with china, indo-china and the british possessions. Each had what the Japanese needed to maintain their power in the region. the miltary command detested needing other countries for support..it was a pride thing for them. Also their willingness to sacrifice pilots..bad idea
In the hands of a good pilot the zero was a deadly foe. The big reason it fell behind Allied aircraft was more due to the shortage of skilled pilots than to the zero itself. Towards the end of the war Allied pilots were far superior to there Japanese counterparts. Even if they were equipped with a updated aircraft they would have stood little chance against the Allies.
In the hands of a good pilot the zero was a deadly foe. The big reason it fell behind Allied aircraft was more due to the shortage of skilled pilots than to the zero itself. Towards the end of the war Allied pilots were far superior to there Japanese counterparts. Even if they were equipped with a updated aircraft they would have stood little chance against the Allies.
I like lightweight vehicles and aircrafts lol. i drive a mitsubishi evo with 300hp but only weighs 1300kg while getting 23mpg. my dream is to buy a a6m zero
Wow! What a wonderful aircraft. That pilot sure had skills, it looked like it was flying over the crowd at less than 50 feet at a given moment. Kind of dangerous though. Beautiful. Nice victory rolls. Thanks for posting.
if i had a choice between the 50-caliber armed corsair or hellcat to any version of the zero fighter - i would choose the Zero-sen A6M8 (four guns 20's 13's, 1350 hp sakae 31b injected/ mw50) over any other plane. not even the messerchmitt 262, p-51 (by the way, i compared the performances of the 'stang against the KI 84 Frank - the frank could and might have beaten the 'stang silly)
@Manongjojo in the hands of an expert pilot - i am not one...^^ - the Zero could out fly the heavy hellcat - even if it was slower and outdated (the zero was in service in china; the 'cat went in in 1942, almost 3 to 4 years later to specifically combat the zero) . .. . besides, the a6m8 in 1945 featured what the zero was lacking in the previous years - armor, more powerful engine, better climb rate, still with the same legendary agility. it could have turned the tide if it appeared earlier,
@GravyPipeline it was never manufactured, but had it appeared in 1942 . . . not even the hellcat could have changed the tide of war; but that's just my opinion (i'm the same "oldsmobileestella" just a different account) it can match the hellcat in a dive (thick wing skins), climb faster than the cat (more powerful engine), at least take a decent amount of punishment (you know what they called japanese planes? one-shot-lighters) and yes, the 'stang can go 600-650 in a dive.
@GravyPipeline indeed; only 2 were ever made before Hiroshima and Nagasaki. i have the books by Jiro Horikoshi (technical book on his creation, the Zero) and Mikesh. . . that's where i get the information.
@FilipinoZeroFighter Okay, thanks. I will look for those books when I get some time. I'm going to buy the 1/48 scale Hasegawa model of the A6M8. I'll bet there are some performance numbers given in that kit.
don't care what anybody says, doesn't matter how powerful, strong, reliable, or whatever other WWII planes were, Zeros are the best and were the best planes during WWII IMO, and will always be my favorite
@jamiekenta I take back the part about the Zero being a "has been" by 1943. In the hands of a skilled pilot, the Zero was still a very dangerous plane to the Allies, even up to the end of the war.
@1969captainron Ya, but by the time the Kamikaze was effectively instituted all the experienced Japanese pilots had been killed in ACTUAL combat. The Kamikaze pilots by the time of '44-'45 were inexperienced grunts, pretty much cannon fodder. But a few relatively experienced and trained pilots died as kamikazes later on.
Imagine one of these, brimming with pounds of TNT and improvised explosives, coming at your puny destroyer at an excess of 400 MPH, and you're absolutely helpless. :O Kamikazes are DEADLY
Thanks to the people who preserve and fly these planes. By the way, does anyone know if Jiro Horikoshi was at Curtiss-Wright at the same time as Donovan Berlin? If so, they would have known each other.
spitfires faster by a (good margin) and can turn at higher speeds the zero has a tighter turn ing circal then almoast any thing and probly rolls better the zero has better range the british were rather late in geting the stitfire to aisa but when they did it caused a shock as they were used to facing hurrcanes and they lost a lot of craft
@oldgitpyon- No, actually the Zero didn't have a better roll-rate than the Spitfire. Much tighter turning radius, and maneuverable at low speeds (and long-legged, like you said), but the roll rate was never great, and once you hit high speeds the long-span ailerons made the stick forces very stiff. In a fast dive, the A6M was VERY difficult, even impossible to roll. Pilot strength was a big factor. Part of the Zeros loses to the Spit were due to lack of good pilots by that phase of the war.
just as well i said probly then i thought that seing as the zero had a good reputation for being manovable and was about 800 pounds lighter (acording to the book on ww2 weppons ive got) it would have a better roll i knew it wasnt good in the dive and yes many of the losses were due loss of good pilots but comperd to the heavyer slower hurrcane witch also had a bad roll and the alison engind mustang (that was rubish at high altitude due to the engine) the spitfire was a vast improvment,
@oldgitpyon -Yeah, the Spit was certainly a big improvement. I just thought the poor roll rate of the Zero was interesting when I read it, because I didn't expect it either. It sort of helps explain why the P-38 was so good vs the A6M. The P-38 had a worse roll rate than other fighters in ETO, but if the Zero was the same in roll, then the P-38 was faster, better diving/climbing, almost as tight turning, and better armored than the Zero. No wonder the Jap pilots were so scared of the Lightning!
@wassupno3- No, the Zero was NOT one of the fastest planes of WWII. One of the GREATEST, maybe, but it was totally outclassed by 1945. The Hellcat is considered relatively slow, and it was faster than the Zero...better in almost every way, really. The Zero's only strength lay in it's long range and maneuverability. But it is a plane worthy of respect and devotion, for sure. I was just correcting your facts. It certainly belongs on any list of WWII "greats", although late-war Jap fighters beat it
Just think what this plane could do if the Japanese had fitted a 1,500 hp engine into the A6M5 model...I guess top speed would have been around 380 mph. Or maybe not.
@dzdz80- Yah, maybe in the A6M5. They did put a 1,500HP "Kinsei" engine in the A6M8, as opposed to the 1,130HP "Sakae" of the M5. It made only 365mph though, to the M5's 351mph, probably because the M8 weighed ~600lbs more. Of course, the extra weight was probably armor and self-sealing fuel tanks as well as the larger engine, but it wasn't enough to go against the Hellcat with. In any case, they only built 2 of them before VJ-Day. I doubt that the A6M5 would have reached 380mph even on 1,500HP
@justforever96..in a 'what if scenario' with the Japanese finally realising they had to have some performance parity at least with the Hellcat . Introduced the 1,560hp Kinsei 62 into the basic A6M5a or A6M5b to produce a 'hot-rod Zero' (no increase in armour and only 2 X 20mm wing guns). A performing engine with 100 octane fuel (again had it been made available)means there was a possibility the 'hot-rod Zero' would have achieved 380mph..Well, I guess we'll never know as that did not happen...
Terrific fighter aircraft, and it ruled the skies over the Pacific Ocean for a very short time, and then the U.S. Hellcats arrived, and then Sayonara Zero des.
A6M2/6/9 did a good jopb, though it didnt had any armor, but the maneuverability of this plane was outstaning, thaths why i took down so many wildcats and hellcats, they couldnt stand back on them, also the zero could fly with little speed, the wieght of the american pacific fighter was waaay to heavy to do that, so they would pass them and got shot, that i think, that ddelayed americans to win the war, also the dicipline that jap fighters had, like kamikazes, that dicipline was outstanding
there is something cool about seeing such a rare Japanese plane take to the sky, and to hear the Japanese PA announcer doing the play-by-play is priceless, too. I can only imagine what some of the Japanese crowd in the video must have been thinking??? Good video.
A6M + a bigger powerplant + a bit more armor + 2 more guns = A different experience in the Pacific Airwar ... If Japan would have had better raw material resources and could have produced some of thier avaliable Aircraft designs in quantity the Pacific war would have has a severely different outcome.
@hammerogod Would've, should've, could've. It's the same as with Germany. If they had certain things, did more things right, etc., then Germany *might* have come out good. But the simple fact of the matter was this: both Germany and Japan got themselves into a huge mess.
The prowess of their militaries kept them in the fight as long as they did, especially Germany with all their fronts. But strategically, they were f-'ed, especially when 1942 hit.
Even Adm Yamamoto said that the war in the Pacific was unwinnable virtually from the beginning and strongly suggested that the Japanese Military Forces take control of as much of the resource bearing regions quickly.
I wonder how the war would have turned out if Japan would have delayed invading China until all of Indonesia was under their control.
The U.S. was still very isolationist and Japan could have avoided western intervention .
@hammerogod You are also discounting what the Allies could have done better themselves. The Allies already had far superior resources compared to the Axis. The Commonwealth had long struggled well in Europe and the Pacific, though with some problems, but could never be toppled. The Soviets were crumbling but came roaring back with a vengeance that sucked most of Germany's military power. And the US that could fight 2 distant fronts and still produce and use the first two atomic bombs.
@hammerogod Which A6M do you speak of? The A6M 5 ,as shown here, did have armor,s-s fuel tanks, a bigger engine, turbo chargers, radio communications and a stronger fuel pump. What it compromised was some maneuverability and range.
@hammerogod Not necessarily. The Zero benefited tremendously from it's light weight. All the additions you stated would have added more weight while affecting the Zeros performance . Don't forget that the Zero did not handle well at high speeds.
@hammerogod Maybe a different outcome, but thats pure speculation that can go on for days. Remember the US had cracked the Japanese codes and that the Americans put massive resources into saving downed pilots. Where as the Japanese didn't. Also they used their subs in much the same way that the Germans did in the atlantic and strangled the Japanese supplies.... Anyway, on another note though, I too love this plane, but the plane your talking about is the A7M... only if they had made it! Wiki it!
@hammerogod The quality of equipment is not the point. Japan's command structure led to their demise. The Allied's priority is to build planes to protect their experienced pilots, and japan treated their pilots expendable. japan lost too many irreplaceable pilots during midway and left with inexperienced noobs. better plane would've made little difference.
and in the end it all comes down to economy, more armor = require bigger engine, so more capital cost and fuel expense.
@paul82587 : Actually, Japan did not treat their pilots as expendable until October 1944 when the Kamikaze program started, and then only when it was obvious that their replacement pilots were so poorly trained that being a kamikaze was the only way they could do any damage at all to the Americans.
In the early part of the war, Japanese pilots flew without parachutes, but that wasn't an official order, it was their own choice, as they would rather die than bail out and be taken prisoner.
id rather go above 400 mph climb faster than any american plane out turn american planes and fire 2 20mm + 230mm that will melt through armor like butter the ki-84 Ic
Steve Hinton is the luckiest guy in the world to be able to fly all these warbirds!....and man does he fly them.Of special note...we miss you Jeff Ethel.
late era spitfires and late era bf109 and FW190D+ for mid altitude dog fight and bomber intercept.
P51s for really long range bomber escort and high altitude dog fights.
P47s, P38s, P39Qs, hawker Tempests for ground attack and dogfight with advantageous start.
corsair, hellcat for carrier based operations.
I'm not familiar with Japanese aircrafts, but being 100~mph slower than US fighters and lacking armor is definitely a huge disadvantage, even if they can maneuver well.
@burninglegionx The IJN had Ki61, N1k1, N1k2- all very good aircraft and competitive if not better than some of the planes you mentioned. The IJAAF had Ki 44, Ki84, Ki 100, some of these aircraft were the best fighter planes of the war, they just didn't have the right metals to build them in large quantities.
digk face they are speaking japanese all the people are japanese more likely this plane is original with the original engine. they had planes in sheds that were never used but reserved for future uses.
The Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA has the only airworthy A6M Zero with the original Nakajima Sakae 31 engine. It was found in Saipan and brought back by the US Navy. And it was once flown by Charles A. Lindbergh.
The Zero was like the Tie Fighter of WW2. Extremely nimbe and quick to respond but with no armor. In the early stages of the war only the most skilled Japanese pilots flew this aircraft.
i dont know about now, but back then the japanese made alot of good stuff(for them)from the most adgile(maybe)fighter, to the largest battleship and cannons, to the largest balls anyone had put on a plane during WW2
Bla bla bla bla bla bla, Franco Prussian war pisses off France so they want revenge which forms a strong spark to start WW1. France, England, Germany and USA have a "bigger dick show " before WW1, showing who can make the biggest battleships and whatnot. So finally a nasty war breaks out and everyone is surprised by how many people the technology kills. So then we have WW2 happening as revenge for WW1. War is bullshit. There's no winners in any of this mess no matter where it happens!
Actually, that was in negative G - either going straight into a dive from level or at the top of a loop - and only in the earlier marks - the V and later had fuel injection, so that problem went away. But the Zero was superior to even the Spitfire in a turning fight.
Being a Yank, I'd agree - the Spit was marvelous, especially the later Griffon-engined marks. The FW190D and the Me109G were also outstanding aircraft.
But the Zero was arguably the finest fighter in the world at the time of its introduction, and could still be a deadly enemy in the hands of a skilled pilot.
japan was stupid, they send out so many zeros and other weak planes when they have the raiden and shinden in their desposal...the raiden and shinden can evenly match any allied fighter
Its was very difficult to make the planes you mentioned. Not to mention there weren't that many IJN, IJAAF pilots left. Yeah, N1K2, Ki 84, Ki 61, J2M were great planes, just not that many built.
Thank's for posting this,the zero is one of my favourite fighters of ww2 so many people under estimate just how good it was,in the early stages of the war it could out turn just about anything the allies had,it's just a pity the japanese didn't develope it to include self sealing tanks,better armour plating,and perhaps cannon armament then it would have been truly unbeatable.
Well you are missing a key point to air combat, stall speed. The zero stalled at like 100 mph or something crazy. The zero can slow down and stay in the air, the bf109 would drop like a brick. Just look at how slow it is going when it takes off. The zero 1 vs 1 was one of the best planes of the war.
Wonderful performance! There are some moments in which it seems this jewel is going to caress the ground! I never had it clear how good the A6M5 handling was in comparison to the A6M2, taking into account its shorter wings. Equal or worse?
BF 109 wasnt as good as the FW190 especially the long nosed version which had an inline watercooled engine, very fast and much more agile and well armed and a very feared german airplane by the allied pilots, it was fortunate though that hitler continued tha BF109 production more than the FW 190 ( Maybe he listened to Goering )
If the Germans had just four properly trained squadrons of tpe 21 zero's during the battle of Britain, Germany would have won the air battle and taken over the UK
in 1940, the zero was the best fighter aircraft in the world!
it only lacked pilot protection
P.S. the zero had 2 20mm cannons and could fly four times as long/far as the bf 109
Such a horny design, has no match ...
CaxiasFreguesia 1 week ago
Even now the flight of the legendary Zero can produce chill at the back of the spine!
sidve 3 weeks ago
The Zero was fast and nimble, yes. The design reflected the Imperial philosophy of the war; to sign up for the Imperial Air Force was to sign your life away for glory, even if you didn't go for the ultimate Kamikaze troops. The Mitsubishi Zero could be mass produced in high quantities because of it's light and simple design. That didn't make it any less fearsome, though.
pryletoncyo 1 month ago
-1 fatal flaw: NO armor protection for the pilot-not even bullet-proof glass!!
Peter43John 2 months ago
@Peter43John
Because of that it managed to be lighter and more nimble than it's allied counterparts.
rock3tcat 2 months ago
My favorite plane is the Mustang, but damn the A6M is a freaking gorgeous aircraft.
mongorians22 2 months ago
There is so much bull shit on this page! Holy Toledo Crap! I've never heard so many wannabe "experts!"
GutpileCharlie 4 months ago
@GutpileCharlie
But where is the Mitsubishi EVO?
alterbr33d 2 months ago
Mitsubishi A6M Zero The Best.
JonnyChannel 5 months ago
Awesome. But, why did Kamikaze pilots wore helmets for?
billace90 6 months ago
@billace90 Radio, there are speakers in the helmet so they could talk to each other... derp
slayersthashit 5 months ago
hard to believe that the zero was originally a howard hughes design that he tried to sell to the us army air force and they passed on it only to its way to japan!
trevinor3 7 months ago
@trevinor3 you're right, it is hard to believe because that's not a true statement. The Zero was as original as any other fighter of WWII. The design of the A6M Zero grew out of the Japanese Navy's request for an improved fighter to replace the earlier A5M. The designer, Jiro Horikoshi, probably incorporated design features of foreign aircraft like all manufacturers did. But I wouldn't say that the Zero was a "copy?" of the Hughes design you're talking about.
ThePeterstrasser 6 months ago
hammergood is correct that their command structure was the problem. It was the Military leadership that 'wanted' war and did not value the concept of peace. They also needed resources from other countries, hence their war with china, indo-china and the british possessions. Each had what the Japanese needed to maintain their power in the region. the miltary command detested needing other countries for support..it was a pride thing for them. Also their willingness to sacrifice pilots..bad idea
Chiropracticmafia 7 months ago
Worst kamikaze EVER
TheSimonHarris 8 months ago
BANZAI !
Jman
Kabul81 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
In the hands of a good pilot the zero was a deadly foe. The big reason it fell behind Allied aircraft was more due to the shortage of skilled pilots than to the zero itself. Towards the end of the war Allied pilots were far superior to there Japanese counterparts. Even if they were equipped with a updated aircraft they would have stood little chance against the Allies.
dcgm1967 9 months ago
In the hands of a good pilot the zero was a deadly foe. The big reason it fell behind Allied aircraft was more due to the shortage of skilled pilots than to the zero itself. Towards the end of the war Allied pilots were far superior to there Japanese counterparts. Even if they were equipped with a updated aircraft they would have stood little chance against the Allies.
dcgm1967 9 months ago
reminds me of Pearl Harbor even though i wasn't there. :/
bboytripletrix 9 months ago
I like lightweight vehicles and aircrafts lol. i drive a mitsubishi evo with 300hp but only weighs 1300kg while getting 23mpg. my dream is to buy a a6m zero
immortal4942 11 months ago
Wow! What a wonderful aircraft. That pilot sure had skills, it looked like it was flying over the crowd at less than 50 feet at a given moment. Kind of dangerous though. Beautiful. Nice victory rolls. Thanks for posting.
billace90 11 months ago
Very pretty airplane.
ArmandAllegro 1 year ago
かっけー！！
kouyoumatsui 1 year ago
The agility of this aircraft is incredible. Newer saw any other warplane making such a tight turn on that altitude. Amazing...
pauka13 1 year ago
does it have the original sakae 14 cylinder engine
MrJp990 1 year ago
any successors of this craft ???
falcongrayeyes 1 year ago
@falcongrayeyes yes, the A7M Reppu 烈風 is the successor but only 8 prototypes were made before the war was over
mion300 1 year ago
flying unbelievably low altitude, isn't it? so near the crowds!
kagatobi 1 year ago
1:05 y is there a voice counting in japanese??
TheNERFDUDE97 1 year ago
@TheNERFDUDE97, He was counting off until the pilot began his turn, showing off just how precise it handled.
McBrannon1000 1 year ago
spitfire,il2 and zeri was the best planes in ww2!
mihailolord 1 year ago
@mihailolord what bout the Mustang. better then all of them put together
USSWISCONSIN64 1 year ago
@USSWISCONSIN64 but mustang did no damage to axis forces...first series of il 2 did the biger damage than all american fighter in ww2
mihailolord 1 year ago
@mihailolord Nut i am talking about the D models i don't really like the first couple. the D and higher are the best ones.
USSWISCONSIN64 1 year ago
Brewster was no match for this beast.
ss90ss444 1 year ago
@ss90ss444 The Brewster Buffalo was no match for anything!
jjvbravo 1 year ago
I want one!
nw8000 1 year ago
a bit lower it would have crushed the heads of the crowd
DJVHANproductions 1 year ago
Japanese Airshow,
the Zero was amazing on how it could turn, and maneuver,
It was low cost and crude to some standard's, but it made up for that in lightness and ruggedness and simplicity,
kirkconway 1 year ago
Has anybody seen the Japanese movie "Zero" from 1984? It's pretty cool.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
Does that have the original Sakae engine?
uberkelvin 1 year ago
@uberkelvin I belive this is the only zero left with it´s original sakae engine yes
ramjet81 1 year ago
if i had a choice between the 50-caliber armed corsair or hellcat to any version of the zero fighter - i would choose the Zero-sen A6M8 (four guns 20's 13's, 1350 hp sakae 31b injected/ mw50) over any other plane. not even the messerchmitt 262, p-51 (by the way, i compared the performances of the 'stang against the KI 84 Frank - the frank could and might have beaten the 'stang silly)
Oldsmobile442Estella 1 year ago
@Oldsmobile442Estella
I would have the Hellcat. It was like 36 kts faster then the zero and had a better climb rate. And had armor around the cockpit.
Manongjojo 1 year ago
@Manongjojo in the hands of an expert pilot - i am not one...^^ - the Zero could out fly the heavy hellcat - even if it was slower and outdated (the zero was in service in china; the 'cat went in in 1942, almost 3 to 4 years later to specifically combat the zero) . .. . besides, the a6m8 in 1945 featured what the zero was lacking in the previous years - armor, more powerful engine, better climb rate, still with the same legendary agility. it could have turned the tide if it appeared earlier,
Oldsmobile442Estella 1 year ago
@Oldsmobile442Estella Wow, if what you say is true, I'm gonna buy the Hasegawa 1/48 scale model of the A6M8. I didn't know the A6M8 was so good.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
@GravyPipeline it was never manufactured, but had it appeared in 1942 . . . not even the hellcat could have changed the tide of war; but that's just my opinion (i'm the same "oldsmobileestella" just a different account) it can match the hellcat in a dive (thick wing skins), climb faster than the cat (more powerful engine), at least take a decent amount of punishment (you know what they called japanese planes? one-shot-lighters) and yes, the 'stang can go 600-650 in a dive.
FilipinoZeroFighter 1 year ago
@FilipinoZeroFighter I can't find any performance stats on the A6M8. I read that only two A6M8's were made.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
@GravyPipeline indeed; only 2 were ever made before Hiroshima and Nagasaki. i have the books by Jiro Horikoshi (technical book on his creation, the Zero) and Mikesh. . . that's where i get the information.
FilipinoZeroFighter 1 year ago
@FilipinoZeroFighter Okay, thanks. I will look for those books when I get some time. I'm going to buy the 1/48 scale Hasegawa model of the A6M8. I'll bet there are some performance numbers given in that kit.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
It's beautiful machine!
GLORIOUSNIPPON 1 year ago
Of all the WW2 warbirds, I'd bet the Zero is one of the most fun to fly. I heard it is very responsive to the stick and rudder pedals.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
Does anyone know what's the Zero's minimum take off and landing distance?
Since its a carrier olane it must be short right?
Panzerfaust111 1 year ago
fuck the spifire, zero is the shit
1bol1 1 year ago
The A6M Zero is a legend !
Scheltokeeper 1 year ago
don't care what anybody says, doesn't matter how powerful, strong, reliable, or whatever other WWII planes were, Zeros are the best and were the best planes during WWII IMO, and will always be my favorite
jamiekenta 1 year ago 2
@jamiekenta On the old cable program "Wings", they said the Zero was an "aeronautical engineering masterpiece."
By 1943 the Zero was a has-been. But the Zero is still my favorite WW2 fighter--a true thoroughbred design.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
@jamiekenta I take back the part about the Zero being a "has been" by 1943. In the hands of a skilled pilot, the Zero was still a very dangerous plane to the Allies, even up to the end of the war.
GravyPipeline 1 year ago
the sound of the engine is amazing specialy in 1:15
imagine the sound of 50 zero planes flying in groups above you : )
thanx for the video
stg050 1 year ago
what a great pilot!!!
BLEUTIOS 1 year ago
@1969captainron Ya, but by the time the Kamikaze was effectively instituted all the experienced Japanese pilots had been killed in ACTUAL combat. The Kamikaze pilots by the time of '44-'45 were inexperienced grunts, pretty much cannon fodder. But a few relatively experienced and trained pilots died as kamikazes later on.
SuperHaloStarwarsFan 1 year ago
One of the best fighters ever made!
BROOKS39 1 year ago
Imagine one of these, brimming with pounds of TNT and improvised explosives, coming at your puny destroyer at an excess of 400 MPH, and you're absolutely helpless. :O Kamikazes are DEADLY
SuperHaloStarwarsFan 1 year ago
one of the best and most beautiful: simple, solid and faaast.
misteraxl1 1 year ago
I saw one of those at Hill Field during an air show and it was quite impressive to see my advisary face to face.
(when i said advisary it is because i faced off with this play in my video games.)
andrewwatson39 2 years ago
Thanks to the people who preserve and fly these planes. By the way, does anyone know if Jiro Horikoshi was at Curtiss-Wright at the same time as Donovan Berlin? If so, they would have known each other.
safetychoice 2 years ago
Who will win Zero or Spitfire? D:
RatJad 2 years ago
depends on the pilot mostly
jayc981 2 years ago 11
spitfires faster by a (good margin) and can turn at higher speeds the zero has a tighter turn ing circal then almoast any thing and probly rolls better the zero has better range the british were rather late in geting the stitfire to aisa but when they did it caused a shock as they were used to facing hurrcanes and they lost a lot of craft
oldgitpyon 1 year ago
@oldgitpyon- No, actually the Zero didn't have a better roll-rate than the Spitfire. Much tighter turning radius, and maneuverable at low speeds (and long-legged, like you said), but the roll rate was never great, and once you hit high speeds the long-span ailerons made the stick forces very stiff. In a fast dive, the A6M was VERY difficult, even impossible to roll. Pilot strength was a big factor. Part of the Zeros loses to the Spit were due to lack of good pilots by that phase of the war.
justforever96 1 year ago
just as well i said probly then i thought that seing as the zero had a good reputation for being manovable and was about 800 pounds lighter (acording to the book on ww2 weppons ive got) it would have a better roll i knew it wasnt good in the dive and yes many of the losses were due loss of good pilots but comperd to the heavyer slower hurrcane witch also had a bad roll and the alison engind mustang (that was rubish at high altitude due to the engine) the spitfire was a vast improvment,
oldgitpyon 1 year ago
@oldgitpyon -Yeah, the Spit was certainly a big improvement. I just thought the poor roll rate of the Zero was interesting when I read it, because I didn't expect it either. It sort of helps explain why the P-38 was so good vs the A6M. The P-38 had a worse roll rate than other fighters in ETO, but if the Zero was the same in roll, then the P-38 was faster, better diving/climbing, almost as tight turning, and better armored than the Zero. No wonder the Jap pilots were so scared of the Lightning!
justforever96 1 year ago
i love air plane
Gabriel224224 2 years ago 4
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kamikaze air plane ...
Gabriel224224 2 years ago
ASM zero was one of the fastest planes in WWII i love that plane
wassupno3 2 years ago
@wassupno3- No, the Zero was NOT one of the fastest planes of WWII. One of the GREATEST, maybe, but it was totally outclassed by 1945. The Hellcat is considered relatively slow, and it was faster than the Zero...better in almost every way, really. The Zero's only strength lay in it's long range and maneuverability. But it is a plane worthy of respect and devotion, for sure. I was just correcting your facts. It certainly belongs on any list of WWII "greats", although late-war Jap fighters beat it
justforever96 1 year ago
@justforever96 you're full of shit hahaha.
paulbutkiss 1 year ago
@paulbutkiss - Who told you!? Those assholes. Okay, I'm busted...I have no fucking clue what I'm talking about, I just like to fake it. =P
justforever96 1 year ago
@justforever96 yea you fucking dont you cock.
paulbutkiss 1 year ago
If I had been there and one of those had been a Rufe, I would have lost my damn mind.
dattomcat89 2 years ago 2
i love this plane
dzonikg 2 years ago 3
This is the only zero flyable with it's original engine.
BKrystall 2 years ago 3
Just think what this plane could do if the Japanese had fitted a 1,500 hp engine into the A6M5 model...I guess top speed would have been around 380 mph. Or maybe not.
dzdz80 2 years ago 2
@dzdz80- Yah, maybe in the A6M5. They did put a 1,500HP "Kinsei" engine in the A6M8, as opposed to the 1,130HP "Sakae" of the M5. It made only 365mph though, to the M5's 351mph, probably because the M8 weighed ~600lbs more. Of course, the extra weight was probably armor and self-sealing fuel tanks as well as the larger engine, but it wasn't enough to go against the Hellcat with. In any case, they only built 2 of them before VJ-Day. I doubt that the A6M5 would have reached 380mph even on 1,500HP
justforever96 1 year ago
@justforever96..in a 'what if scenario' with the Japanese finally realising they had to have some performance parity at least with the Hellcat . Introduced the 1,560hp Kinsei 62 into the basic A6M5a or A6M5b to produce a 'hot-rod Zero' (no increase in armour and only 2 X 20mm wing guns). A performing engine with 100 octane fuel (again had it been made available)means there was a possibility the 'hot-rod Zero' would have achieved 380mph..Well, I guess we'll never know as that did not happen...
dzdz80 1 year ago
@justforever96 Spit fire Zero, it could go either way every time.
paulbutkiss 1 year ago
Terrific fighter aircraft, and it ruled the skies over the Pacific Ocean for a very short time, and then the U.S. Hellcats arrived, and then Sayonara Zero des.
BerlinBunker1 2 years ago 2
A6M2/6/9 did a good jopb, though it didnt had any armor, but the maneuverability of this plane was outstaning, thaths why i took down so many wildcats and hellcats, they couldnt stand back on them, also the zero could fly with little speed, the wieght of the american pacific fighter was waaay to heavy to do that, so they would pass them and got shot, that i think, that ddelayed americans to win the war, also the dicipline that jap fighters had, like kamikazes, that dicipline was outstanding
Loxleiev 2 years ago 2
WOW o.o
raisen zero is WAY more cooler than any
american flying tincans :DD
ju57m333 2 years ago
there is something cool about seeing such a rare Japanese plane take to the sky, and to hear the Japanese PA announcer doing the play-by-play is priceless, too. I can only imagine what some of the Japanese crowd in the video must have been thinking??? Good video.
ralsterV 2 years ago
A6M + a bigger powerplant + a bit more armor + 2 more guns = A different experience in the Pacific Airwar ... If Japan would have had better raw material resources and could have produced some of thier avaliable Aircraft designs in quantity the Pacific war would have has a severely different outcome.
hammerogod 2 years ago 18
HAMMERGOD..ya! shoulda woulda coulda! please dont be a revisionist
davetileguy 2 years ago
@hammerogod Yeah, they did make a dozen A7ms. It was a bigger version of the A6m with a 2000 hp HA engine. The airframes had alot of problems...
lemonite1 2 years ago
@hammerogod absolutely, as the Zero was renowned for its manouverability, but low resistance to any hits
darkmossie633 1 year ago
@hammerogod Would've, should've, could've. It's the same as with Germany. If they had certain things, did more things right, etc., then Germany *might* have come out good. But the simple fact of the matter was this: both Germany and Japan got themselves into a huge mess.
The prowess of their militaries kept them in the fight as long as they did, especially Germany with all their fronts. But strategically, they were f-'ed, especially when 1942 hit.
Warmaker01 11 months ago
@Warmaker01
I agree.
Even Adm Yamamoto said that the war in the Pacific was unwinnable virtually from the beginning and strongly suggested that the Japanese Military Forces take control of as much of the resource bearing regions quickly.
I wonder how the war would have turned out if Japan would have delayed invading China until all of Indonesia was under their control.
The U.S. was still very isolationist and Japan could have avoided western intervention .
Pearl Harbor was a drastic mistake.
hammerogod 11 months ago
@hammerogod You are also discounting what the Allies could have done better themselves. The Allies already had far superior resources compared to the Axis. The Commonwealth had long struggled well in Europe and the Pacific, though with some problems, but could never be toppled. The Soviets were crumbling but came roaring back with a vengeance that sucked most of Germany's military power. And the US that could fight 2 distant fronts and still produce and use the first two atomic bombs.
Warmaker01 11 months ago
@Warmaker01
The best WWII book I have read (ever) is Adm Samuel Eliot Morison's "The Two Ocean War".
Adm Morison's work is equal to Churchhill's "The Second World War" in both scope and detail.
It is a detailed battle by battle study in who did what (right and wrong).
Well worth reading (and long as hell).
hammerogod 11 months ago
@hammerogod Which A6M do you speak of? The A6M 5 ,as shown here, did have armor,s-s fuel tanks, a bigger engine, turbo chargers, radio communications and a stronger fuel pump. What it compromised was some maneuverability and range.
lemonite1 10 months ago
@hammerogod Hell, they owned most of Asia...How much raw material did they need?
M1GARRAND1 9 months ago
@M1GARRAND1
Japan may have occupied much of E Asia but they never were able to harvest the resources.
Only by eliminating the U.S. Pacific Fleet could Japan have an uncontested hegemony over the areas where the resources were.
Occupying the resource rich areas is different from getting those resources to the Factories in Japan.
Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines and the partial occupation of China spread Japan too thin.
They were never able to consolidate their gains.
hammerogod 9 months ago
@hammerogod Not necessarily. The Zero benefited tremendously from it's light weight. All the additions you stated would have added more weight while affecting the Zeros performance . Don't forget that the Zero did not handle well at high speeds.
Bruisercruiser74 9 months ago
@hammerogod Maybe a different outcome, but thats pure speculation that can go on for days. Remember the US had cracked the Japanese codes and that the Americans put massive resources into saving downed pilots. Where as the Japanese didn't. Also they used their subs in much the same way that the Germans did in the atlantic and strangled the Japanese supplies.... Anyway, on another note though, I too love this plane, but the plane your talking about is the A7M... only if they had made it! Wiki it!
LeiKaEr 8 months ago
@hammerogod The quality of equipment is not the point. Japan's command structure led to their demise. The Allied's priority is to build planes to protect their experienced pilots, and japan treated their pilots expendable. japan lost too many irreplaceable pilots during midway and left with inexperienced noobs. better plane would've made little difference.
and in the end it all comes down to economy, more armor = require bigger engine, so more capital cost and fuel expense.
paul82587 8 months ago
@paul82587 : Actually, Japan did not treat their pilots as expendable until October 1944 when the Kamikaze program started, and then only when it was obvious that their replacement pilots were so poorly trained that being a kamikaze was the only way they could do any damage at all to the Americans.
In the early part of the war, Japanese pilots flew without parachutes, but that wasn't an official order, it was their own choice, as they would rather die than bail out and be taken prisoner.
timonsolus 7 months ago
@hammerogod
Woulda, coulda, shoulda.....
dx80cruiser 8 months ago
from the commentary it says the aircraft is from Chino Planes of fame museum in california piloted by Steve [Hinton?]
in Japan for a demo flight
there are other clips like these here in YT about this
emforty2 2 years ago
Where ist this show? Japan?
DaveDD88 2 years ago
id rather go above 400 mph climb faster than any american plane out turn american planes and fire 2 20mm + 230mm that will melt through armor like butter the ki-84 Ic
iggsta3o5 2 years ago
i mes 2x30mm
iggsta3o5 2 years ago
nice clip mate ....
fjbutch 2 years ago
Steve Hinton is the luckiest guy in the world to be able to fly all these warbirds!....and man does he fly them.Of special note...we miss you Jeff Ethel.
groovy67 2 years ago 3
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skeletonbite 2 years ago
I'd rather be doing 400mph with six 50's than flying tight circles before exploding into flames.
auerstadt06 2 years ago
best WWII dogfighter, the US pilots knew that being engaged in a 1 vs 1 Df with a zero was stupid .
leonelp51 2 years ago
No, actually from 1943- the Zero was a sitting duck to a Hellcat flown by a well trained US pilot.
But, yes, in the early stages of the war it caused serious problems to the allies in the pacific.
The best "all round" fighter of WW2 was probably the Mustang.
polpiv4tifi 2 years ago
i think that the best is the BF109 or the FW190 th mustangs wined due to their outstanding numbers ...but the spitfire was a superb aircraft too
leonelp51 2 years ago
imo,
late era spitfires and late era bf109 and FW190D+ for mid altitude dog fight and bomber intercept.
P51s for really long range bomber escort and high altitude dog fights.
P47s, P38s, P39Qs, hawker Tempests for ground attack and dogfight with advantageous start.
corsair, hellcat for carrier based operations.
I'm not familiar with Japanese aircrafts, but being 100~mph slower than US fighters and lacking armor is definitely a huge disadvantage, even if they can maneuver well.
burninglegionx 2 years ago 2
ok i know that xD
leonelp51 2 years ago
@burninglegionx The IJN had Ki61, N1k1, N1k2- all very good aircraft and competitive if not better than some of the planes you mentioned. The IJAAF had Ki 44, Ki84, Ki 100, some of these aircraft were the best fighter planes of the war, they just didn't have the right metals to build them in large quantities.
lemonite1 2 years ago
digk face they are speaking japanese all the people are japanese more likely this plane is original with the original engine. they had planes in sheds that were never used but reserved for future uses.
haloking2333 2 years ago
one of the best fighters of ww2
flippynutty15 2 years ago 30
@flippynutty15 oustanding plane man.
kepler98 1 year ago
Comment removed
bassman2277 1 year ago
@flippynutty15 yea just one of the best. hmm but not the best.
USSWISCONSIN64 1 year ago
I love Zeroes!
ILOVESPEED25 2 years ago 5
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there you have it
are you fucking happy now, damn it?
Mchitler08 2 years ago
Excellent video, I like zero planes very much. They were formidables machines
ltomat 2 years ago 12
I've seen Zero's at my local airshow they are very good planes
KJT922010T 2 years ago 2
You sure it was a real zero? There are a few AT-6 Texans converted to look like them that make the rounds... Zeros are very very rare!
vetitoe362 2 years ago
Yes, that is a real Zero. One of the only few with the original Sakai engine.
oxyman10 2 years ago 4
Yea, you can tell the one in the video is, the AT6 Zeros still have the swept back leading edge. I was talking about KJTs Zero!
vetitoe362 2 years ago
The Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA has the only airworthy A6M Zero with the original Nakajima Sakae 31 engine. It was found in Saipan and brought back by the US Navy. And it was once flown by Charles A. Lindbergh.
douro20 2 years ago
I am in the next town over...Pomona, Ca......I gotta see this!!!
kenndoggie1 2 years ago
Yep it is... Iknow what you mean with the AT6 used for many different footages representing Axis fighters like the Zero and even the Bf109.
But this is a genuine one. Indeed very rare but sill out there ;-)
Anacinc 2 years ago
"Touchdown desu!"
Oh, I love borrowed words. :)
There is no way any airshow I have ever seen has allowed the flying aircraft to be so close to the crowd (even given the zoom lens effect). =8^o
Excellent pilot - no airshow I've ever seen has allowed maneuvers like that so close to the ground, either!
theharper1 2 years ago
The Zero was like the Tie Fighter of WW2. Extremely nimbe and quick to respond but with no armor. In the early stages of the war only the most skilled Japanese pilots flew this aircraft.
oxyman10 2 years ago 4
What would you call the P-51, B-17, Bf-109, Spitfire, and P-38?
I mean in Star Wars relations...please share
kenndoggie1 2 years ago
X-wings
Chrisg586 2 years ago
You can't call them all X-Wings....need a better answer....please
kenndoggie1 2 years ago
lol I always say that to people. Zero is like a tie fighter.
Chrisg586 2 years ago 2
i dont know about now, but back then the japanese made alot of good stuff(for them)from the most adgile(maybe)fighter, to the largest battleship and cannons, to the largest balls anyone had put on a plane during WW2
jackass1901 2 years ago
Bla bla bla bla bla bla, Franco Prussian war pisses off France so they want revenge which forms a strong spark to start WW1. France, England, Germany and USA have a "bigger dick show " before WW1, showing who can make the biggest battleships and whatnot. So finally a nasty war breaks out and everyone is surprised by how many people the technology kills. So then we have WW2 happening as revenge for WW1. War is bullshit. There's no winners in any of this mess no matter where it happens!
SnojetSteve 2 years ago 2
讚讚!@~@
kuojh99 2 years ago
beautiful wing i've seen ever!!!
innpressTV 2 years ago 2
from the first comment you know the spitfire had a fatal setback right, it stalled in dives
cronk65 2 years ago
Actually, that was in negative G - either going straight into a dive from level or at the top of a loop - and only in the earlier marks - the V and later had fuel injection, so that problem went away. But the Zero was superior to even the Spitfire in a turning fight.
skyking61 2 years ago
That last comment has to have been written by a yank... believe me not all great aircraft are american.remember the spitfire ?
stretchmark8 2 years ago
But is not the spitfire british?
Japanesezeroplane 2 years ago
Being a Yank, I'd agree - the Spit was marvelous, especially the later Griffon-engined marks. The FW190D and the Me109G were also outstanding aircraft.
But the Zero was arguably the finest fighter in the world at the time of its introduction, and could still be a deadly enemy in the hands of a skilled pilot.
skyking61 2 years ago
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wow. what a piece of corn-studded shit compared to the mustang or 109
chattanoogapark 2 years ago
109??!!! You are truly ignorant.
greenthousands 2 years ago
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ignorant because i like V12 engines compared to radials that sound like a fucking fart everytime they go by?
chattanoogapark 2 years ago
@greenthousands Yes, the 109. No I'm not but thanks
chattanoogapark 1 year ago
king of elegance!
sardosfish 2 years ago 3
I actually kinda like the P-38. Those are pretty sweet "P
mitchell7194 3 years ago
japan was stupid, they send out so many zeros and other weak planes when they have the raiden and shinden in their desposal...the raiden and shinden can evenly match any allied fighter
YellowSupremacist 3 years ago 2
Its was very difficult to make the planes you mentioned. Not to mention there weren't that many IJN, IJAAF pilots left. Yeah, N1K2, Ki 84, Ki 61, J2M were great planes, just not that many built.
lemonite1 2 years ago
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GravyPipeline 2 years ago
Thank's for posting this,the zero is one of my favourite fighters of ww2 so many people under estimate just how good it was,in the early stages of the war it could out turn just about anything the allies had,it's just a pity the japanese didn't develope it to include self sealing tanks,better armour plating,and perhaps cannon armament then it would have been truly unbeatable.
stretchmark8 3 years ago
They did. Later models A6M3, A6M5 had armor plating and selfsealed fuel tanks. The A7M Reppu was even more powerful.
lemonite1 2 years ago
Well you are missing a key point to air combat, stall speed. The zero stalled at like 100 mph or something crazy. The zero can slow down and stay in the air, the bf109 would drop like a brick. Just look at how slow it is going when it takes off. The zero 1 vs 1 was one of the best planes of the war.
goatman455 3 years ago
BF109 has higher top speed, and better weapons. In other words, the zero only turns a tad better.
motormonkeyNL 3 years ago
bf109 is better at altitude than the zero, and has a better sustained climb, and has better protection.
motormonkeyNL 3 years ago
Wonderful performance! There are some moments in which it seems this jewel is going to caress the ground! I never had it clear how good the A6M5 handling was in comparison to the A6M2, taking into account its shorter wings. Equal or worse?
AlanMartinNala 3 years ago
Early in the war this thing was a real killer.
shitastic 3 years ago 2
Where was this air show?
Bloodgod40 3 years ago
what ever... zero fighter is just great
krysscent 3 years ago
Take-off was surprisingly short! Even for a carrier-based plane. Love the Reisen.
1bythesword 3 years ago
it would be even shorter on a carrier, bcoz of the catapult assistance
adnanramuk 3 years ago
in dogfight zero.. whit boom and zoom the bf-109.. i guess
CESARRAMIREZSANCHEZ 3 years ago
ok in an even dogfight with the same pilot in each plane, who wins a dog fight, a zero or a bf109?
doomsnail84 3 years ago
bf109
it has cannons and the zero is made of wood and cloth mostly. and it is way more awesome
drewren1231 3 years ago
BF 109 wasnt as good as the FW190 especially the long nosed version which had an inline watercooled engine, very fast and much more agile and well armed and a very feared german airplane by the allied pilots, it was fortunate though that hitler continued tha BF109 production more than the FW 190 ( Maybe he listened to Goering )
adnanramuk 3 years ago
agreed, i love the fw-190
drewren1231 3 years ago
LMAO...
If the Germans had just four properly trained squadrons of tpe 21 zero's during the battle of Britain, Germany would have won the air battle and taken over the UK
in 1940, the zero was the best fighter aircraft in the world!
it only lacked pilot protection
P.S. the zero had 2 20mm cannons and could fly four times as long/far as the bf 109
DCMclarenFan 3 years ago