The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was the Imperial Japanese Navy’s most famous carrier-based fighter of the Second World War.
Conceived in 1937 to replace the A5M, it was designed by Jirō Horikoshi and first flew in April 1939.
The Navy demanded a fighter with extreme range, high speed, and superior manoeuvrability.
Mitsubishi achieved this by keeping the aircraft exceptionally light, sacrificing armour and self-sealing fuel tanks.
The result was a revolutionary design that dominated the skies in the early Pacific War.
Operational History
China (1940)
First combat deployment, where the Zero outclassed Soviet-built fighters.
Pacific Expansion (1941–42)
At Pearl Harbour, the Philippines, Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies, the Zero achieved overwhelming kill ratios.
Its long range allowed deep strikes across the Pacific.
Turning Point (1942–43)
At Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal, the Zero began to meet determined resistance.
Allied pilots developed counter-tactics such as the Thach Weave, and new aircraft like the F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair surpassed it in speed, firepower, and protection.
Decline (1944–45)
Despite incremental improvements, the Zero was obsolete by 1944.
Japan continued to produce it due to industrial limitations.
In the final year of the war, many were used in kamikaze missions,
particularly at Leyte Gulf and Okinawa.
Technical Characteristics
Type
Carrier-based fighter
Powerplant
Nakajima Sakae radial engines (940–1,
130 hp depending on variant)
Armament
Two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannons;
later versions carried bombs or rockets
Performance (A6M2)
Max speed
~533 km/h;
range
~1,870 km with drop tanks;
service ceiling
~10,000 m
Production
Approximately 10,939 built between 1939 and 1945
Major Variants
A6M1 Prototype (1939)
Powered by a 780 hp Zuisei engine with a two-bladed propeller.
Underpowered and not adopted for service.
A6M2 Model 11/21 (1940)
First production version with the 940 hp Sakae 12 engine.
Model 21 introduced folding wingtips for carrier storage.
Main type at Pearl Harbour and early Pacific campaigns.
A6M2-N “Rufe”
Floatplane fighter adaptation of the A6M2.
Operated in the Aleutians and Solomons.
A6M3 Model 22/32 (1942)
Equipped with the Sakae 21 engine.
Model 32 had clipped wings for roll rate but reduced range.
Model 22 restored longer wings and range.
A6M4 (Prototype)
Experimental turbo-supercharged version for high-altitude combat.
Did not reach production.
A6M5 Model 52 (1943)
Shorter wings, thicker skin, and exhaust thrust augmenters.
Improved speed and dive performance.
Became the most widely produced late-war Zero.
A6M6 (1944)
Introduced self-sealing fuel tanks and water-methanol engine boost.
Limited production.
A6M7 (1945)
Fighter-bomber optimised for kamikaze missions.
Could carry a 250 kg bomb.
A6M8 (Prototype, 1945)
Fitted with a 1,560 hp Mitsubishi Kinsei engine and heavier armament.
Only two prototypes were completed before Japan’s surrender.
Legacy
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero symbolised Japan’s early-war air superiority and later desperation.
Initially unmatched in range and agility, it forced the Allies to innovate rapidly.
However, its light construction left little room for growth, and by 1944 it was hopelessly outclassed.
Despite this, it remains one of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War, remembered both for its brilliance and its limitations.
