- Yes
- No
Experimental Mitsubishi A6M3 with 30mm Type 2 cannons
Experimental Mitsubishi A6M3 with 30mm Type 2 cannons is an experimental version of the Mitsubishi A6M3 fighter, created in 1943 to facilitate the destruction of American B-17 and B-24 bombers. Between 3 and five specimens of the beach were created.
History
When the Japanese captured Rabaul in 1941, they quickly discovered that the Americans would not give them a moment’s peace, and B-17 and later B-24 bombers were insistent in this region. The main Japanese naval fighter was the Mitsubishi A6M2, and soon after (in 1942) the A6M3 fighters, which were armed with two Type 99 20 mm cannons and two Type 97 7.7 mm machine guns. This armament was great for destroying light bombers or fighters, but it turned out to be ineffective against heavy and powerful B-17 bombers. In April 1942, Dai Japan Weapons, on its own initiative, began work on a successor to the Type 99 cannon, which was to have a caliber of 30 mm. After the Japanese Navy learned about this project, it began working on a new 30 mm cannon and supported the project with a cannon from Dai Japan Weapons. As it was an enlarged Type 99 cannon, the work on it went very quickly. In December 1942, a proudly firing of the future Type 2 cannon was carried out on the ground, and in May 1943 flight firing tests took place. After that, it was decided to test the future Type 2 cannon against enemy aircraft, and the best place to use such a powerful cannon was Rabaul, where fierce air battles with the Americans took place. By the summer of 1943, three to five A6M3 aircraft were ready, which received Type 2 cannons instead of Type 99 cannons. These planes were sent to Rabaul, where they arrived in July of the same year. Due to the conditions at the base on Rabaul, three of them were destroyed on the ground during an American air raid. However, the Japanese did not give up and decided to test the cannons. When the opportunity finally arose, one of the modified A6M3s launched an attack on the B-17, during which the A6M3 disintegrated in mid-air due to the large recoil of the weapon. Not discouraged by this, the Japanese decided to try again to attack the B-17, during which the last modified A6M3 aircraft hit the B-17 with a single missile, leading to the downing of the bomber. However, although the Navy noticed the potential in the Type 2 cannons, it rightly concluded that the A6M fighter was too fragile for such a powerful armament and such a solution was abandoned. It is not known what happened to the last experimental A6M3 aircraft after that. By the end of the war, the Japanese had produced only 50 Type 2 30mm cannons, due to their abandonment in favor of the better Type 5 cannons.
Photos of the Type 2 30 mm cannon
A6M3 fighters from Rabaul
Technical description
The experimental A6M3 aircraft is very similar to the regular A6M3, only that it is equipped with two Type 2 cannons instead of the Type 99 cannons.
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 9,06 m
- Wingspan: 11 m
- Height: 3,57 m
- Wing area: 21,53 m2
- Empty weight: 1860 kg (?)
- Gross weight: 2600 kg (?)
- Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima NK1F Sakae 21 with 831 kW (1,130 hp)
- Propellers: Three-bladed metal propeller with a diameter of 3,050 mm
Performance
- Maximum speed: 540 km/h (?)
- Cruise Speed: 370 km/h (?)
- Range: 1285 km
- Maximum Range: 2378 km
- Service ceiling: 11050 m
- Time to Climb to: 7 minutes 5 seconds to 6,000m (?)
Armament
- Guns:
- 2 x Type 97 7.7mm machine guns in the nose (1400 rounds)
- 2 x Type 2 30mm cannons in the flanks (84 rounds)
- Bombs:
- 2 x 30 kg bombs
- 2 x 60 kg bombs
- Fuel dump tanks
- 1 x 330 l in additional tanks
Special thanks
Summary
The experimental Mitsubishi A6M3 armed with the 30mm Type 2 is an interesting aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. This plane will be a very destructive fighter that can destroy an enemy plane with one hit. It would be best to add it as an event aircraft with the Rabaul camouflage. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
零式艦上戦闘機の派生型 - Wikipedia
二式三十粍固定機銃 - Wikipedia
A6M3 Mod 22 30mm - Passed for Consideration - War Thunder - Official Forum
Уголок неба ¦ Mitsubishi A6M1(3) Reisen
Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (Zero Fighter)
Book sources
- Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War page 362-377
- Japanese Aircraft of Wolrld War II : 1937-1945 ,Thomas Newdick, Edition 2 2017, page 67
- Japońskie Samoloty Marynarki 1912-45 (Japanese naval aircraft 1912-45) page 82 and 84
Japońskie Samoloty Marynarki 1912-45 | PDF - Mitsubishi A6M Zero
6103 Mitsubishi A6M Zero | PDF - Profile Publications Aircraft 190 - Mitsubishi A6m3 Zero-Sen Hamp
Profile Publications Aircraft 190 - Mitsubishi A6m3 Zero-Sen Hamp | PDF
Additional sources
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Thank you for reading the suggestion, see you in the next one. Good luck pilots
