• There seems to be an uptick in Political comments in recent months. Those of us who are long time members of the site know that Political and Religious content has been banned for years. Nothing has changed. Please leave all political and religious comments out of the forums.

    If you recently joined the forums you were not presented with this restriction in the terms of service. This was due to a conversion error when we went from vBulletin to Xenforo. We have updated our terms of service to reflect these corrections.

    Please note any post refering to a politician will be considered political even if it is intended to be humor. Our experience is these topics have a way of dividing the forums and causing deep resentment among members. It is a poison to the community. We appreciate compliance with the rules.

    The Staff of SOH

  • Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.

    Post 16 Update

    Post 17 Warning

Zero anybody?

bazzar said:
Something a little different.:engel016:
Click to expand...
Vertigo studios is planning on building an A6M for flight sim X, and possibly the Jap Raiden as well.....Other planes being worked on now are, the mosquito, and B-25 Mitchell for FSX.....
I just took some picts of the Zero at the planes of fame museum....It is the worlds only pre 1945 jap aircraft of its type that is still flyable, and complete with its original prop, engine, and guages.....

Their web is.... http://www.vertigostudios.co.uk/
 
Counter to Fligers statements, we Americans were well advised on the situation in China. The Invasion of Manchuria, the Scorched Earth policy, the sinking of the USS Panay, the Rape of Nanking in 1937, along with many other atrocities led to Chennaults Flying Tigers. Plus we were all well aware that the Japanese had invaded Attu. We lost a lot of brave US Army men in clearing the Japs out.
Yes we were isolationists but at our CCC camps they were taught miltary discipline and even in the Boy Scouts we drilled with rifles and learned the manual of arms. So we knew war was coming.
My family came to this country in 1638 from Norfolk in England and we were all WASPs until this generation. We founded Falmouth, MA Exeter, NH,and New Durham, NH. We also had a General in Washington's Army.
 
Our Government was indeed aware of China, which is why we imposed the sanctions on Japan that led to their opening of hostilities against the Western Powers. However to this day I am not sure that more than 51% of Americans can find China on a map.... Certainly very few know of the some 50 million Chinese that died as a result of the Cultural Revolution, as many as died of all causes during WWII. Mao topped the excesses of Hitler and Stalin by a wide margin. Not till Zho EnLai (Sp?) did China start on a road to growth and improvement.

Koga's Zero, which crashed on Akutan Island near Dutch Harbor lost oil from a severed oil line, supposedly from fire from a PBY. Koga set down on what he thought was a grassy field, with the gear down. The sedge tussocks have 18" crevices between them and the plane immediatly flipped over killing PO Koga. The F6F was already well under way by that time, but what the test flying did reveal was the Zeros weaknesses and tactics were developed to exploit the F6F's strong points. Additional attention was paid to the ailerons to further exploit F6F strengths.

Probably my sized plane... would be a hoot to fly!

Cheers: T
 
Yeah when I saw this thread I did some searching and found Kaga in a 3DMAX project.... all 6 Kido Butai carriers are in various states of build as I started from scratch to make more use of poly budget. Eventually I will move Pearl Harbor Project over to FSX as well.

Might pull out Kaga to finish out to celebrate the release of this aircraft.:wavey:
 
fliger747 said:
Our Government was indeed aware of China, which is why we imposed the sanctions on Japan that led to their opening of hostilities against the Western Powers. However to this day I am not sure that more than 51% of Americans can find China on a map.... Certainly very few know of the some 50 million Chinese that died as a result of the Cultural Revolution, as many as died of all causes during WWII. Mao topped the excesses of Hitler and Stalin by a wide margin. Not till Zho EnLai (Sp?) did China start on a road to growth and improvement.

Cheers: T
Click to expand...

I can definitely find it. My Great Aunt, long since passed on, was a missionary in China when the Japanese invaded. She spent about eight years in a Japanese POW camp. She had some stories to tell.

She went to Japan in about 1950 to teach English. She didn't believe anyone is inherently evil and greatly enjoyed her time spent living in postwar Japan.

Needless to say, I'm definitely looking forward to this Zeke.
 
I think it's safe to say that, among all participants in WW2, China and Japan were the first to slug it out. The two were officially at war as of 1937.

Back to the topic, the Zero made its combat debut over China in 1940, and totally outclassed all existing Chinese fighters. During the first engagement, 13 Chinese fighters were shot down, and another 11 damaged. The Zeroes suffered no loss.
 
Looks like a HUGHES H-1..racer,when Howard was breaking records in 1937,I would think the Japanese then were looking for great designs.In ships ,Subs,and Planes....I would think this RACER got a good LOOK SEE...<label for="rb_iconid_24">
icon23.gif
</label>

screenshot1086.jpg
 
The Hughes Racer had little resemblance to the Zero, it being quite smaller. A closer bet would be the Vultee Vengence P-66.
Although I'm convinced that the Zero was a native Mitsubishi design. It may have been inflenced by existing designs, such as the guns in the cowling. Something that was shared by the P-66. But the Zero was defintely their own


View attachment 53282
 
When you read up on all of the requirements that were outlined in the original contract that Mitsubishi competed for that led to the development and production of the A6M, it is absolutely incredible that anyone could design a single aircraft that would fulfill every one of them.

Those that work on the original airwrothy example, powered by the original powerplant, at the Planes of Fame Air Museum, are always quick to want to point out how great the engineering minds of the Japanese that designed both the aircraft, and the powerplants, were, wishing to try and correct the philosophy that remains, of the aircraft, and the engine, simply being direct copies of existing American designs.

It was amazing to see this example flying, in-person, last year, which is an original A6M2 airframe (though mostly a new-build to original spec - quite simply a work-of-art to behold). After completing a high-speed pass right down the length of the runway, I don't know if I have ever seen an aircraft that looked better, simply flying. It is a wonderfully sleak design, with the gear up, that I don't is as well captured in any photograph or video as it is seeing it in-person. http://www.airliners.net/photo/Mitsubishi-A6M2-Model/1803862/L/&sid=7c1611ecdb154455ae69d6d5ecb3f6ac
 
I would think yer correct Helldiver,as we both know ,in those years ,it was hard to give credit where credit was due.but after all these years,the facts do emerge.
For a long time,the theory put out was that the VOUGHT V-141,was somehow instrumental in the Zero development...Some still believe that.


The Vought V-141 (which was later redesignated V-143 after modification) was a prototype American single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s. It was a development of the unsucessful Northrop 3-A design, but was itself a failure, being rejected by the United States Army Air Corps. The sole prototype was sold to the Japanese Army in 1937, but no production followed, with the type proving to be inferior to existing Japanese fighters.

. Although it was later to be widely alleged that the Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen was based on the V-143, there was no truth in such allegations, although Vought's method of undercarriage retraction provided the inspiration for that of the Japanese fighter.




Who knows??..Mabey the landing gear,could be the only connection.....Of course we know,the ZERO,a fine machine,that it was,placed no real value on its pilots safety..this in the armaments.to protect the pilots!..The maneuverability was the trade off I guess!..But then the "CATS" came along!The OLD" MEATBALL" was something!....Regards..Vin!!
 
The Vought V-141 resembles the Zero as muh as the Hughes Racer. From it's semi-gull wing to its out wards folding landing gear. Since they were concieved only a`couple of months apart. I don't believe the people at NorView attachment 53298throp had Japanese looking over their shoulders.
 
What is amazing is that the US was surprised by the Zero, we shouldn't have been as appropriate intilegence reports mouldered in the files. Probably what saved the USN was the fine gunnery skills and emphisis on deflection shooting.... and teamwork. The Zero was a fine aeronautical achievement, and like all brilliant designs built on solid technology of the day.

Thanks Baz!


T
 
Yes ,fliger747,...what was reported some Japanese said at Pearl Harbor?....“I fear that we have awakened a sleeping giant
and filled him with a terrible resolve.”Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Empire of Japan
December 7th, 1941

In the 30s we were in a Great Depression.....Before the Pearl Harbor attack there were some 120,000 American soldiers.,these looking for a job,clothes,and boots, three squares,for many had none! a rag tag military!At the end of the war the USA had about 16 million under arms (most of them reservists); about 4 million Americans were in http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_...nd_how_many_were_there_at_the_end_of_the_war# action in Europe (against Germany and Italy) and half a million men were in action in the Pacific (against the Japanese....I would think we were sleeping,in the 30s.Even tho In Europe,War was more than cooking.
At that time ,if you remember,many influential Americans wanted no part of this War....but On Dec. 7 1941,STUFF HAPPENED,..America at War,The Depression,over,kids in the services,
This fascination we now have ,is reveling.,....we go to museums to view the Armor of the Knights of old...its historic! as these planes are today.,and should never be forgotten!






​
 
An argument exists between the warbird fliers (and crashers) and the Museum preservationists. Every one obliterated by an opertional incident is one less.

The birds done with loving care for FS help preserve the spirit of these rare planes and educate many to their virtues and vices.

Few Japanese planes survive in flying condition, one of my preservation books cites the tendency for the high performance Japanese alloys to crystalize and loose strength with age, to a great degree. One must remember that these planes were not designed for long service lives, ones they would never see.

T
 
I wouldn't say Japanese Aluminum "crystalized", more than they suffered badly by corrosion. They were stuck wth fairly malleable 7075 Aluminum.. Because of Alcoa's developmemt of heat treatable Aluminum, most of our aircraft structures were made of Aluminun- Magnesium- Silicon alloy, 6061 -T6. Further develpments in anodizing made it evan more corrosion resistant, Japanese Aluminum just "rotted" from just being exposed to the enviornment.
It didn't mean that our aircraft did not suffer from corrosion. There was a seaman with a paint pot that would touch up scratches and digs on Carrier borne aircraft.
Sorry for the large printing and any spelling mistakes but my eyes are getting so bad I have to print large enough to read what I write. Getting old ain't for sissies, someone said.
 
Yes Helldiver,so true......"Sorry for the large printing and any spelling mistakes but my eyes are getting so bad I have to print large enough to read what I write. Getting old ain't for sissies, someone said."


They say the second thing to go is yer memory,when asked whats the first? I reply ,I forgot!.......however We can see UNCLE AL,is not on our shoulders!........And we do not forget..Cheers!..Vin


 
That was Art Linkletter that wrote a book, "Getting Old Ain't for Sissies"...... Certainly true! Hard to believe FDR died at only 62!

Metal Crystallazation over a long period is indeed a structural issue, this is specifically mentioned in my museum aircraft restoration references regarding Japanese Aircraft. It is even a concern with some of the old military rifles that I collect (about 50) many of which are in the 100 year old range now. Yes I do shoot them....

Off now from Guam to Tokyo now! The hard working Aviation Machinist Mates certainly helped keep a high aircraft servicability rate while working at sea!

The Zero is a classic aircraft, one that should have more flying example in FS than it does.

All eep up the good work and no need for apologies for the large print, for anyone!

T
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top