Aeroplane Heaven Mitsubishi A6M-2 Zero (MSFS 2020)

The Mitsubishi Zero was, at the start of WWII, one of the most capable carrier-based aircraft to exist. It had excellent acrobatic skills and a very long fuel range (further helped by the addition of external fuel tanks). The Mitusbishi Zero was first used in China in the latter stages of 1940. They were able to gain an impressive kill ratio of 12: 1 due to a number of innovations including how light the plane was. This allowed for manoeuvres that were more vigorous than most.

The Mitsubishi Zero (or Reisen as it was referred to by its Japanese pilots) came to the attention of the US during the suprise attack on Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941 which had the devastating effect of crippling (for a short time) the American navy and killing and injuring many brave men and women of the US armed forces. The inevitable entrance of the US into WWII saw the fighters of the US come up against the Zero. At first the F4F Wildcat was well and truly outclassed by the lighter, faster Zero, but this advantage was also to be the undoing of the Zero and air supremacy in the Pacific. The Zero afforded little to no protection for the pilot and, worse yet, had no self-sealing fuel tanks. This meant that experienced pilots who would have survived a dogfight in an Allied aircraft (where the focus was more on pilot protection) would often not survive.

It was during this time that a number of Zeros were captured and sent to the Allies for information and intelligence gathering. A very famous captured Zero was the Akutan Zero or Koga's Zero It was a prize that was to provide valuable intel. The captured craft data was sent to Grumman Aircraft who, upon receiving it, started on a plane that could match or surpass the Zero's specifications while keeping pilots safe. This could be seen as the turning point in the air war in the Pacific.

As more Allied aircraft started to gain supremacy, in particular the Vought Corsair and the aforementioned Grumman F-6F Hellcat, in the air due to this data and information gleaned from fighting the Zero, the Zero was soon to become a less formidable foe than it had been in the early years of the war. It was still being developed during this time but the tide had changed and with the full might of US industry, supply issues and tropical disease wrecking havoc through personnel, the Japanese military simply couldn't keep up. As more experienced Japanese pilots were to lose their lives, the Zero's prime role was changed to being a Kamikazi plane. Piloted by less experienced pilots, they were used as human guided bombs towards the end of the war. It is estimated that 3,800 Japanese pilots died and over 7,000 Allied naval personnel were killed. This awful practice was stopped at the end of the Pacific war at the dawning of the nuclear and jet age.

The Mitsubishi Zero remains one of the more respected Axis aircraft of WWII and ushered in technology whose roots can still be seen today.

Innovative features

• All new high-fidelity models with superb detail including gear wells and wing folds
• Beautifully crafted exterior and interior models built over contemporary detailed plans and drawings
• Authentic cockpit detail includes many bespoke animations and effects
• Full PBR materials and textures include realistic 'pillowing' of metal surfaces
• RAF and US pilots included for those specific liveries
• Choice of bomb or exterior tank
• Highly accurate flight dynamics and performance based on real flight tests
• Specially in-house authored WWise Hi-Fidelity sound package
• Unique code to 'iron out' poor simulator tail-dragger performance

COMPATIBILITY INFORMATION

This Mitsubishi Zero A6M-2 add-on for MSFS2020 has been built with the SDK as shipped with version 1.38.20 (post System Update XI ) of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

FS2024 compatibility information

This is an MSFS 2020 add-on - NOT A NATIVE MSFS2024 PACKAGE.

Known issues in MSFS24

• Glass reticle and sight are barely see through
• Crash fire effect is upside down!
• Sounds are more muffled
• (Along with the usual issues that an MSFS 2020 plane has in MSFS 2024)