Purpose:
Single-seat carrier-borne or land-based fighter (A7M1, A7M2 and A7M3), or
land-based interceptor fighter (A7M3-J). All-metal construction with
fabric-covered control surfaces.
Background: Did not enter service during
wartime.
Specifications:
1. Armament:
a. Two wing-mounted 13.2 mm Type 3
machine-guns and two wing-mounted 20 mm. Type 99 Model 2 cannon (A7M1 and
A7M2).
b.
Four wing-mounted 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannon (A7M2).
c.
Six
wing-mounted 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannon (A7M3).
d. Two fuselage-mounted
oblique-firing 30 mm Type 5 cannon and four wing-mounted30 mm Type 5 cannon (A7M3-J).
e. External
load: two 250 kg bombs or two 350 litre drop tanks.
2. Powerplant:
One
Nakajima NK9K Homare 22 eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial, rated at
2,000 hp for take-off, and 1,570 hp at 6,850 m, driving a four-blade
constant-speed metal propeller (A7M1).
One
Mitsubishi MK9A eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial rated at 2,200 hp for
take-off, 2,070 hp at 1,000 m and 1,800 hp at 6,000 m, driving a
four-blade constant-speed metal propeller (A7M2).
One
Mitsubishi MK9C eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial rated at 2,250 hp for
take-off, 2,000 hp at 1,800 m, 1,800 hp at 5,000 m and 1,660 hp at 8,700
m, driving a four-blade constant-speed metal propeller (A7M3).
One
Mitsubishi [Ha-43] 11 Ru eighteen-cylinder air-cooled radial rated at
2,200 hp for take-off, 2,130 hp at 6,800 m and 1,920 hp at 10,300 m,
driving a four-blade constant-speed metal propeller (A6M6c and A6M7).
3. Dimensions
and Performance
Specification
A7M1
A7M2
A7M3
A7M3-J
Dimensions:
Span
14.00 m
14.00 m
14.00 m
14.00 m
Length
11.00 m
11.00 m
11.00 m
11.96 m
Height
4.28 m
4.28 m
4.28 m
4.28 m
Wing area
30.9 m2
30.9 m2
30.9 m2
31.3 m2
Weights:
Empty
3,110 kg
3,226 kg
3,392 kg
3,955 kg
Loaded
4,410 kg
4,720 kg
5,040 kg
5,732 kg
Wing loading
142.9 kg/m2
152.9 kg/m2
163.3 kg/m2
183.1 kg/m2
Power loading
2.2 kg/hp
2.1 kg/hp
2.2 kg/hp
2.6 kg/hp
Performance:
Maximum speed
310 kt at 6,190 m
339 kt at 6,600 m
347 kt at 8,700 m
350 kt at 10,000 m
Cruising speed
-
225 kt at 4,000 m
-
-
Climb to …
6,000 m
6,000 m
10,000 m
10,000 m
…in
9 min 54 sec
6 min 7 sec
13 min 6 sec
15 min
Service ceiling
-
10,900 m
11,300 m
11,500 m
Endurance
-
2.5 hr at cruising +
30 min combat
-
-
Production:
A total of 10 A7Ms were built by Mitsubishi
Jukogyo K.K. at Nagoya as follows:
2
A7M1 prototypes
7
A7M2 prototypes and Service trials aircraft
1
A7M2 production aircraft
References:
1.Taylor, Michael (ed), Jane’s Encyclopedia of Aviation,
London, Jane’s Publishing Company, 1980.
2.Fitzsimons, Bernard et al, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th
Century Weapons and Warfare, Toronto, Purnell Reference Books, 1977.
3.Francillon, René J., Japanese
Aircraft of the Pacific War, Putnam, 1979 (numerousrevised reprints available from several publishers).
4.Parshall, Jon, http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaigun.htm.
An excellent website forinformation on the Imperial Japanese Navy. Aircraft information on
this page originally compiled by Joao Paulo Julião Matsuura.