Mitsubishi A6M5 (PBR)

The Mitsubishi A6M5 served as the primary fighter of choice for the Japanese Navy throughout WWII. This redesigned version of the Zero featured an extended 11m wingspan and rounded wingtips to enable it to fly at higher diving speeds. Furthermore, it introduced individual ejector exhaust stacks which gave it more power to match American fighters.

The initial aircraft to be constructed was a prototype powered by 580kW (770hp) Nakajima Sakae 21 engine. This aircraft was intended to be an extended-range, high-speed carrier fighter.

It was an enormous success, but as the war progressed, Allied fighters developed stronger firepower, armour, speed and maneuverability. This meant that Japan needed to continue developing and perfecting their aircraft in order to remain competitive.

To meet this challenge, several versions of the Zero were developed: A6M3 for aircraft carriers; A6M2 as a basic fighter; and finally the A6M5, which would become mass produced in greater numbers.

The A6M5 was intended to be a more powerful version of the Zero. It used the same 1130hp Nakajima Sakae 21 engine as its smaller brother, but featured an extended fuselage and more refined engine cowling. Furthermore, it was equipped with Type 99-2 Model 4 20mm cannon while replacing its fuel tank with one larger.

The A6M5 featured an advanced exhaust system and engine redesign to use belt-fed cannon ammunition instead of drums. Furthermore, its shorter wing design reduced distance between cockpit and wingtips, making it easier to carry large amounts of bombs or missiles.

3d-model for any projects. Included PBR-textures.