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The A6M Zero Type 52 was a Japanese Navy fighter plane that was used during World War II and the Pacific War.

The Zero Fighter Type 21, feared by its enemies as a high-performance aircraft,was becoming inferior in speed and armament to the new enemy fighters by the 18th year of the Showa era.

So the Type 52 was developed following the Type 32 and Type 22.

To improve speed, the wing width was shortened to 11m,the cowling (the cover that covered the engine) was redesigned, and a single thrust exhaust pipe (an exhaust pipe that uses the engine exhaust to obtain some thrust) was installed.

This allowed the Zero Fighter Type 22 to reach a maximum speed of 590km/h, 25km faster than the 565km/h of the Zero Fighter Type 22.

A total of about 6,000 Zero Fighter Type 52 series aircraft were produced,and they were in service until Japan’s defeat in the Pacific War.

Data
Crew: 1 pilot
Aircraft width (wing span): 11m
Aircraft length (to tip of propeller spinner): 9.12m
Overall height (from ground to tip of vertical tail): 3.51m
Engine: Sakae 21 air-cooled radial engine
Engine output: 1,100 horsepower at an altitude of 2,850m
Maximum speed: 590km/h
Weapons installed on the aircraft: 2 20mm machine guns on the nose, 2 7.7mm machine guns at wing tips

(Engine output was measured at the altitude where the Zero Fighter Type 52 was most efficient in flight with the most efficient air pressure and temperature.This altitude varies depending on the aircraft.)