Mitsubishi A5M facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids A5M

An A5M2b with arrestor hook and drop tank
Role	Carrier-based fighter
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Designer	Jiro Horikoshi
First flight	4 February 1935
Introduction	1936
Retired	1945
Primary user	Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
Number built	1,094
Variants	Mitsubishi Ki-18 Mitsubishi Ki-33

The Mitsubishi A5M was a Japanese fighter aircraft used by the Navy during World War II. Its official Japanese Navy name was Mitsubishi Navy Type 96 Carrier-based Fighter. It was also known by its company name, Mitsubishi Ka-14. The number 96 came from the Japanese year 2596 (which was 1936 in our calendar), the year it started serving the Imperial Navy.

This plane was special because it was the world's first low-wing monoplane (a plane with one main wing) designed to fly from aircraft carriers. It was also the plane that came before the very famous Mitsubishi A6M "Zero". The Allied forces, who were fighting against Japan, gave it the code name Claude.

Designing the A5M Fighter Plane
The A5M in Action
Different Versions of the A5M
Who Used the A5M?
Surviving A5M Planes
A5M4 Specifications
Images for kids
See also

Designing the A5M Fighter Plane

In 1934, the Imperial Japanese Navy wanted a new, advanced fighter plane. They asked for a plane that could fly at least 350 kilometers per hour (about 217 mph) at 3,000 meters (about 9,800 feet). It also needed to climb to 5,000 meters (about 16,400 feet) in 6.5 minutes. Two companies, Mitsubishi and Nakajima, created designs for this request.

The first prototype of the A5M, called Ka-14, with its special inverted gull wing.

Mitsubishi gave the job of designing this new fighter to a team led by Jiro Horikoshi. He later designed the famous A6M Zero. Their design, called Ka-14, was a metal plane with a low, thin wing. This wing had a unique "inverted gull" shape. The plane also had fixed landing gear (wheels that did not fold away). Designers decided not to use retractable landing gear because they thought it would add too much weight. They believed the extra weight would not be worth the small speed increase it might offer.

The first Ka-14 prototype flew on February 4, 1935. It had a 600 horsepower engine. This plane was much faster than the Navy had asked for, reaching a top speed of 450 kilometers per hour (about 280 mph). The second prototype had a different, flatter wing. After more changes to make it easier to fly and faster, the plane was ordered for production as the A5M.

The Japanese Army was also interested in the Ka-14 because it performed so well. They ordered a special version called the Ki-18 to test. Even though it was much faster than their current planes, the Army decided not to use it. They felt it was not as easy to maneuver as their Kawasaki Ki-10 biplane. Mitsubishi later offered another version, the Ki-33, but the Army chose a different plane instead.

The A5M in Action

The A5M started flying for the Navy in early 1937. It quickly saw combat in the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was one of the first times that all-metal monoplane fighters fought each other in the sky. The A5M fought against planes like the Boeing P-26 and Curtiss Hawk III flown by Chinese pilots.

An A5M from the aircraft carrier Akagi flying with an extra fuel tank (around 1938 or 1939).

Even though the A5M only had two 7.7mm machine guns, it was very effective. It could take a lot of damage and was easy to fly. It was better than almost every other fighter plane it met. Later, A5Ms also flew alongside Mitsubishi G3M bombers to protect them.

Mitsubishi kept making the A5M better. The last version was called the A5M4. This model could carry an extra fuel tank under its body. This allowed it to fly for much longer distances.

One of the A5M's toughest opponents was the Polikarpov I-16. This was a fast and well-armed fighter flown by Chinese and Soviet pilots. Some of the biggest air battles of that time happened in 1938. For example, on April 29, 67 Polikarpov fighters fought against 18 Japanese bombers and 27 A5M fighters. Both sides claimed victory, showing how fierce these battles were.

Many A5Ms had open cockpits. A few were built with closed cockpits, but pilots preferred the open ones. All A5Ms had fixed landing gear that did not retract. Some had covers over the wheels, but training planes usually did not.

About 104 A5M planes were changed to have two seats. These planes, called A5M4-K, were used to train new pilots. These training planes continued to be used long after the single-seat A5Ms stopped fighting in battles.

When the United States entered World War II in late 1941, some A5Ms were still in service. American intelligence thought the A5M was still Japan's main Navy fighter. However, the newer A6M 'Zero' had already replaced it on the main aircraft carriers. Other Japanese carriers and air groups continued to use the A5M until more Zeros were built.

The A5M saw its last major combat as a fighter on May 7, 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Two A5Ms and four A6Ms fought against American planes that sank their carrier, the Shōhō. In the final months of the war, many of the remaining A5M planes were used for special kamikaze attacks.

Different Versions of the A5M

The A5M4-K, a two-seat trainer version of the A5M.

Here are some of the different types of A5M aircraft:

Ka-14: These were the first six prototype planes. They had different engines and designs as they were being tested.
A5M1: This was the first version made for the Navy. It had an 850 horsepower engine.
A5M2/2a: Model 21: This version had a more powerful engine.
A5M2b: Model 22: These were the first planes produced with a special engine cover and a 640 horsepower engine.
A5M3a: These were prototypes that used a different engine, a 601 horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine.
A5M4: Model 24 (also called Model 4): This version was like the A5M2b but had a different engine, a closed cockpit, and an extra fuel tank that could be removed. The very last ones (Model 34) had an even more powerful engine.
A5M1-A5M4: Mitsubishi built 780 of these planes. Other companies also built them: Watanabe built 39, and Naval Ohmura Arsenal built 161.
A5M4-K: This was a two-seat training version of the A5M4. Naval Ohmura Arsenal built 103 of these.
Ki-18: This was a single prototype plane for the Japanese Army. It was based on the A5M but designed to fly from land.
Ki-33: Two prototypes of this plane were made. It was an improved version of the Ki-18 with a different engine and a closed cockpit.

In total, 1,094 A5M planes of all types were built.

Who Used the A5M?

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the main user of the A5M. These planes were flown from many aircraft carriers and air bases, including:

Aircraft carrier Akagi
Aircraft carrier Hōshō
Aircraft carrier Kaga
Aircraft carrier Ryūjō
Aircraft carrier Shōhō
Aircraft carrier Sōryū
Aircraft carrier Zuihō
Chitose Air Group
Oita Air Group
Ōminato Air Group
Omura Air Group
Sasebo Air Group
Tainan Air Group
Yokosuka Air Group
12 Air Corps
13 Air Corps
14 Air Corps
15 Air Corps

Surviving A5M Planes

Today, there are no A5M planes that have been fully restored or can fly. One A5M is known to exist underwater inside a sunken ship called the Fujikawa Maru. This ship is located in Chuuk Lagoon in Micronesia. Parts of several A6M Zero planes are also found there.

A5M4 Specifications

Here are some technical details about the Mitsubishi A5M4:

Crew: 1 pilot
Length: 7.565 meters (24 feet 10 inches)
Wingspan: 11 meters (36 feet 1 inch)
Height: 3.27 meters (10 feet 9 inches)
Wing area: 17.8 square meters (192 square feet)
Empty weight: 1,216 kilograms (2,681 pounds)
Loaded weight: 1,671 kilograms (3,684 pounds)
Engine: 1 Nakajima Kotobuki 41 or 41 KAI 9-cylinder radial engine
- This engine produced 710 horsepower for takeoff.
Top speed: 435 kilometers per hour (270 mph) at 3,000 meters (9,800 feet)
Range: 1,201 kilometers (746 miles)
Service ceiling: 9,800 meters (32,200 feet)
Time to altitude: It could climb to 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) in 3 minutes 35 seconds.
Guns: 2 x 7.7mm machine guns mounted in the fuselage, firing through the propeller.
Bombs: It could carry two 30 kg (66 lb) bombs or one 160 liter (42 US gallon) drop-tank for extra fuel.

Images for kids

A 3-view drawing of the Mitsubishi A5M, showing it from the front, side, and top.