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119-436: NAMC was a consortium of several manufacturing companies and university professors. It was founded during April 1957 by executives from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries , Fuji Heavy Industries , Shinmeiwa Manufacturing , Sumitomo , Nihon Kogata Hikoki , Showa Aircraft , and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to design and manufacture a Japanese civilian turboprop airliner to replace the obsolete Douglas DC-3 . The resulting aircraft,

238-501: A cargo spaceship contractor. On 1 April 2008, MHI established Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation as a subsidiary to develop and produce the MRJ or Mitsubishi Regional Jet , a 70 to 90 passenger regional airliner. MHI is the majority shareholder of the new company, with Toyota Motor Corporation owning 10%. On December 12, 2012, MHI acquired Pratt & Whitney Power Systems , the small gas turbine business of United Technologies . In

357-546: A raid of Chongqing , attacked 34 Soviet-built Polikarpov I-15s and I-16s of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force , claimed "all 27" of the Chinese fighters shot down without loss to themselves. However Major Louie Yim-qun had in fact nursed his I-15 riddled with 48 bullet holes back to base, and Lieutenant Gao Youxin claimed to have shot down one Zero, but at most 4 Zeroes sustained some damage in

476-645: A "vital national interest" at a moment when the French unemployment level stands above 10% and some voters are turning towards the conservative party. GE's proposal ultimately prevailed. MHI had entered the high-speed train business in 1995, with the manufacture of the MLX01 SCMaglev car , a business it exited in 2017 after struggling with the development costs of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet , and disagreements with Central Japan Railway Company over

595-672: A ball of fire by now. When the Lockheed P-38 Lightning , armed with four "light barrel" AN/M2 .50 cal. Browning machine guns and one 20 mm autocannon , and the Grumman F6F Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair , each with six AN/M2 .50 calibre Browning guns, appeared in the Pacific theater, the A6M, with its low-powered engine and lighter armament, was hard-pressed to remain competitive. In combat with an F6F or F4U,

714-572: A blind eye to Korean victims. On November 28, 2018, MHI was ordered by the South Korea Supreme Court to pay 150m won ($ 133,000; £104,000) in compensation to 10 surviving Koreans who were victims of forced labor which the company oversaw during the Japanese occupation of Korea . Eighteen family members of other victims of the forced labour overseen by MHI, who had previously sued sometime before 2008, were now able to receive

833-583: A commercial context, there was an early recognition of the value for multiple branches of the Japanese Defense Agency (JDA) to be readily able to adopt the type as well. As a philosophy, this not only extended to the prospective airliner itself, but the various technologies involved in its development and manufacture. In response to this political encouragement, during 1957, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries , Kawasaki Heavy Industries , Fuji Heavy Industries (better known as

952-576: A deal expected to close in the first half of 2020, subject to regulatory approval. MHI will benefit from Bombardier's global expertise in areas ranging from engineering and certification to customer relations and support, boosting its SpaceJet (formerly MRJ) programme, and potentially enabling the SpaceJet to be produced in North America. The deal includes two service centres in Canada and two in

1071-453: A disadvantage against the salesmen of rival airframers. This failure to address a crucial factor in acquiring new customers has been attributed as a major contributing cause of the programme's poor commercial reception. The end of the YS-11 programme was precipitated by the 1971 Smithsonian Agreement , which led to an appreciation in the value of the Japanese yen and the resulting impact upon

1190-523: A dive. Testing also revealed that the Zero could not roll as quickly to the right as it could to the left, which could be exploited. While stable on the ground despite its light weight, the aircraft was designed purely for the attack role, emphasizing long range, maneuverability, and firepower at the expense of protection of its pilot. Most lacked self-sealing tanks and armor plating. Captain Eric Brown ,

1309-431: A good rate of roll. Another important maneuver was Lieutenant Commander John S. "Jimmy" Thach 's " Thach Weave ", in which two fighters would fly about 60 m (200 ft) apart. If a Zero latched onto the tail of one of the fighters, the two aircraft would turn toward each other. If the Zero followed his original target through the turn, he would come into a position to be fired on by the target's wingman. This tactic

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1428-487: A joint-venture named MHI Vestas Offshore Wind to develop offshore wind energy based on Vestas' V164 8.0MW turbine. In 2020, MHI acquired 2.5% of Vestas by transferring its 50% of MHI Vestas to Vestas, and receiving 5 million new Vestas shares. MHI's products include: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries apologized and compensated victims of Chinese forced labor by Japan during World War II in 2015. Yonhap News Agency criticized Mitsubishi for rescuing Chinese victims while turning

1547-477: A large scale. Iwasaki purchased the shipyards outright in 1887. In 1891, "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Yokohama Machinery Works" was started as Yokohama Dock Company, Ltd . Its main business was ship repairs, to which it added ship servicing by 1897. The works was renamed Mitsubishi Shipyard of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha in 1893 and additional dry docks were completed in 1896 and 1905. The "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works"

1666-572: A loss in FY 2020 partly because of the continuous delays of the first delivery of the SpaceJet. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that crippled the aviation industry, MHI decided to put a halt to the project. In 2010, MHI commenced production of the Type 10 advanced main battle tank, at a cost of $ 11.3 million per unit, to replace the Type 90 tank . The nuclear business of MHI operates facilities in

1785-435: A maximum speed of 565 km/h (351 mph) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft), reaching that altitude in 7:01 minutes. Subsequent variants included: Some Model 21 and 52 aircraft were converted to "bakusen" ( fighter-bombers ) by mounting a bomb rack and 250 kg (550 lb) bomb in place of the centerline drop tank. Up to seven Model 52 planes were ostensibly converted into A6M5-K two-seat trainers. Mass production

1904-481: A new programme to develop a jet-powered airliner, intending for it to directly compete with those being produced in the U.S. by companies such as Boeing and McDonnell Douglas . Unfortunately, because of the prohibitive cost of both manufacturing a jet engine in-house and also purchasing pre-fabricated engines from international companies such as Rolls-Royce , NAMC was forced to abandon its plans. Wracked by 36 billion Yen in debt (approximately $ 151 million based on

2023-505: A prototype plane exists. It shows a turbo unit mounted in the forward left fuselage. Lack of suitable alloys for use in the manufacture of a turbo-supercharger and its related ducting caused numerous ruptures, resulting in fires and poor performance. Consequently, further development of a turbo-supercharged A6M was cancelled. The lack of acceptance by the Navy suggests that it did not bestow model number 41 or 42 formally, although it appears that

2142-552: A reputation as a dogfighter , achieving an outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1, but by mid-1942 a combination of new tactics and the introduction of better equipment enabled Allied pilots to engage the Zero on generally equal terms. By 1943, the Zero was less effective against newer Allied fighters. The Zero lacked hydraulic boosting for its ailerons and rudder, rendering it difficult to maneuver at high speeds. Lack of self-sealing fuel tanks also made it more vulnerable than its contemporaries. By 1944, with Allied fighters approaching

2261-453: A small loop of high wing over which placed them out of reach and in position for another attack. By reversing the turn sharply after each attack the leader may get a shot at the enemy while he is climbing away or head on into a scissor if the Jap turns to meet it. In contrast, Allied fighters were designed with ruggedness and pilot protection in mind. The Japanese ace Saburō Sakai described how

2380-568: A two-blade propeller. It first flew on 1 April, and passed testing within a remarkably short period. By September, it had already been accepted for Navy testing as the A6M1 Type 0 Carrier Fighter, with the only notable change being a switch to a three-bladed propeller to cure a vibration problem. While the Navy was testing the first two prototypes, they suggested that the third be fitted with the 700 kW (940 hp) Nakajima Sakae 12 engine instead. Mitsubishi had its own engine of this class in

2499-582: A withdrawal from LNG carrier construction, started to negotiate with Oshima Shipbuilding to divest its historic shipyard located in Koyagi, Nagasaki. On 24 December 2019, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding delivered its first fuel gas supply system for a marine LNG engine . In June 2020, MHI entered talks with Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding to acquire the latter's naval and patrol ship business. The deal would strengthen MHI's defense sector, effectively consolidating Japan's defense industry as well. The deal

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2618-603: Is expected to be reached by the end of 2020, with the parties closing the transaction by October 2021, if approved by regulators. On January 17, 2022, the first successful sea voyage of an unmanned, fully autonomous vessel was successfully carried out by the Soleil , built by MHI. The demonstration, conducted in cooperation of Shin Nihonkai Ferry , sailed 240 kilometres, from Shinmoji in Northern Kyushu , to

2737-583: Is that the F4F-4 is even more sluggish and slow than the F4F-3. It is also felt that it was a mistake to put 6 guns on the F4F-4 and thus to reduce the rounds per gun. Many of our fighters ran out of ammunition even before the Jap dive bombers arrived over our forces; these were experienced pilots, not novices. They were astounded by the Zero's superiority: In the Coral Sea, they made all their approaches from

2856-444: Is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Motors . MHI's products include aerospace and automotive components, air conditioners , elevators , forklift trucks , hydraulic equipment , printing machines , missiles , tanks , power systems , ships , aircraft , railway systems , and space launch vehicles . Through its defense-related activities, it is the world's 23rd-largest defense contractor measured by 2011 defense revenues and

2975-650: The China Burma India Theater by the " Flying Tigers " of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) against similarly maneuverable Japanese Army aircraft such as the Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" and Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" . AVG pilots were trained by their commander Claire Chennault to exploit the advantages of their P-40 Warhawks , which were very sturdy, heavily armed, generally faster in a dive, and level flight at low altitude, with

3094-569: The Commercial Transport Design Research Association was established and the availability of government subsidies was guaranteed. From the government's viewpoint, the development of such an airliner was viewed as a key initiative towards the post-war revival of the nation's aircraft companies, which came in addition to the ambition to become a competitor in the global airliner industry. Furthermore, while this requirement had been conceived primarily in

3213-679: The Japan Air Self-Defense Force and anti-submarine helicopters for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force , as well as aero-engines, missiles and torpedoes. It produced North American F-86 Sabre , Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighters. It manufactured 139 Mitsubishi F-15J fighter aircraft from 1981 and produced 200 Sikorsky S-70 family Mitsubishi H-60 helicopters from 1989, in both cases under license production. The company also plays an important role in

3332-641: The Korean War , opening up the possibility for a Japanese company to produce a commercial aircraft. During the mid-to-late 1950s, the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) identified a requirement for a short-haul airliner to replace Douglas DC-3s flying on Japan's domestic routes, and encouraged Japan's aircraft industry to collaborate to develop and produce a domestic airliner to meet this need. Towards this purpose, in May 1957,

3451-668: The Occupation of Japan ended, which meant that the ban on using zaibatsu names was lifted. Accordingly, all three companies changed names again on 7 May 1952: West Japan Heavy Industries (the Nagasaki Shipyard) was renamed Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd. , Central Japan Heavy Industries, Ltd. was renamed Shin-Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K. (also trading as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Reorganized, Ltd. ; shin meaning "New"), while East Japan Heavy-Industries became Mitsubishi Nippon Heavy Industries. In 1964,

3570-738: The Polikarpov I-16s and I-153s that had been such a problem for the A5Ms when in service. In one encounter, 13 Zeros shot down 27 I-15s and I-16s in under three minutes without loss. After hearing of these reports, the Navy immediately ordered the A6M2 into production as the Type 0 Carrier Fighter, Model 11. Reports of the Zero's performance slowly filtered back to the US. They were met with scepticism by most US military officials, who thought it impossible for

3689-823: The Yamato-class battleship , Musashi, of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II . MHI has shipbuilding facilities in Nagasaki , Kobe and Shimonoseki , Japan. Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works ( 三菱重工長崎造船所 , Mitsubishi Juko Nagasaki Zosenjo ) is the primary shipbuilding division of MHI. It primarily produces specialized commercial vessels, including LNG carriers , and passenger cruise ships . On 1 December 2017, MHI announced that it will launch two new wholly owned companies on 1 January 2018 in conjunction with reorganization of its shipbuilding business: In late 2019, MHI, exploring

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3808-485: The atomic bombing of Hiroshima three days earlier, dealt a devastating blow to the Japanese leadership, contributing to the surrender of Japan six days later. The Kobe Shipyard of Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha was established in 1905. The Kobe Shipyard merged with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1934. The Kobe Shipyard constructed the ocean liner Argentina Maru (later repurposed as the aircraft carrier Kaiyo ), and

3927-424: The "problems concerning property, rights, and interests" that had been existed between the two countries and respective peoples thereof during the occupation era "have been settled completely and finally". Mitsubishi A6M Zero The Mitsubishi A6M " Zero " is a long-range carrier-capable fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company , a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries . It

4046-653: The 1/2 hour-long dogfight over Chongqing. By the time they were redeployed a year later, the Zeros had shot down 99 Chinese aircraft (up to 266 according to other sources). At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor , 521 Zeros were active in the Pacific, 328 in first-line units. The carrier-borne Model 21 was the type encountered by the Americans. Its tremendous range of over 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) allowed it to range farther from its carrier than expected, appearing over distant battlefronts and giving Allied commanders

4165-548: The 1950s the company began to re-enter the aerospace industry in earnest. Along with other major Japanese companies it was involved in design and production of the NAMC YS-11 , the first Japanese airliner to enter production after World War II. In 1956 work started on the design of the Mitsubishi MU-2 , which became the company's first postwar aircraft design. In the defense sector, MHI has produced jet fighters for

4284-488: The A6M during the Second Sino-Japanese War . Inevitably some aircraft were lost, with at least two falling more-or-less intact into Chinese hands. The first known example, an A6M2 (the 12th of the 15 pre-production aircraft, Serial V-110), fell near Fainan Island. On 18 September 1940 a team, including Western volunteers assisting the Chinese, examined the wreck. It was largely intact, and a detailed report

4403-516: The A6M's levels of maneuverability and consistently exceeding its firepower, armor, and speed, the A6M had largely become outdated as a fighter aircraft. However, as design delays and production difficulties hampered the introduction of newer Japanese aircraft models, the Zero continued to serve in a front-line role until the end of the war in the Pacific . During the final phases, it was also adapted for use in kamikaze operations. Japan produced more Zeros than any other model of combat aircraft during

4522-613: The Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit at Eagle Farm Airport in Australia), who wanted quick, distinctive, easy-to-remember names. The Allied code for Japanese aircraft was introduced in 1942, and McCoy chose "Zeke" for the "Zero". Later, two variants of the fighter received their own code names. The Nakajima A6M2-N floatplane version of the Zero was called "Rufe", and the A6M3-32 variant

4641-589: The American method that built them separately and joined the two parts together. The Japanese method was much slower but resulted in a very strong structure and improved close maneuverability. American test pilots found that the Zero's controls were "very light" at 320 km/h (200 mph) but stiffened at speeds above 348 km/h (216 mph) to safeguard against wing failure. The Zero could not keep up with Allied aircraft in high-speed maneuvers, and its low " never exceed speed " (V NE ) made it vulnerable in

4760-595: The Battle of Midway Allied pilots expressed a high level of dissatisfaction with the F4F Wildcat . Captain Elliott Buckmaster , commanding officer of USS  Yorktown notes: The fighter pilots are very disappointed with the performance and length of sustained fire power of the F4F-4 airplanes. The Zero fighters could easily outmaneuver and out-climb the F4F-3, and the consensus of fighter pilot opinion

4879-523: The Grumman, the airplane did not fall, but kept on flying! I thought this very odd—it had never happened before—and closed the distance between the two airplanes until I could almost reach out and touch the Grumman. To my surprise, the Grumman's rudder and tail were torn to shreds, looking like an old torn piece of rag. With his plane in such condition, no wonder the pilot was unable to continue fighting! A Zero which had taken that many bullets would have been

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4998-514: The Imperial Navy, and "M" indicated Mitsubishi as the manufacturer. The official Allied code name was "Zeke", in keeping with the practice of giving male names to Japanese fighters, female names to bombers , bird names to gliders , and tree names to trainers . "Zeke" was part of the first batch of "hillbilly" code names assigned by Captain Frank T. McCoy of Nashville, Tennessee (assigned to

5117-677: The Iyonada Sea , over seven hours, with a maximum speed of 26 knots. In the LIMA 2023 convention, MHI unveiled the Multi-Role Support Ship concept for visitors. MHI has installed more 3,282 MW worldwide until December 2009, mainly turbines with 1 and 2.4 MW. The company is developing 7-MW-turbines for offshore wind power . Tests are planned for 2013 in Europe. On September 27, 2013, MHI and Vestas Wind Systems announced

5236-728: The Japanese Ballistic Missile Defense System program. In the space systems sector, MHI is the producer of the H-IIA and H-IIB launch vehicles, Japan's main rockets, and provides launch services for national institutions and companies around the world. The clients include JAXA , KARI , Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre , and Inmarsat . The company is also involved in the International Space Station program as

5355-438: The Japanese to build such an aircraft. After the delivery of the 65th aircraft, a further change was worked into the production lines, which introduced folding wingtips to allow them to fit on aircraft carriers. The resulting Model 21 would become one of the most produced versions early in the war. A feature was the improved range with 520 L (140 US gal) wing tank and 320 L (85 US gal) drop tank. When

5474-620: The Model 32 was unsuited to that campaign and was used mainly for shorter range offensive missions and interception. This variant was flown by only a small number of units, and only 343 were built. One example survives today, and is on display at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum in Tachiarai, Fukuoka . In order to correct the deficiencies of the Model 32, a new version with folding wingtips and redesigned wing

5593-465: The Model 52. Mitsubishi is unable to state with certainty that it ever used the designation "A6M4" or model numbers for it. However, "A6M4" does appear in a translation of a captured Japanese memo from a Naval Air Technical Arsenal, titled Quarterly Report on Research Experiments, dated 1 October 1942. It mentions a "cross-section of the A6M4 intercooler" then being designed. Some researchers believe "A6M4"

5712-454: The Sakae 21 engine, which used a two-speed supercharger for better altitude performance, and increased power to 831 kW (1,130 hp). A prototype Zero with the new engine was first flown on 15 July 1941. The new Sakae was slightly heavier and somewhat longer due to the larger supercharger, which moved the center of gravity too far forward on the existing airframe. To correct for this,

5831-489: The US, as well as the type certificates for the CRJ. Bombardier will retain its assembly facility at Mirabel , near Montreal , Canada, and will continue to produce the CRJ on behalf of MHI until the current order backlog is complete. In early May 2020, MHI confirmed that all conditions had been met and that the transaction would be closed on 1 June. The acquired aviation unit was then renamed MHI RJ Aviation Group. MHI recorded

5950-1071: The United States–based airline Trans States Holdings . MHI entered talks with Hitachi in August 2011 about a potential merger of the two companies, in what would have been the largest merger between two Japanese companies in history. The talks subsequently broke down and were suspended. In November 2012, MHI and Hitachi agreed to merge their thermal power generation businesses into a joint venture to be owned 65% by MHI and 35% by Hitachi. The joint venture began operations in February 2014 and ended in 2020, as Hitachi transferred its shares to MHI. In June 2014 Siemens and MHI announced their formation of joint ventures to bid for Alstom 's troubled energy and transportation businesses (in locomotives, steam turbines, and aircraft engines). A rival bid by General Electric (GE) has been criticized by French government sources, who consider Alstom's operations as

6069-555: The YS-11, was the only moderately successful civilian airliner to be produced by Japan after World War 2 and the only airliner designed and produced in Japan for over 50 years until the Mitsubishi Regional Jet first flew in 2015. Achieving a production run of 182, the YS-11 was not a commercial success for NAMC; the consortium's ambitions of producing a turbofan -powered successor were unrealised, and burdened by debt ,

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6188-634: The Yokohama Dock Company in 1935. From its inception, the Mitsubishi Nagasaki shipyards were heavily involved in contracts for the Imperial Japanese Navy . The largest battleship Musashi was completed at Nagasaki in 1942. These connections made Nagasaki a target for strategic bombing during World War II by the Allied air forces , which later dropped an atomic bomb on the city on August 9, 1945. This attack, following

6307-415: The Zero was one of the most modern carrier-based aircraft in the world at the time of its introduction. It had a fairly high-lift, low-speed wing with very low wing loading . Combined with its light weight, this resulted in a very low stalling speed of well below 60 kn (110 km/h; 69 mph). This was the main reason for its phenomenal maneuverability, allowing it to out-turn any Allied fighter of

6426-534: The acrobatic Japs", as Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault noted. Although not as fast as the British fighter, the Zero could out-turn the Spitfire with ease, sustain a climb at a very steep angle, and stay in the air for three times as long. Allied pilots soon developed tactics to cope with the Zero. Because of its extreme agility, engaging a Zero in a traditional turning dogfight was likely to be fatal. It

6545-454: The arsenal did use the designation "A6M4". The prototype engines nevertheless provided useful experience for future engine designs. Sometimes considered as the most effective variant, the Model 52 was developed to again shorten the wings to increase speed and dispense with the folding wing mechanism. In addition, ailerons, aileron trim tab and flaps were revised. Produced first by Mitsubishi, most Model 52s were made by Nakajima. The prototype

6664-552: The chief naval test pilot of the Royal Navy , recalled being impressed by the Zero during tests of captured aircraft. "I don't think I have ever flown a fighter that could match the rate of turn of the Zero. The Zero had ruled the roost totally and was the finest fighter in the world until mid-1943." The first two A6M1 prototypes were completed in March 1939, powered by the 580 kW (780 hp) Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 engine with

6783-694: The cities of Kobe and Takasago in Hyogo Prefecture and in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. It also operates a nuclear fuel manufacturing plant in Tōkai, Ibaraki which processes 440 metric tons of Uranium per year. MHI has also developed the Mitsubishi APWR design. MHI has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Areva for the establishment of a joint venture, Atmea , for their next reactor design ATMEA1. MHI has also been selected as

6902-468: The civil aircraft sector, MHI develops and manufactures major airframe components, including fuselage panels for the Boeing 777 and composite-material wing boxes for the 787 . In June 2014, the company joined four other major Japanese companies in signing an agreement to build parts for Boeing's 777X aircraft . On 25 June 2019, MHI announced the acquisition of Bombardier Aviation 's CRJ programme, in

7021-600: The company disbanded on 23 March 1983. Although Japan had designed and manufactured a number of military and civilian aircraft before and during the Second World War , the nation had been forbidden under the Potsdam Declaration from engaging in the production of airplanes following the war that could be used to rearm. These restrictions, however, had been loosened by the United States during

7140-421: The compensation as well by the decision. All twenty-eight plaintiffs had previously filed a lawsuit in Japan, but had their lawsuit dismissed by the Supreme Court of Japan in 2008. The Japanese government has officially disputed the lawsuit and defined the verdict as "a breach of the international law", citing the 1965 agreement which was made by the two nations to establish diplomatic relations , since all of

7259-413: The core company to develop a new generation of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR) by the Japanese government. After that announcement was made, MHI established a new company, Mitsubishi FBR Systems , Inc. (MFBR) specifically for the development and realization of FBR technology, starting what is likely to be the most aggressive corporate venture into FBR and Generation IV reactor technology. As of 2015, MHI

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7378-413: The crude oil and gas sectors as of 2015. Following financial difficulties at Areva , MHI announced in 2015 it would make a proposal to take a minority ownership stake in a new entity called inheriting Areva's nuclear reactor business and acquired a 19% stake in the entity in 2017. In 2018, the entity has been named Framatome . In 2020, MHI eventually acquired Hitachi's gas turbine business unit after

7497-427: The engine mountings were cut back by 185 mm (7.3 in) to move the engine toward the cockpit. This had the side effect of reducing the size of the main fuselage fuel tank (located between the engine and the cockpit) from 518 L (137 US gal) to 470 L (120 US gal). The cowling was redesigned to enlarge the cowl flaps, revise the oil cooler air intake, and move the carburetor air intake to

7616-427: The exchange rate at the time), NAMC was disbanded on 23 March 1983. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. ( 三菱重工業株式会社 , Mitsubishi Jūkōgyō Kabushiki-kaisha , MHI ) is a Japanese multinational engineering , electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo , Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division

7735-530: The experiences of the A5M in China, the IJN sent out updated requirements in October, calling for a speed of 270 kn (310 mph; 500 km/h) at 4,000 m (13,000 ft) and a climb to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 9.5 minutes. With drop tanks , the IJN wanted an endurance of two hours at normal power, or six to eight hours at economical cruising speed. Armament was to consist of two 20 mm cannons , two 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns and two 60 kg (130 lb) bombs . A complete radio set

7854-497: The form of the Kinsei , so they were somewhat reluctant to use the Sakae. Nevertheless, when the first A6M2 was completed in January 1940, the Sakae's extra power pushed the performance of the Zero well past the original specifications. The new version was so promising that the Navy had 15 built and shipped to China before they had completed testing. They arrived in Manchuria in July 1940, and first saw combat over Chongqing in August. There they proved to be completely untouchable by

7973-516: The impression that there were several times as many Zeros as actually existed. The Zero quickly gained a fearsome reputation. Thanks to a combination of unsurpassed maneuverability—compared to contemporary Axis fighters—and excellent firepower, it easily disposed of Allied aircraft sent against it in the Pacific in 1941. It proved a difficult opponent even for the Supermarine Spitfire . "The RAF pilots were trained in methods that were excellent against German and Italian equipment but suicide against

8092-472: The individual companies to make cost savings while simultaneously guarantee profit to them on every plane produced. Furthermore, it had been alleged that some participants saw the YS-11 as only a training programme to develop their employees' skills, rather than a serious commercial initiative; some participants chose to rotate large numbers of staff in and out of the project for brief periods before re-tasking them to work on internal projects. Marcado claims that

8211-439: The largest based in Japan. In 1857, at the request of the Tokugawa Shogunate , a group of Dutch engineers were invited, including Dutch naval engineer Hendrik Hardes, and began work on the Nagasaki Yotetsusho ( 長崎鎔鉄所 ), a modern, Western-style foundry and shipyard near the Dutch settlement of Dejima , at Nagasaki . This was renamed Nagasaki Seitetsusho ( 長崎製鉄所 ) Nagasaki Iron (Steel) Foundry in 1860, and construction

8330-413: The last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940) when it entered service. In Japan, it was unofficially referred to as both Rei-sen and Zero-sen ; Japanese pilots most commonly called it Zero-sen, where sen is the first syllable of sentōki, Japanese for "fighter plane". In the official designation "A6M", the "A" signified a carrier-based fighter, "6" meant that it was the sixth such model built for

8449-415: The late 1960s, a lack of significant international sales led to the YS-11 programme incurring persistent losses, the outstanding debt eventually growing to $ 600 million. Due to the organisation of the programme, the aircraft manufacturers themselves did not have any of this debt apportioned to themselves, NAMC being held solely responsible; Mercado criticised this approach as it meant there was no incentive for

8568-624: The lines switched to updated models, 740 Model 21s had been completed by Mitsubishi, and another 800 by Nakajima. Two other versions of the Model 21 were built in small numbers, the Nakajima-built A6M2-N "Rufe" floatplane (based on the Model 11 with a slightly modified tail), and the A6M2-K two-seat trainer of which a total of 508 were built by Hitachi and the Sasebo Naval Air Arsenal. In 1941, Nakajima introduced

8687-538: The manufacturing costs of the SCMaglev cars. In February 2021, MHI sold its machine tools business MHI Machine Tool Co. to Nidec . In June 2024, MHI announced it will cease newspaper rotary printing press production due to declining demand. At the time the company held a 50% share of the Japanese rotary press market. MHI has aerospace facilities in Nagoya , Aichi , Komaki, Aichi and Mississauga, Canada . In

8806-514: The nation's economy. By this point, it was clear that there was little chance that the YS-11 could ever come close to breaking-even . These myriad factors contributed to the decision for production to be terminated after the completion of 182 aircraft. On 11 May 1973, the last YS-11 was delivered to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). By the late 1970s, NAMC was hopeful on the prospects of launching

8925-571: The new design type was accepted formally by the Navy, the A6M3 Model 22 already stood ready for service in December 1942. Approximately 560 aircraft of the new type had been produced in the meantime by Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K. According to a theory, the very late production Model 22 might have had wings similar to the shortened, rounded-tip wing of the Model 52. One plane of such arrangement was photographed at Lakunai Airfield ("Rabaul East") in

9044-405: The new style of exhaust commenced with number 3904. Whether this is correct, indicates retrofitting intentions, refers to the prototype but not to all subsequent planes, or is in error, is unclear.) From production number 4274, the wing fuel tanks received carbon dioxide fire extinguishers . From number 4354, the radio became the Model 3, aerial Mark 1, and at that point it is said the antenna mast

9163-495: The only positive thing that could be said of the Zero at this stage of the war was that, in the hands of a skillful pilot, it could maneuver as well as most of its opponents. Nonetheless, in competent hands, the Zero could still be deadly. Because of shortages of high-powered aviation engines and problems with planned successor models, namely the superior Mitsubishi A7M2 Reppū , the Zero remained in production until 1945, with over 10,000 of all variants produced. The Japanese deployed

9282-572: The parent company of automobile manufacturer Subaru ), Shin Meiwa , Showa Aircraft Industry Company and Japan Aircraft Industry Company was established for the purpose of developing and manufacturing the envisioned airliner. Two years later, this partnership was formalised as the Nihon Aeroplane Manufacturing Company (NAMC). The ownership of NAMC was initially divided between the Japanese government, which held 54% of

9401-474: The programme's operational mindset was closer to that of a military project than a commercial one, while a preoccupation with government-issued performance criteria obstructed considerations towards the actual desires of the commercial operators, such as operating costs and cabin configuration, that the YS-11 was marketed towards. As this was Japan's first, and for a long time only, post-war airliner, NAMC lacked any staff with experience in marketing towards airlines,

9520-438: The project was Teruo Tojo, the second son of Prime Minister Hideki Tojo , who later became chairman of Mitsubishi Motors . The twin-engined YS-11 was projected as delivering similar operational performance to the four-engined British-built Vickers Viscount , while possessing 50% greater capacity than the similarly configured Dutch-built Fokker F27 Friendship . MITI supervised the pricing of the aircraft in order to ensure that it

9639-543: The quality of the aircraft, less so by the performance—although this was later put down to using 85 octane fuel rather than the 100 octane required by the Sakae engine. The American military discovered many of the A6M's unique attributes when they recovered a largely intact specimen of an A6M2, the Akutan Zero , on Akutan Island in the Aleutians . During an air raid over Dutch Harbor on 4 June 1942, one A6M fighter

9758-596: The rear or high side and did relatively little damage because of our armor. It also is desired to call attention to the fact that there was an absence of the fancy stunting during pull outs or approaches for attacks. In this battle, the Japs dove in, made the attack and then immediately pulled out, taking advantage of their superior climb and maneuverability. In attacking fighters, the Zeros usually attacked from above rear at high speed and recovered by climbing vertically until they lost some speed and then pulled on through to complete

9877-522: The reduced drag allowed the diving speed to be increased to 670 km/h (415 mph). On the downside, turning and range, which were the strengths of the Model 21, suffered due to smaller ailerons, decreased lift and greater fuel consumption. The shorter range proved a significant limitation during the Solomons Campaign, during which Zeros based at Rabaul had to travel nearly to their maximum range to reach Guadalcanal and return. Consequently,

9996-469: The requirements could be met, but only if the aircraft were made as light as possible. Every possible weight-saving measure was incorporated into the design. Most of the aircraft was built of a new top-secret aluminium alloy developed by Sumitomo Metal Industries in 1936. Called " extra super duralumin ", it was lighter, stronger and more ductile than other alloys used at the time but was prone to corrosive attack, which made it brittle. This detrimental effect

10115-473: The second half of 1943, and has been published widely in a number of Japanese books. While the engine cowling is the same of previous Model 32 and 22, the theory proposes that the plane is an early production Model 52. The Model 32, 22, 22 Kō, 52, 52 Kō and 52 Otsu were all powered by the Nakajima Sakae Mod. 21 engine. That engine kept its designation in spite of changes in the exhaust system for

10234-428: The shares, while the constituent aircraft manufacturers held an 18% stake and several components/materials suppliers owned 11%; the remaining shares were small stakes belonging to various banks, insurance companies, and stock firms who chose to invest in the programme. However, NAMC was essentially a "paper company", being reliant upon both personnel and infrastructure provided by its constituent manufacturers. Each party

10353-400: The standard United States Navy fighter of the time. The A6M's airframe was "built like a fine watch"; the Zero was constructed with flush rivets , and even the guns were flush with the wings. The instrument panel was a "marvel of simplicity… with no superfluities to distract [the pilot]". What most impressed the experts was that the Zero's fuselage and wings were constructed in one piece, unlike

10472-640: The submarines the I-19 and I-25 . Following the dissolution of the zaibatsu after the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II , Mitsubishi divided into three companies in January 1950: Mitsubishi Nagasaki became West Japan Heavy Industries, Ltd , the Kobe Shipyard became Central Japan Heavy-Industries, Ltd. , and the Yokohama branch became East Japan Heavy-Industries, Ltd. On 28 April 1952

10591-516: The three independent companies from the 1950 break-up were merged into Shin-Mitsubishi Jukogyo and became Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The Nagasaki works was renamed the Nagasaki Shipyard & Engine Works . The Kobe works was renamed the 'Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works'. In 1970, MHI's automobile parts department became an independent company as Mitsubishi Motors . In 1974, its Tokyo headquarters

10710-418: The time, several of the key aircraft systems, such as cabin pressurization , were copied from foreign sources; such information was gleaned from a combination of Japanese airlines, trading companies and diplomats. Throughout the YS-11's production lifetime, its electronic equipment, avionics, mechanical and fuselage components were supplied by a combination of by Japanese companies and foreign suppliers. During

10829-520: The time. Early models were fitted with servo tabs on the ailerons after pilots complained that control forces became too heavy at speeds above 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph). They were discontinued on later models after it was found that the lightened control forces were causing pilots to overstress the wings during vigorous maneuvers. The A6M is usually known as the "Zero" from its Japanese Navy aircraft_type designation , Type 0 carrier fighter ( Rei shiki Kanjō sentōki , 零式艦上戦闘機 ), taken from

10948-435: The toughness of early Grumman aircraft was a factor in preventing the Zero from attaining total domination: I had full confidence in my ability to destroy the Grumman and decided to finish off the enemy fighter with only my 7.7 mm machine guns. I turned the 20mm cannon switch to the 'off' position, and closed in. For some strange reason, even after I had poured about five or six hundred rounds of ammunition directly into

11067-482: The two companies had merged their businesses to form a joint venture. Shipbuilding has been a core and historical founding activity for MHI. It was formally started in 1884 when Mitsubishi leased and then acquired the 'Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works' company (founded in 1857 as 'Nagasaki Yotetsusho Foundry' ). Subsequently, Mitsubishi progressively became one of the major Japanese shipbuilding companies, building both commercial as well as military ships, including

11186-467: The upper half of the cowling. The wings were redesigned to reduce span, eliminate the folding tips, and square off the wingtips. The inboard edge of the aileron was moved outboard by one rib, and the wing fuel tanks were enlarged accordingly to 420 L (110 US gal). The two 20 mm wing cannon were upgraded from the Type 99 Mark 1 to the Mark 2, which required a bulge in the sheet metal of

11305-481: The war. The Mitsubishi A5M fighter was just entering service in early 1937, when the Imperial Japanese Navy started looking for its eventual replacement. On 5 October 1937, it issued "Planning Requirements for the Prototype 12-shi Carrier-based Fighter", sending them to Nakajima and Mitsubishi. Both firms started preliminary design work while awaiting more definitive requirements a few months later. Based on

11424-483: The wing below each cannon. The wings also included larger ammunition boxes and thus allowing 100 rounds per cannon. The Sakae 21 engine and other changes increased maximum speed by only 11 km/h (6.8 mph) compared to the Model 21, but sacrificed nearly 1,000 km (620 miles) of range. Nevertheless, the Navy accepted the type and it entered production in April 1942. The shorter wingspan led to better roll, and

11543-461: Was " Zeke ", although the name "Zero" was used colloquially as well. The Zero is considered to have been the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world when it was introduced early in World War II , combining excellent maneuverability and very long range. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service also frequently used it as a land-based fighter. In early combat operations, the Zero gained

11662-518: Was applied to one or two prototype planes fitted with an experimental turbo-supercharged Sakae engine designed for high altitude. Mitsubishi's involvement in the project was probably quite limited or nil; the unmodified Sakae engine was made by Nakajima. The design and testing of the turbo-supercharger was the responsibility of the First Naval Air [Technical] Arsenal ( 第一海軍航空廠 , Dai Ichi Kaigun Kōkūshō ) at Yokosuka. At least one photo of

11781-505: Was better to swoop down from above in a high-speed pass, fire a quick burst, then climb quickly back up to altitude. A short burst of fire from heavy machine guns or cannon was often enough to bring down the fragile Zero. These tactics were regularly employed by Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters during Guadalcanal defense through high-altitude ambush, which was possible with an early warning system consisting of coastwatchers and radar . Such "boom-and-zoom" tactics were also successfully used in

11900-559: Was carried out 4 years after a product recall scandal in Japan that was triggered by accusations of Mitsubishi Motors allegedly trying to systematically hide manufacturing defects to avoid recalls, and marketing problems in the US. In 1994, MHI opened the Mitsubishi Minatomirai Industrial Museum in Yokohama which is mainly a museum for kids to experience science and technology. In October 2009, MHI announced an order for up to 100 regional jets from

12019-507: Was competitive with the American-built Martin 4-0-4 . Although the tentative aircraft was mainly designed and manufactured in Japan, the engine selected to power the airliner was the 2,275 kW (3,050 ehp) Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.10/1 powerplant, which was both developed and produced by British-based company Rolls-Royce . Furthermore, according to author Stephen C Mercado, due to the lack of available domestic technology at

12138-433: Was compiled and sent to the U.S. The second, an A6M2-21 (Serial V-173), made a forced landing near Tietsan airfield 17 February 1941. The pilot was shot before he could destroy his plane, the fuel system fixed, and it was taken into Chinese service. The plane was extensively flown and studied by a team which included Gerhard Neumann , and a detailed and illustrated report was sent to Washington. Overall they were impressed with

12257-556: Was completed in 1861. Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the shipyard was placed under control of the new Government of Meiji Japan . The first dry dock was completed in 1879. In 1884, Yataro Iwasaki , the founder of Mitsubishi, leased the Nagasaki Seitetsusho from the Japanese government, renamed it the Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works ( 長崎造船機械工 ) and entered the shipbuilding business on

12376-506: Was contemplated by Hitachi, but not undertaken. The A6M6 was developed to use the Sakae 31a engine, featuring water-methanol engine boost and self-sealing wing tanks. During preliminary testing, its performance was considered unsatisfactory due to the additional engine power failing to materialize and the unreliability of the fuel injection system. Testing continued on the A6M6 but the end of war stopped further development. Only one prototype

12495-799: Was countered with a zinc chromate anti-corrosion coating applied after fabrication. No armour protection was provided for the pilot, engine or other critical points of the aircraft, and self-sealing fuel tanks , which were becoming common among other combatants, were not used. This made the Zero lighter, more maneuverable, and one of the longest-ranged single-engine fighters of World War II, which made it capable of searching out an enemy hundreds of kilometres away, bringing it to battle, then returning to its base or aircraft carrier. However, that tradeoff in weight and construction also made it prone to catching fire and exploding when struck by enemy fire. With its low-wing cantilever monoplane layout, retractable wide-set conventional landing gear , and enclosed cockpit,

12614-567: Was developing a $ 15.8 billion nuclear power plant in Sinop, Turkey in partnership with Itochu and Engie , which would be its first overseas nuclear project. The deal has been officially scrapped in January 2020, after the feasibility of the project was doubted. MHI unsuccessfully attempted to acquire the energy business of Alstom in 2014 in order to develop its service network in Southeast Asia. MHI remains interested in acquisitions in

12733-405: Was established in 1914. It produced industrial machinery and merchant ships. The Nagasaki company was renamed Mitsubishi Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Ltd. in 1917 and again renamed as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1934. It became the largest private firm in Japan, active in the manufacture of ships, heavy machinery, airplanes and railway cars. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries merged with

12852-725: Was first used to good effect during the Battle of Midway and later over the Solomon Islands . Many highly experienced Japanese aviators were lost in combat, resulting in a progressive decline in pilot quality, which became a significant factor in Allied successes. Unexpected heavy losses of pilots at the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway dealt the Japanese carrier air force a blow from which it never fully recovered. Throughout

12971-471: Was found over a month later by an American salvage team and was shipped to Naval Air Station North Island , where testing flights of the repaired A6M revealed both strengths and deficiencies in design and performance. The experts who evaluated the captured Zero found that the plane weighed about 2,360 kg (5,200 lb) fully loaded, some 1,260 kg (2,780 lb) lighter than the F4F Wildcat,

13090-468: Was given responsibility over the design and manufacture of a different section of the plane; these were assigned as follows: NAMC designed a low-winged twin- turboprop -engined monoplane , capable of seating up to 60 passengers, dubbed the YS-11 . Amongst the design team was Jiro Horikoshi , who had previously been the designer of the famed wartime Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter. Another prominent engineer on

13209-484: Was hit by ground-based anti-aircraft fire. Losing oil, Flight Petty Officer Tadayoshi Koga attempted an emergency landing on Akutan Island about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Dutch Harbor, but his Zero flipped over on soft ground in a sudden crash-landing. Koga died instantly of head injuries (his neck was broken by the tremendous impact), but his wingmen hoped he had survived and so went against Japanese doctrine to destroy disabled Zeros. The relatively undamaged fighter

13328-570: Was initially called "Hap". General "Hap" Arnold , commander of the United States Army Air Forces , objected to that name, however, so it was changed to "Hamp". The first Zeros (pre-series of 15 A6M2) went into operation with the 12th Rengo Kōkūtai in July 1940. On 13 September 1940, the Zeros scored their first air-to-air victories when 13 A6M2s led by Lieutenant Saburo Shindo, escorting 27 G3M "Nell" medium-heavy bombers on

13447-410: Was introduced. The fuel tanks were moved to the outer wings, fuel lines for a 330 L (87 US gal) drop tank were installed under each wing and the internal fuel capacity was increased to 570 L (150 US gal). More importantly, it regained its capabilities for long operating ranges, similar to the previous A6M2 Model 21, which was vastly shortened by the Model 32. However, before

13566-589: Was made in June 1943 by modifying an A6M3 and was first flown in August 1943. The first Model 52 is said in the handling manual to have production number 3904, which apparently refers to the prototype. Research by Mr. Bunzo Komine published by Mr. Kenji Miyazaki states that aircraft 3904 through 4103 had the same exhaust system and cowl flaps as on the Model 22. This is partially corroborated by two wrecks researched by Mr. Stan Gajda and Mr. L. G. Halls, production number 4007 and 4043, respectively. (The upper cowling

13685-687: Was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 carrier fighter ( 零式艦上戦闘機 , rei-shiki-kanjō-sentōki ) , or the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen. The A6M was usually referred to by its pilots as the Reisen ( 零戦 , zero fighter), "0" being the last digit of the imperial year 2600 (1940) when it entered service with the IJN. The official Allied reporting name

13804-484: Was shortened slightly. Through production number 4550, the lowest exhaust stacks were approximately the same length as those immediately above them. This caused hot exhaust to burn the forward edge of the landing gear doors and heat the tires. Therefore, from number 4551 Mitsubishi began to install shorter bottom stacks. Nakajima manufactured the Model 52 at its Koizumi plant in Gunma Prefecture . The A6M5 had

13923-439: Was slightly redesigned from that of the Model 22. ) An early production A6M5 Zero with non-separated exhaust, with an A6M3 Model 22 in the background. A new exhaust system provided an increment of thrust by aiming the stacks aft and distributing them around the forward fuselage. The new exhaust system required "notched" cowl flaps and heat shields just aft of the stacks. (Note, however, that the handling manual translation states that

14042-419: Was targeted in a bombing that killed eight people . MHI participated in a ¥540 billion emergency rescue of Mitsubishi Motors in January 2005, in partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group . As part of the rescue, MHI acquired ¥50 billion of Mitsubishi Motors stock, increasing its ownership stake to 15 percent and making the automaker an affiliate again. The emergency rescue

14161-484: Was to be mounted in all aircraft, along with a radio direction finder for long-range navigation. The maneuverability was to be at least equal to that of the A5M, while the wingspan had to be less than 12 m (39 ft) to allow for use on aircraft carriers. Nakajima's team considered the new requirements unachievable and pulled out of the competition in January. Mitsubishi's chief designer, Jiro Horikoshi , thought that

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