I got to sit in this plane when I worked as a Production Coordinator on the show "Showdown Air Combat" for the Discovery Military Channel back in 2007-2008. They needed someone to re-enact flight control movements for the interior cockpit shots. The plane is very light and the metal skin is very thin. I could push on the body and squeeze the wing like a soda can. Because of this, to get in, there is only one area you can step on to get inside. It's the area where the wing attaches to the body frame. Once inside, I could see how the plane was made for a shorter person. After acquiring this plane, they told me they removed the original seat inside and replaced it with a larger one placed further back in the cockpit, and even then, at 6'1", I barely fit inside. The most amazing thing to me, were the simple controls with wooden handles and surfaces throughout the cockpit. It looked like something from the Victorian era. Kind of steam-punk-looking almost, and pretty nice and minimal. The landing gear control was a metal wheel with a wooden handle/crank that you have to manually rotate to raise and lower the landing gear. I got to sit in several other American planes during the production of the show and they didn't have all of the wooden surfaces inside, and were a little roomier (especially the P-47 & P-38) with the exception of the P-51 Mustang, which is a very tight cockpit, but probably the most advanced compared to the other planes of this era. What a cool experience it was. Thank you Planes of Fame 😎

An engine very advanced at the time, a beast

@tommac1167

Ай бұрын

The engines were copies of the Wright Cyclone 1820 as the Japanese had a license to reproduce the Douglas DC-3, including it's engines. The engine made about 950 HP and were exactly like the ones used in the B-17s and flying versions of the Zero use that engine which fits perfectly.

@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe

Ай бұрын

Nonsense!​@@tommac1167

Defo it a member of the alarm start group … awesome piece of kit

Scramble, Scramble, Scramble! Incoming enemy aircraft! Yeah...gimme 20 minutes....we'll be right with ya.

All it needed was some FUEL.

Good content! Thanks!

Great video

scramble! scramble! hang on! hang on! give us 5 minutes

Reminds me of my old BSA...Sucker wouldn’t start and wouldn’t start, and then..........

Now imagine a flight of b-24s inbound to bomb your air field and your like “fuck fuck fuck fuck c’mon baby please fuck!”

I love all Aircraft and this is no exception. It obviously was not sucking fuel for some reason and when the pilot got it right, it immediately started. The Japanese are very smart people and built a very good plane. This engine was built with the ability to cancel out the torque twist that propeller driven Aircraft had that would only allow them to turn sharp in one direction. The Zero could turn sharp in both directions. A huge advantage in a dogfight. American, Russian, German, Japanese, Great Britain. All made good Airplanes.

Gorgeous

Were they that finicky to start when in service during the war years?

@chuckhoward3626

5 ай бұрын

Probably not for the men at the time who fly and serviced them - that jump box looks pretty much home made....

@alanantoniobre189

2 ай бұрын

No, At that time, It was like starting a car, If it started after a previous overhaul, Good! In short, It didn't hurt

Had this thing had self sealing fuel tanks, armored plating and larger cal MGs it would have been unstoppable. The canopy visibility alone was absolutely phenononinal. Though I'm sure if any of those things were added range, maneuverability and speed would have been much less

Mags, pumps?...reckon the the thing needs a lot of money spent.

They only had to start up one time only?

かつての敵機をアメリカの方がこのように飛べる状態で保存されている事に 一人の日本人として感謝致します。

Let's see a genuine Zero radio system, complete and working.

need more CCA battterys

Il est parti pour faire un vol ? Moi j'aurais fait demi tour et me serais payé une bonne bière au mess 😅

Ground crew and pilot: “Whew!! Didn’t break on my turn!”

Les japonais avaient des camions avec une perche qui se branchait directement sur la casserole d’elisse

That thing it very tired

if Japan's aircraft started like this one during WW2 it would have been a year shorter

How about about some fuel aboard?

With aircraft that started as poorly as this one, it's a wonder that the Japanese ever got any airplanes into the air.

@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe

Ай бұрын

I would say they managed nicely All Over Asia Pacific. Buffalo and Wildcat outclassed the Zero at Midway!

Typical radial aircraft engine they can be very temperamental when they want to be when you are trying to start them. Did not make any difference what country or engine manufacturers made them.

Hey, we gave it a "thumbs up" for the MVP being the starter and starter cart! 6 minutes of rigorous testing beyond the duty cycle. Glad the Japanese and Mitsubishi have progressed with easy-to-start and reliable engines now. :)

BANZI! BANZI! BANZI!

@jkorshak

Ай бұрын

*Banzai

dad flew against the Japanese - flew Mustangs. Still love the aesthetics of the zero. the announcer is a numbskull.

Made in Japan.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....maybe I can't

No wonder they lost , their planes are hard to start

4/5 of the video is failed attempts at starting...

no wonder they lost the war. Cant even start up