Japan BR II(?): A6M5 Otsu (Model 52b)

Suggestions Vehicles
1

:white_check_mark: weapon type:

→ The Mitsubishi A6M Zero A6M5 Otsu (Model 52b) was a late-war carrier-based fighter variant of the Japanese Zero fighter used during World War II.

:white_check_mark: suggested BR:

→ BattleRating II

:white_check_mark: type:

→ TechTree

:white_check_mark: availability:

→ The Japanese tech tree urgently needs a proper fighter aircraft at BR II. At the moment, the other factions have significantly better options for combined ground-air combat on that BR, while Japan is left at a clear disadvantage (at least from my point of view).

Currently:

  • The Axis have the IAR-81C with 2×50 kg bombs and 1×250 kg bomb
  • The USSR has the P-40E-1 with 2×100 kg bombs and 1×250 kg bomb
  • The Allies have both the P-38G-1 with 6×M8 rockets and the P-40E-1 with 2×100 lb bombs and 1×250 lb bomb (premium version)

In comparison, the Imperial Japanese Army currently only has access to the A6M2 Reisen at BR II, which is limited to just 2×60 kg bombs. While the A6M2 Reisen is a capable dogfighter, its ground attack capability is far weaker than the aircrafts available to other nations at the same BR.

This creates a major imbalance in ground-air support capability and puts the Japanese faction at an obvious disadvantage during matches, especially in situations where CAS plays an important role in supporting infantry and destroying enemy armor.

Because of this, I believe the “A6M5 Otsu (Model 52b)” is an essential addition for the Imperial Japanese Army. The aircraft would provide Japan with a much-needed low BR fighter that combines respectable air combat performance with more competitive offensive capabilities. It would also diversify Japanese gameplay beyond the current dependence on the A6M2 Reisen.

Adding the “A6M5 Otsu (Model 52b)” would not only improve balance at BR II, but also make the Imperial Japanese Army significantly more enjoyable and competitive to play (at least from my point of view).

:white_check_mark: gameplay purpose & role

→ short and simple: Close Air Support

:white_check_mark: historical datas:

  • designer: Jiro Horikoshi
  • designed 1944
  • manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
  • produced 1944
  • estimated 391 were built
  • length: 9.06 m (29 ft 11 in)
  • height: 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
  • wingspan: 11.0 m (36 ft 1 in)
  • empty weight: 1,876 kg (4,136 lbs)
  • gross / takeoff weight: 2,733 kg (6,025 lbs)
  • engine: 1× Nakajima Sakae 21 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, producing 1,130 hp at takeoff
  • maximum speed: 565 km/h (351 mph) at 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
  • rate of climb: approx. up to 16.9 m/s
  • armament:
    → 1×7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun (cowl-mounted) with 700rounds
    → 2×13.2 mm Type 3 heavy machine gun (cowl-mounted) with 240rounds
    → 2×20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons (wing-mounted, belt-fed) with 250rounds
    → 1×250 kg Army Type 92 GPHE bomb

:white_check_mark: sources:

  • Book “Fighters of the Dying Sun: The Most Advanced Japanese Fighters of the Second World War”
  • WarThunder Wiki
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Do you want to see the A6M5 Otsu (Model 52b) into the game?
  • Yes and put it on BR I
  • Yes and put it on BR II
  • Yes and put in on BR III
  • Yes and put in on BR IV
  • Yes and put in on BR V
  • No
0 voters
How should the A6M5 Otsu (Model 52b) be made available?
  • TechTree
  • Event
  • Battlepass
  • Premium Squad
0 voters
4 Likes
2

This one fits perfectly in BRII. It’s comparable to the IAR-81C and Soviet P-40E-1 as long as they don’t give it an insanely unrealistic turn time like a lot of the other Japanese planes in Enlisted.

Also note that the Allies version of the P-40E-1 only has 2x100 lb bombs, but all other stats are the same as the Soviet one. Seems they forgot to add the 500 lb bomb that’s also supposed to be there.

3

Well even in war thunder it has 16s better turn then a Spitfire Mk Vc/trop so you can expect in Enlisted something like 12 seconds or 12 something.

So yeah I think its BR III plane since it has also some good fire power and a central bomb.

4

The US also has a version with a 500lb bomb at BR 2 so he was not wrong about that bomb loadaout but it was the paid version of the plane.

5

That’s what I hope for to get it on BR II.
With an extrem fast turnrate it would be BR III

I talk about premium version

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