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A7M "Reppu"
Shipborne Fighter
Mitsubishi
 Experimental carrier-based fighter A7M "Reppu" to replace the outdated A6M Reisen (Zero) of the final period of World War II. It was developed by the Mitsubishi Aviation Design Bureau since 1942 under the leadership of Jiro Horikoshi.
A7M single-seat single-engine carrier-based fighter of all-metal construction with linen covering of ailerons and rudders, made according to the cantilever low-wing design. The fuel tanks are sealed; to increase the range, the aircraft could carry an outboard tank with a capacity of 750 liters. An armored back was installed behind the cockpit. The hydraulic system was used to extend and retract the landing gear and flaps. In the rear of the flaps, additional sections were located, deflected down by another 35 °, released with a pressed button on the steering wheel of the aircraft and increasing the maneuverability of the aircraft. The rear wheel was retracted.
( Ha-43-11-Ru) on A7M3-J or MK9C (Ha-43-31) on A7M3.
A7M-1 First flight on May 6, 1944. Along with excellent maneuverability, comparable to the maneuverability of "Zero", improved security (protected tanks, armored back), the aircraft had insufficient thrust-to-weight ratio, the crude and unfinished "Khomare-22" in some modes did not deliver up to 400 hp, as a result of which the prototype lagged significantly behind from the requirements of the 17-Shi specification, on the basis of which it was developed.
A7M-2 As a result of a complete redesign of the nose, the well-proven Mitsubishi Mk9A engine with a capacity of 2200 hp was installed on the aircraft. The first flight was on October 13, 1944. A series of 7 aircraft was laid from the previously manufactured A7M-1 gliders.
Aircraft armament. It was supposed to install two options for weapons. "Model 22A" - 4 x 20-mm type 99 cannons in the wing with 250 rounds per barrel and Model 22B - 2 x 20-mm type 99 cannons and 2 type 03 machine guns with 450 rounds of ammunition per barrel. Under the wing there were locks for hanging 2 x 250 kg bombs.
Until the end of the war, a total of 10 aircraft were built. The destruction of the plant in Nagoya after the December 1944 earthquake was completed by the subsequent B-29 raids, and the Daiho engine building plant, which produced MK9A engines, also got it. As a result of the landing accident, the second prototype was completely destroyed. The first, third (A7M2, serial) and fifth prototypes were destroyed by bombing. By the end of the war, only two prototypes survived - the fourth and sixth.
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