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First some summarization:

 

--A6M Zeros were produced by Mitsubishi and Nakajima

--Around Spring and Summer 1943 topsides received dark green paint as camouflage, factory applied.

--Therefore A6M5, -5a, and -5b models were built and painted at Mitsubishi and Nakajima

--Nakajima used a paint pattern design that featured the demarcation line of the top and bottom paint on the fuselage sides to rise from the wing trailing edge to the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizers.

 

From here on, I try to figure this out:  Was Nakajima also a producer of A6M5c's?

 

a6m5c-1.jpg.be47def22b8575df8581286993630a61.jpga6m5c-2.jpg.2649d2b65a360d68cd9918c9967e36e4.jpg

 

a6m5c-3.jpg.ab6e1e0559d2bca17edda8de28552edf.jpg

 

 

I ask this because almost all book and internet research I've done gives me these facts:

 

--Mitsubishi produced 93 A6M5c's.

--Nakajima was given the task of mating the A6M5c airframe to an engine with water-methanol injection for power boosts.  This was to be the A6M6c.  And it failed as a project.  Only one or two A6M6c prototypes were built.

-- A6M5c's and A6M6c's were, or would have been, visually identical.

 

Now... artist renderings,  some photos, even kit instruction paint schemes show A6M5c aircraft in Nakajima paint patterns.  My question is did Nakajima in fact produce a number of A6M6c's?  Or did Nakajima simply continue turning out A6M5c's after the failure of the A6M6c project?

 

I have seen photos of A6M5c's in Mitsubishi factory applied paint (no rise in demarcation line along fuselage; straight back from wing trailing edge to tail cone).  

 

I dunno.  Just something that bugs me and I usually overthink things.

Any theories or comments appreciated.

 

Ken

 

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According to the Japanese Wikipedia, Mitsubishi and Nakajjima started building A6M5c at the same time and each rolled out more than a hundred. Nakajima also produced an unknown number of A6M7 together with the A6M5c. No A6M6 was ever produced and the A6M6c designation was apparently not used. Development was suspended to make way for more A6M5c then restarted but the war ended before production could begin.

 

Take everything with a grain of salt but I hope this makes things much clearer.

Edited by kaz
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