Extremely detailed Zero schematics

[ONE_HELLCAT]

Okay, this is going to be a tough one. I work for the CAF where we have a Zero, and lately it's having some tail wheel problems and the plans they have are not detailed enough to prove to be enough help. If anyone has or can find something more detailed than a cut away, something more like a piece by piece, that would be very much appreciated.

 

[wilbur1]

You might try Micdraw that guys got everything, maybe even Evanglider i think the group he belongs to has a zero good luck

 

[evangilder]

Same group, Wilbur. Is that you, Alex?

I thought they had that all sorted out.

 

[ONE_HELLCAT]

Sorta. The tail cone was off again today. Yoshi said that the plans and stuff aren't detailed enough to be of much help. The thing is kinda finicky. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I don't work on the plane, so I don't know very well, but I talked with him today about it.

 

[evangilder]

I know that thing has been temperamental. I guess that's one of the hazards of working on 60+ year old rarities. I wonder if the POF guys have anything that we could copy.

 

[ONE_HELLCAT]

That's what I suggested. And he said Jason has been talking with the guy. He also suggested the problem might have been common before. It's hard to tell since our Zero is probably the most flown since the war ended. The PoF one only flies a few times a year for the shows.

 

[Micdrow]

Sorry guys been gone for a while, My interent provider screwed up and now I have to wait 5 working day's to get back up. Any way I do have this manual from the Japanese archives for a A6M3 zero, link below. Has some blue print drawings but the clarity is not the best. But since Im reading this at work Im not sure it has the detail you need. Hopfully in three more days I will get my home internet back up and then will see if I can find some more info on the subject at the Japanese archives where I found this manual or book.

Hopfully this will help.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/other-mechanical-systems-tech/a6m3-operations-manual-6098.html

 

[unix_nerd]

Hallo!

In the book "outstanding military airplane of world war II" are some detail drawings of the tail wheel assembly. A photograph of the tail wheel without tail cone is included as well.

hope this helps
best regards

 

[ONE_HELLCAT]

Thank you Micdrow and Unix. I'm looking into those sources.

 

[Wayne Little]

Do the images posted by Shinpachi help?

Check WWII Video's , 3D Movies IJN Amagi Post #10

Sorry, I'm still hopeless at posting links...

 

[Micdrow]

Thank you Micdrow and Unix. I'm looking into those sources.

Your welcome Hellcat, Im suppose to get my home internet back tonight so I will see if I can find any more info on the tail wheel.

 

[Sweb]

Curious. What do you restoration guys do about spares? Reverse engineer?

On Christmas, 1980, I arrived on Yap Island in the Western Caroline Chain. Micronesian Airlines (Continental) pranged a B727-100 and I was assigned to dismantle it. Well, everywhere I looked I saw Japanese airplanes and bits of them. Once when booney-stomping through the underbrush I ran smack into a prop blade sticking out of the ground still attached to the engine. Caught me right between the eyes. I was there the better part of 4 months and took a talley of all the planes. There was what appeared to be the remains of a Tabby, two Betty, a few Jumo (Susei) engines littered about and I forget how many A6M's in various conditions - all bad. I mapped their locations in a journal I kept while I was there. The last surviving example of an intact Susei was found isolated by a growth of bamboo. When the Japanese learned of it the came out to fetch it and after only a few months had it flying.

These wrecks litter the Pacific. Do you guys ever reclaim this stuff or is it too far gone at this point?

Edit: When I was doing a 30 TDY in Fairbanks, AK, in the mid '70s I took an aerial tour of the area and on a island (oxbow) in a river was a B-25 sitting gear up. Looks like it was going to Russia and didn't make it. The upper turret .50's were sticking up so it didn't look salvaged. If there's that one then there must be more and probably some P-400's? Again, just curious.

 

[Colin1]

I trawled and found this

Tail Wheel Well Cover on the A6M Zero

not sure how much help it is

 

[Njaco]

I dunno. If you check Charles thread about the B-25 that he just found rusting away on an airfield in Virginia, how much hope is there to recover something buried in a jungle?

 

[Heinz]

Well right now in Queensland Chris they are not far off bringing a P40 to flying status that was recovered from the Islands in 2004 so its still possible.

 

[Sweb]

Is there any specific squawk about the problem with the tail wheel? Won't swivel, lock-out, cycle, etc? I've looked at various photos of the thing and it is a pretty simple device.

 

[Shinpachi]

I have ever disassembled a set of A6M2 tail landing gear in order to make a 3D CG. I'll check my backup data on CDs to post.

 

[Shinpachi]

Here are some. I wish they might be of any help.

 

[Messy1]

Great info Shinpachi! Good to hear from you again!

 

[Shinpachi]

Nice meeting you again, Messy1