The A6M3 mod. 32, designated as the Type 0 Carrier-based Fighter Model 32 (零式艦上戦闘機三二型), was the first major improvement of the A6M series, with a new Sakae 21 engine offering more power, and high altitude performance with an added two-speed supercharger. Due to the engine being slightly heavier and longer, it was shifted slightly closer to the cockpit with a new engine cowling and a slightly smaller main fuel tank. It also gained the ability to carry a 330 gallon drop tank (30 minutes of fuel) under the fuselage. Next to engine changes, the Model 32 cuts down on the wing size to eliminate the need for folding wing tips. All of these changes offer a better roll rate, a higher diving speed of 670 km/h, and only an increase in the max speed by 11 km/h. This came at the cost of nearly 1,000 km less range (higher fuel consumption, smaller fuel tank and less lift) and worse turning capabilities, the strengths of the A6M series, which would be shortly reintroduced in the A6M3 mod. 22, as the short comings of the mod. 32 became very clear in the Solomons Campaign. The already built A6M3 mod. 32s were afterwards tasked mainly with shorter range offensive missions and interception.
It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. As mentioned earlier, the A6M3 mod. 32 offers the new and improved Sakae 21 engine resulting in more power, a bigger ammunition feed for the 20 mm cannons at 100 rounds per gun, but has a trade-off when it comes to the cut and clipped wings. For certain pilots, the new clipped wings allow for a more Boom-N-Zoom approach as it increases the max wing load, better roll rate, and slightly higher top speed, but for the more traditional A6M pilot, the larger turns the Model 32 will make will be noticeable in combat and resulting in different outcomes than expected from the non-clipped wing A6Ms.
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brake
Belt | Belt filling | Armor penetration (mm) at a distance: | |||||
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10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2000 m | ||
T/HEF-I/HEF-I/APHE | 19 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 4 | |
HEF-T/HEF/HEF/APHE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
APHE/APHE/APHE/APHE/HEF/HEF-T | 19 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 4 | |
HEF-T | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
HEF/HEF/HEF/APHE/APHE | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Belt | Belt filling | Armor penetration (mm) at a distance: | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2000 m | ||
T/AP/IAI/AP/I | 13 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
T/AP/IAI/AP | 13 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
T/T/T/AP | 13 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
I/AP/AP/AP/IAI | 13 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Name | Weight | Slot | ||||||
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60 kg | ||||||||
Drop tank (330 liters.) | 42 kg |
Flight performance | |
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Survivability |
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Weaponry | |
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