F1M2

F1M2

A5M4

F1M2

A5M4

Japan

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

Bomber

Light bomber

Hydroplane

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

Show in game

Description

The F1M2 in the garage

The F1M2 is a Rank I Japanese hydroplane with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

General info

Ingame Description

Mitsubishi F1M2 Type 0 (Rei Kan/Zero Kan) Observation Seaplane Model 11 (Allied reporting name: Pete)

A single-engine all-metal biplane with a main central float and two additional underwing floats. It was originally built as a catapult-launched reconnaissance floatplane specializing in gunnery spotting for battleships and heavy cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Flight tests of the first prototype Ka-17 (F1M1) aircraft (with a Nakajima Hikari 1 engine) were performed in June 1936. The tests showed that the seaplane had multiple issues, mostly having to do with poor directional stability. In addition, the F1M1's seaworthiness was doubtful.

Two years were spent performing a serious redesign. A new central float was built for the F1M, replacing the Nakajima E8N1 hydroplane float used on the prototypes. The Nakajima Hikari engine was replaced with a more powerful Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 fourteen-cylinder double-row air-cooled engine (the same as that used for Zero fighters) with a maximum take-off power of 875 hp.

An improved version of the hydroplane, designated as the Type 0 Observation Seaplane Model 11 (F1M2), began full-scale production in 1940.

The F1M2 was armed with two 7.7mm Type 97 Model 3a synchronized fuselage-mounted machine guns with 500 rounds each, and one more 7.7mm Type 97 (Lewis Mk.III) machine gun with 582 rounds (6 standard magazines) was mounted in the turret in the observer’s cockpit to protect the rear of the plane from attacks from above. The lower wing panels had lugs installed to suspend two 60-kg, two 30-kg, or six 20-kg bombs.

At the beginning of the Pacific War, the F1M2s took part in the Battles for the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. The seaplanes were launched from floating bases and later from battleships, cruisers, and coastlines. The Rei Kans were used as scouts, gunnery spotters, light bombers, and anti-submarine aircraft. In June 1942, they were used as dive bombers over the Aleutian Islands; they also covered the Japanese positions there from the air as sea fighters.

A total of 1,118 F1M2s were manufactured, and their production was discontinued in March 1944. The aircraft remained in service until the end of the war.

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
393	388	9200	18.1	18.4	11	11	300
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
429	412	9200	16.0	17.0	19.5	13.6	300

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	X	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
550	450	???	~??	~?

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< ???	< ???	< ???	> ???

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
?,??? m	??? hp	?,??? hp

Survivability and armour

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage

Usage in battles

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator
II		Compressor	Airframe
III	Wings Repair	Engine
IV		Engine Injection	Cover

Pros and cons

Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".

Pros:

Cons:

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on aircraft;
• other literature.