Mitsubishi A5M "Claude"
Mitsubishi Aircraft Company · Japan · first flew 1935 · fighter
The Mitsubishi A5M (Allied code name Claude) was Imperial Japan's first monoplane carrier fighter and the IJN's primary shipboard fighter from 1936 until early Pacific War operations.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, elliptical |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.57 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Open cockpit monoplane with fixed spatted undercarriage
- Gull-wing or inverted-gull leading edge giving distinctive bent wing profile
- Round cowling with a large radial engine and no canopy enclosure
Distinguished by its open cockpit, fixed spatted undercarriage, and gently inverted-gull wing; the round radial cowling and clean elliptical wing planform set it apart from biplane contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Mitsubishi A5M Claude has a length of 7.57 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 440 km/h (273 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Jiro Horikoshi — who later created the A6M Zero — the A5M first flew in February 1935 and entered service in 1937, seeing extensive combat over China. Though agile and fast for its era, it had an open cockpit and fixed undercarriage. By 1941 it was obsolete but remained in second-line and training roles throughout the war.
Variants
Main variants were the A5M2a/b with Kotobuki 3 or 41 engines and the definitive A5M4 with the Kotobuki 41 and a drop tank; a two-seat trainer derivative, the A5M4-K, was also produced.
Where you'll see it
Served with the IJNAS from 1937 aboard carriers Kaga, Soryu, and Ryujo, fighting over China and briefly in the opening months of the Pacific War; small numbers survive in museums including the Planes of Fame Air Museum.
Related aircraft
- Mitsubishi G3M Nell
- Mitsubishi J2M Raiden Jack
- Arado Ar 80
- Blohm & Voss Ha 137
- Breda Ba.65
- Curtiss P-36 Hawk
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.