While I've generally failed to persue simming lots of radial engine planes, one frustration is that there was a transition going on, and so finding all-metal, retractable gear, non-armored, non-self sealing tank radial engine aircraft is tough. I think one reason is I was looking at fighters, I need to try bombers as well.
However, the Zero fits the bill. The only fall down is that they used a special aluminium alloy, and lightening holes.. so the frame weight is likely to high by a little. Then there's the question of what top speed it was stressed for... still this came out dang close.
PLANEBUILDER - Aircraft Specification Sim: Beta v. 1.4
Aircraft Type or Name:
A6M3 Zero
General Type:
Airplane = 1
Airship = 2
Orbiter = 3
1
Year of First Flight: 1937
Description
Carrier or Rough Field
Monoplane
Conventional Fuselage
Testbed. Engine wieght from web reference. Used design year (1937) instead of first flight (1939), for fabric/streamlining. Gunweights from Tony Williams. Rated bombload 132lbs + 2x 66lbs = 264lbs. Speed perfect, weight perfect.
Characteristics:
Weight (maximum) 6,331 lbs
Weight (empty) 4,925 lbs
Length 29.75 ft
Wingspan 36 ft
Wing Area 232 sq ft
Sweep 2 degrees
Engines 1
Nakajima Sakae 21
Piston
1,050 hp
at 17,000 ft
Crew 1
Typical cost $0.027 million in 1936
Total number procured 128
Performance:
Top Speed 304 kts = 350 mph
at 17,000 ft
Mach N/A
Operational Ceiling 37,000 ft
Range 864 nm = 995 miles
with 244 lbs payload
264 lbs released at halfway point
Climb 2,253 fpm
Cruise 200 kts = 230 mph
at 26,000 ft
Corner Speed 225 KIAS =
293 kts at 17,000 ft
Mach N/A
Turning Rate 23.1 deg/sec
Radius 2,456 ft
Internal Data:
Intake / Fan Diameter 10.2 ft
Bypass Ratio 97.7
Engine Weight 1175 lbs
Overall Efficiency 20 percent
Structural Factor 0.90
Number of Wings 1
Number of Fuselages 1
Limiting Airspeed 310 kts
Wing Ultimate g Load 10.00 g
Wing Taper 0.3
Wing Thickness at Root 0.67 ft
Tail / Canard Factor 0.4
Number of Nacelles 0
Length 23 ft
Diameter 3.4 ft
Fullness 0.4
Fuselage Diameter 3.8 ft
Fuselage Fullness 0.4
Pressurized Volume 0 percent
Cargo Decks 0
Cleanness 72 percent
Unstreamlined section 2.6 sq ft
User equipment 697 lbs