Do you know if any japanese aircraft was ever equipped with snow skis, especially the A6M5 ‘Zero’?
Since the north islands are covered with snow for several month each winter, it would make sense, but I have never seen a picture of a ski undercarriage on a japanese plane.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Laurent
I know it isn’t what you’re looking for, but here’s a Zero modified for water take off/landing: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/A6N2-N_Rufe.jpg
Also, here’s a North American AT-6 with skis:http://aerofiles.com/noram-at6ski.jpg Again, not exactly what you’re looking for, but it’s a first search.
Thanks Sir Winston.
As you say, it is not quite what I’m looking for. However, you have a point with the ‘Rufe’ seaplane. Japan is an island nation, so fitting the Zero with floats is an obvious move. But then skis should be equally obvious considering the amount of snow falling each year on northern Japan.
Also the Chinese and Mandchurian war zones would have been good places for ski-equipped Japanese aircraft… or not?
I’ve seen a P-38 on snow skis but no Japanese.
Deaf
Over the years I have heard unconfirmed rumours of Ki15 “Ann” aircraft temporarily equipped with wooden skis during winter use in Manchuria.
Never have I found any supporting information or images.
Furthermore, this is the ONLY example I know of, referring to Japanese aircraft of any type (within that era), being equipped with skis.
Sorry the info isn’t better than that.
Regards, Uyraell.
Hello!
I gusess, there never were a real need for such equipment since it decreases the performance of the aircraft dramatically.
In real cold, snowy windy location (Soviet-Finn border) BOTH parties usded it extensively during the Winter War and the WW II.
So the annswer for your question, semms for me:a NO. 
Regards:
TGR
i dont think there ever were any on eh zero’s, but there may have been some on other planes, not nessesarily (sorry for spelling) on japaese planes either, becasue the zero was one of, if not the best airplane in the second world war. correct me if im wrong, but i think less than 10 zero’s were ever shot down, and as you say, ski’s would change the performance of the craft, not by much, but the japanese mass produced may oter planes and were low on manufacturing budgets, again, correct me if im wrong on this, and ski’s would probably not be that much of a help considering they would barely eer need to do crash andings or have low amounts of fuel and could probably find a snow-less spot to land in.
Prior to the end of World War Two, less than 10 A6M Zero’s of any model were Captured. That is a Very different thing from “shot down” of which number there were VASTLY more than a mere 10.
Please research your topics more before posting, there are many forum members who can help you find the information you may wish to research.
Regards, Uyraell.
My friend, the actual performance loss by way of induced-drag resulting from fitting retractable as opposed to fixed skis was usually between 15 to 25 mph, say 20 to 40 kmh, as far as I’ve been able to find out.
Not a vast penalty by any means. The Finns seem to have managed rather better in extracting maximum performance than most other nations though, where ski-equipped aircraft are concerned, notwithsdtanding that in general Finnish aircraft were usually vastly outperformed by the opposition.
Respectful Regards TGR205, Uyraell.
thank you, i appologize for my mistake, as i said i dont know, maybe i was thinking of captured instead of shot down, i will be sure to research more before posting from now on.
The Zero was designed as a carrier based plane, which did not require skis.
Forbearance seemed to be in order, my Aussie mate. It rather begged the question, to state the obvious to the apparent youngster. :mrgreen:
Kind and Respectful Regards RS*, Uyraell.
i know, but that doesn’t really have to do with it? it was still a plane used for warfare and it not that hard to attach ski’s after its off of the production line.
i know, but that doesn’t really have to do with it? it was still a plane used for warfare and it not that hard to attach ski’s after its off of the production line.
Hmmm lets see an aircraft designed with retractable undercarriage and you think it is not hard to just attach skis to it. Fixed undercarriage aircraft were easier to modify.
Maybe a better start would be modifications to a floatplane fighter but for a limited use and theater would it be worth the development and training.
Supermarine and the RAF attempted to build a floatplane Spitfire but it suffered from some stability problems (it did not lose much in the way of speed though)
it wouldn’t be that hard, well it would be, but it doesn’t have to be on the production line for it to work.
Really?
Oh, so now it is hard? 
Oh, so now it’s not so hard?
What are you?
An aircraft production engineer?
How about giving us a design for folding skis which fit into the wheel well without interfering with the wing design, including wing internals, and which won’t collapse on landing, with all mechanical drawings and computations?
Back to basics, why would the IJN want skis on a carrier based aircraft?
Try giving an intelligent, and better still an informed, answer instead of continuing your increasingly tedious crypto-trolling for the sole purpose of engaging people in your curious cyberworld nonsense.
honestly, i dont know why they would need ski’s but i was just talking about how they would work. and i crypto -troll on another forum, i joined this one for intelligent conversations about world war 2 and other peoples opinions,
Then you’re wasting your time here as you’re (intentionally as you’re still crypto-trolling here) incapable of intelligent conversation about WWII, and you ignore other people’s opinions.
I know I am late with a reply,but have only just found this site.
The Japanese did experiment towards the end of the War with Ski Plane designs in anticipation of possible combat in Manchuria or Kurile Island with the Russians.
Here is a link to a website.
http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/494/Anything-But-Wheels.aspx
