Aeroplane Heaven has just released its rendition of the Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero for Microsoft Flight Simulator. With no prior teasers or build-up, the sudden launch brings one of World War II’s most legendary fighters to the sim, and it lands in the middle of anticipation for a separate Zero project that’s been in the works over at Blackbird Simulations.
Priced at $24.99, the add-on is now available for MSFS 2020 (compatible with MSFS 2024) and comes packed with historically grounded features and a rich visual and audio experience that continues Aeroplane Heaven’s focus on vintage aviation.
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero—referred to as Reisen by Japanese pilots—was among the most capable carrier-based fighters at the outbreak of World War II. Light, agile, and with an exceptional range aided by external fuel tanks, it first saw combat over China in 1940 and famously gained notoriety during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Aeroplane Heaven’s model is based on the A6M2 variant, and while the aircraft’s dominance faded later in the war, its legacy endures as a pivotal design of its time. The developers have built the aircraft using contemporary detailed plans and drawings, aiming to reflect its historical design with accuracy. The cockpit is richly detailed, complete with custom animations and PBR materials that capture the wear and metallic sheen expected from a warbird of this era.
Aeroplane Heaven touts several interesting features:
- Fully modeled gear wells and wing folds
- Choice between bomb loadout or external fuel tank
- High-fidelity WWise sound set, created in-house
- Custom flight dynamics informed by real-world flight tests
- Code tweaks to address taildragger handling issues typical in MSFS
- Pilots suited for RAF and US liveries
- Eleven historically themed paint schemes, including:
- IJN Akagi first wave leader (AI-155)
- RAF ATAIU-SEA captured Zero
- Koga’s Zero (captured by the U.S. and used for testing)
- Trainer versions and several squadron-based liveries from across the Pacific Theater
A free manual is available for those who want a deeper look at aircraft systems and historical context.
The timing of this release is especially interesting, as Blackbird Simulations has been openly developing its own version of the Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero, aiming for a release at any moment. Blackbird’s project is targeting MSFS 2024 specifically and is expected to include advanced realism features such as accurate engine management and working gun animations (though with Marketplace limitations on weapons functionality).
While Aeroplane Heaven’s version offers a package focused on the early-war A6M2, Blackbird’s forthcoming A6M5 appears set to target the late-war variant with an even more hardcore systems simulation philosophy. That means simmers may soon be choosing between two very different flavors of the Zero.
For now, Aeroplane Heaven’s Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero is available for $24.99 USD as a downloadable add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. It’s currently available only on the developer’s website but a Marketplace listing should go live soon.
