Why couldn't a Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane from WWII turn right?

Question

This questions for my dad. Thanks!

Answer 1

P400 - also known as the Airacobra in RAF (amongst other) guise.

Answer 2

because the right turn signal didn't work?

Answer 3

Q: What is a P400???

Will check back later to see if anyone gets it....

Answer 4

prop rotating the opposite way

Answer 5

"Most" aircraft, including USA's, suffered from this phenomena, but ONLY in single-engine fighters. The P-38 Lightning was a dual-engine fighter, and had counter-rotating props to offset that.  It would still have been slower to turn left than most every other fighter, but it would have turned quicker to the right than others , so it averaged out.

- The Gremlin Guy -

   P-38 fan

Answer 6

The torque answer is the correct one because of physics.

Also, most fighter pilots like to go left, because you'e flying with your right hand and it's easier to push than pull, just like flying formation on the right side of lead is easier because your head and arm are twisting your body the same direction.

It's sutble but it's true, when nothing else matters; most guys will break left.

Answer 7

the steering column snapped

Answer 8

Ben nailed it.

Helicopters also move faster in one Yaw direction then the other due to the Torque created by the Rotors.

Answer 9

False premise.  

It can be rolled, banked, yawed, skidded,  slipped, pitched, and turned to the right much more readily than most planes.

Answer 10

The rotational torque from the engine made turning right very difficult.

Answer 11

It could turn right, as evidenced by its excellent reputation during aerial fighting in WW2. The torque effect of its propeller, however, facilitated it turning naturally to the left while right turns had to be fed in more firmly. This was typical for all single engined propeller driven fighters with powerful engines.

Answer 12

crash into carriers and /or turn left ,zero 101.We`ll teach you right when you get back.Just playin,take care,say hi to dad.

Answer 13

I am sure it would turn right it just might not turn quite as well as it did turning left.

Answer 14

Those air planes where actually a stolen disign from howard huges. So naturally they sucked. Plus mass production made them worse. They wanted quantity not quality

Answer 15

The Zero had no more problems with turning right than any other radial engined aircraft of WW2.US examples such as the Grumann Bearcat were also fitted with radial engines,which rotated to the left.

This meant that it was more natural for any of these 'planes to turn left,but it was entirely the decision of the pilot.

Answer 16

The nimble Zero could turn equally well in both directions. However,  due to the high torque of the clockwise rotating propeller (as viewed from the cockpit) it could ROLL quicker to the left than to the right, therefore more combat maneuvers were initiated with a left break. This is true of most single engine propeller driven aircraft except those with a counter-clockwise propeller rotation where roll is enhanced in the opposite direction.

The famous top ranking Japanese ace Saburo Sakai managed to escape from a situation where he was wounded, out of ammunition, and hoplessly outnumbered by American fighters, not only because he was a highly skilled and experienced pilot, but also because of the Zero's tremendous left-hand roll rate and superior ability to turn tightly in a climb.

Answer 17

most likely the gyro effect of the engine

Answer 18

Any single engine plane turns tighter & easier to the left..It's the engine twist.  but they all will go both ways.  Single engine pilots usually have a habit of making left turns..It's usually the normal airport pattern.