Best known as the Zero, the
Japanese Zero-Sen A6M fighter was a formidable opponent for the allied fighters that flew
in combat against it. Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Zero was flown by the
Imperial Japanese Army and Navy from the late 1930s to the conclusion of World War II.
The Zero was in many respects Japan’s secret weapon at the beginning of World War II. Fast for a 1941 design, possessing a huge range, unmatched maneuverability, a good set of guns and rate of climb, the Zero outclassed all Allied Fighters in the Pacific at the beginning of the war.
The Zero design had its limitations. Its design philosophy was on maneuverability, not speed. The Japanese tactical assumptions, that maneuverability was the prime factor in the success of a fighter design, were to be proven false as the war dragged on. While the Zero was fairly fast in 1941, the Allies soon introduced big fast armored fighters that could compete against the Japanese Zero. Even the later models of the Zero were unable to offset the inherent limitations of its design. With the introduction of the P38, Corsair and Hellcat the Zero's days of air domination came to an end.
This Japanese Zero
downed during World War II. We have some good pictures of the initial survey and recovery
proceedings. Enjoy…