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The Zero was Japan’s best World War II fighter to many military experts. But did the advantage lessen as the war dragged on? Japan began the Pacific War with two major technological advantages over the U.S. Navy: the much more reliable Long Lance torpedo, and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero carried-based fighter, a design that defied expectations by outperforming […]
The Zero was more agile, but the Wildcat was better armored. Key point: Tokyo was very advanced and had several advantages. However, here is how American technology and industrial might changed the tide. Japan began the Pacific War with two major technological advantages over the U.S. Navy: the much more reliable Long Lance torpedo, and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero carried-based fighter, a design that defied expectations by outperforming land-based fighters when in it was introduced into service in 1940. Designer Jiro Horikoshi maximized the Zero’s performance by reducing airframe weight to an ...