#shorts #ww2 #zero
In 1942, a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero crash-landed on Akutan Island, Alaska, after an air battle. When U.S. forces discovered the wreckage, they recovered the aircraft nearly intact-a rare chance to study Japan’s most feared fighter. After extensive testing, American engineers uncovered weaknesses in the Zero, leading to new aerial combat tactics that helped turn the tide in the Pacific War. This one captured plane changed history-helping the U.S. defeat Japan in the skies.
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Reminds me of Victor and a short runway in Japan and something called a MIG 25โฆโฆ.
Plus shortly after we put a supeior plane into service. The Hellcat. Also the Corsair and p 38. Before that the Zero may have been a better fighter. The Flying Tigers figured out it's vulnerabilities even with the P40.
Soon after the capture of the Zero a New Zealand test pilot named Don Nairn was invited to fly it. He was concerned that the instrument panel would be difficult to adapt to. He sensed that the American pilot checking him out seemed a bit embarrassed. He realised why when he found that the whole instrument panel was American and so were the Bendix radios.
This aircraft not shot down, pilot was running out of fuel, saw what looked like a flat field and attempted a landing the ground was swampy and the wheels stuck in the ground flipping the aircraft breaking the pilots neck.
My dad was there at the moment. There was a cover photo of it on Life magazine at the time. There were americans standing on its wings in it's upside down position . Dad said if the photo had been a bit wider, he would have been in it. He was deployed to Dutch Harbor with the navy at the time.
Imagine what modern Putin Russia has learned from Donald Trump!
Gen. Chennault of the Flying Tigers figured out the Zeroโs weaknesses in 1940. They werenโt allowed to dogfight the more nimble Zero. Instead theyโd gain a height advantage and dive down on the Japanese bombers. The robust P-40โs could dive at 485 mph while the lighter Zero was difficult to control in a dive over 350 mph!
That was the start of technical intelligence
That one went directly to the USA for testing. Most went to Hanger Seven at one of the military airfields about Brisbane Australia. A hundred odd planes went through Hanger seven. Once tested, destroying them cost far fewer bullets planes and crew. That work was vital. Hanger seven still stands as Archerfield.
My father-in-law used to have coffee with one of the engineers that rebuilt the Akutan Zero. He knew the aircraft inside out.
ONE CAPTURED TRIMORAN BY THE ROMAN'S CHANGED HISTORY BY DEFEATING CARTHAGE! ๐ข
It was mostly the aircraft's lack of safety like self-sealing fuel tanks. So, the US used armor-piercing incendiary ammo easily setting them on fire with several good hits.
(Not) a fun fact: zero have no ejection seat ๐