Mitsubishi Zero

The Mitsubishi A6M was a light-weight carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945.

Related Topics:
Mitsubishi - Fighter aircraft - Imperial Japanese Navy - 1940 - 1945

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While the official Allied code name was Zeke (or Hamp for the A6M3 variant), it is universally known as Zero from its Japanese Navy designation, Type 0 Carrier Fighter (???????), taken from the Imperial year 2600 (1940).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A combination of excellent manuverability and very long range made it one of the best fighters of its era and gained it a legendary reputation, but design weaknesses and lack of more powerful engines eventually doomed it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~