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The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was the most well-known Japanese warplane of World War II. A6M Zeros were predominantly used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) on aircraft carriers, and also by its land-based fighter units. At the start of the Pacific War in 1941, the A6M constituted about 60% of the IJN fighter force. It took part in carrier operations throughout much of the Pacific Ocean, as well as over the northeast Indian Ocean.
Both the Nationalists and Communists operated a number of captured A6M's (A6M2, A6M3, A6M5s, etc.) in the Chinese Civil War. The planes captured by the Nationalists had originally been flown as part of Japan's 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th Naval Units as well as Shanghai Kōkūtai on the mainland, and as part of Japan's Formosan Navy units: Hao Toko, Takao, Tetshu, Kagi, Toki, and Tainan Kōkūtai.[ citation needed ]
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The Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) used the Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 21 "Zeke" and Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufes" against rebels in Indochina during 1945–1946, according to Harvey Low in "Japanese Aircraft in foreign service (WWII and Post WWII)" research. [1] [ better source needed ] The Aéronautique Naval also pressed a single Nakajima A6M2-N into service, but the aircraft crashed shortly after being overhauled. [2]
In 1945, Indonesian pro-independence guerrillas captured a small number of A6M aircraft at numerous Japanese air bases, including Bugis Air Base in Malang (repatriated 18 September 1945). Most aircraft were destroyed in military conflicts between the newly proclaimed Republic of Indonesia and the Netherlands, during the Indonesian National Revolution of 1945–1949. Small numbers of surviving aircraft were saved in Kalijati Air Base, near Subang, West Java and Museum Dirgantara Udara, Yogyakarta (near Adi Sucipto Airport). [3]
Units with standard use of the seaplane Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe":
According to John and Elke Weal in the book Combat Aircraft of World War Two, there are reports of various versions of Mitsubishi A6M2 (model 21 and A6M5, among others) being used by the Royal Thai Air Force that were supposed to be used as interceptors after WWII, during 1946–47.[ citation needed ]
One Mitsubishi A6M2, [note 1] piloted by Tainan buntaicho Lt. Kikuichi Inano, departed from Tainan airfield for Saigon and crashed in Leichou Pantao (also known as Leizhou or Luichow Peninsula), near the town of Qian Shan (Teitsan), China. The pilot was captured by Chinese forces on November 26, 1941, while the A6M was tested for the AVG and repainted in green and gray with Chinese signs and tail-marked as "P-5016". The aircraft was later sent by AVG to the United States as the first intact Japanese A6M fighter captured as a prize of war, and was known as the "Mystery Zero", "China Zero", or "Tiger Zeke". [6]
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Americans recovered some remains of downed IJN "Zeroes" from the battle area. These included: [7] [8]
The "Akutan Zero" (piloted by Tadayoshi Koga) crashed on Akutan Island, Alaska, on June 3, 1942, and was later recovered intact by American Naval personnel. [9]
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 carrier fighter, or the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen. The A6M was usually referred to by its pilots as the Reisen, "0" being the last digit of the imperial year 2600 (1940) when it entered service with the Imperial Navy. The official Allied reporting name was "Zeke", although the name "Zero" was used colloquially as well.
The Mitsubishi A7MReppū was designed as the successor to the Imperial Japanese Navy's A6M Zero, with development beginning in 1942. Performance objectives were to achieve superior speed, climb, diving, and armament over the Zero, as well as better maneuverability – all parameters that were ultimately achieved towards the end of its development in 1945. However, limitations on Japanese industry towards the end of the war prevented the A7M from ever entering mass production or being deployed for active duty, and it never saw active service. Its Allied reporting name was "Sam".
Jun'yō was a Hiyō-class aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). She was laid down as the passenger liner Kashiwara Maru (橿原丸), but was purchased by the IJN in 1941 while still under construction and converted into an aircraft carrier. Completed in May 1942, the ship participated in the Aleutian Islands Campaign the following month and in several battles during the Guadalcanal Campaign later in the year. Her aircraft were used from land bases during several battles in the New Guinea and Solomon Islands Campaigns.
Cactus Air Force refers to the ensemble of Allied air power assigned to the island of Guadalcanal from August 1942 until December 1942 during the most heavily contested phases of the Guadalcanal Campaign, particularly those operating from Henderson Field. The term "Cactus" comes from the Allied code name for the island. In 1943, the Cactus Air Force was absorbed into AirSols, a joint command of Allied air units in the Solomon Islands.
The bombing of Chongqing, from 18 February 1938 to 19 December 1944, was a series of massive terror bombing operations authorized by the Empire of Japan's Imperial General Headquarters and conducted by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAF) and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAF). Resistance was put up by the Chinese Air Force and the National Revolutionary Army's anti-aircraft artillery units in defense of the provisional wartime capital of Chongqing and other targets in Sichuan.
The Nakajima A6M2-N was a single-crew floatplane based on the Mitsubishi A6M Zero Model 11. The Allied reporting name for the aircraft was Rufe.
Zuihō was the name ship of her class of two light aircraft carriers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Originally laid down as the submarine tender Takasaki, she was renamed and converted while under construction into an aircraft carrier. The ship was completed during the first year of World War II and played a minor role in the Battle of Midway in mid-1942. She participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign during the rest of 1942. Significantly damaged during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in that campaign, after repairs Zuihō covered the evacuation of Japanese forces from Guadalcanal in early 1943.
Lieutenant CommanderJunichi Sasai was a Japanese naval aviator and fighter ace of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Sasai was killed leading his fighter squadron during an attack on Henderson Field during the Battle of Guadalcanal.
Sadamu Komachi was an ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Participating in many of the Pacific War battles and campaigns as a member of several units, Komachi was officially credited with having destroyed 18 enemy aircraft.
The Tainan Air Group was a fighter aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The flying portion of the unit was heavily involved in many of the major campaigns and battles of the first year of the war. The exploits of the unit were widely publicized in the Japanese media at the time, at least in part because the unit spawned more aces than any other fighter unit in the IJN. Several of the unit's aces were among the IJN's top scorers, and included Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, Saburō Sakai, Junichi Sasai, Watari Handa, Masaaki Shimakawa, and Toshio Ōta.
The 4th Air Group was a land-based bomber aircraft unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The air group was redesignated as the 702nd Air Group on 1 November 1942.
The Yokohama Air Group was an aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during the Pacific campaign of World War II.
Hideki Shingō was a fighter pilot officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. He participated in various battles and campaigns throughout the Pacific War and survived the war.
Tamotsu Ema was a dive bomber pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. He led Aichi D3A dive bombers from the carrier Zuikaku during the Battle of the Coral Sea that damaged Yorktown.
Iyōzō Fujita was an officer and ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific War. He was officially credited with destroying 13 enemy aircraft. During the Battle of Midway alone, he claimed ten aircraft shot down in one day.
Terufumi Kofukuda, born as Mitsugi Kofukuda, was an officer and a fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. He participated in various battles and campaigns throughout the Pacific War. After the war, he served in the new Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF) as the commander of the Central Air Defense Force.
The 6th Air Group was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific War that was involved in Battle of Midway and then extensively in the Guadalcanal Campaign and Solomon Islands Campaign. The air group was redesignated as the 204th Air Group on 1 November 1942.
The 2nd Air Group was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific War that was involved in the Guadalcanal Campaign, Solomon Islands Campaign and New Guinea Campaign. The air group was redesignated as the 582nd Air Group on 1 November 1942.
The 3rd Air Group was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific War that was involved in the Philippines campaign, Dutch East Indies campaign, air raids on Australia, and the Guadalcanal Campaign. The air group was redesignated as the 202nd Air Group on 1 November 1942.
The Takao Air Group was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific War that was involved in the Philippines campaign, Dutch East Indies campaign, air raids on Australia, and the Guadalcanal Campaign. The air group was redesignated as the 753rd Air Group on 1 October 1942.