Throughout the entire Second World War, Japan's "Zero" fighter gained fame for its superior performance, becoming a significant subject in the writings of aviation historians.
The reputation of the "Zero" fighter is inseparable from its designer, Jiro Horikoshi. Around the 1930s, he visited several leading aviation nations, including Italy, Britain, and the United States, to study their advancements. Horikoshi excelled at integrating foreign innovations with Japan's own technological capabilities, contributing greatly to the establishment and early development of Japan's aviation industry. In 1935, he designed the Mitsubishi A5M (Type 96) carrier-based fighter, renowned for its maneuverability. The "Zero" fighter, which followed, further advanced new technological features and became an outstanding combat aircraft.
The first prototype of the "Zero" took flight on March 16, 1939, and was subsequently put into trial production under the experimental designation "12-Shi Carrier Fighter," undergoing testing at the Yokosuka Air Corps. On July 24, 1940, Japan officially began limited production of the "Zero" Model 11, manufacturing a total of 64 units. Thirteen of these aircraft were later deployed to the Chinese front for combat trials, stationed at Hankou Airport in Wuhan. On September 13, 1940, they engaged in aerial combat with Chinese Air Force I-152 and I-16-10 fighters, achieving victory. Subsequently, the "Zero" evolved into multiple variants, including Models 21, 22, 32, 53, and 63. By the end of the war, a total of 10,425 units had been produced, making it Japan's most mass-produced aircraft at the time.
The "Zero" fighter featured a novel wing design and was the world's first fighter to incorporate a teardrop-shaped transparent enclosed canopy and streamlined auxiliary fuel tanks. However, to minimize weight, many of its components were made extremely thin, leaving little margin for damage resistance. Additionally, it lacked self-sealing fuel tanks, making it highly vulnerable to fires and structural disintegration upon being hit. In its early years, the "Zero" dominated aerial combat due to its unmatched maneuverability and firepower, leaving Allied aircraft unable to compete. It was not until after 1943, when American fighters such as the P-51, F6F, F4U, and P-38 were gradually deployed, that the "Zero's" dominance was challenged. Later, as Japan faced desperate circumstances, the "Zero" became the primary aircraft used by the infamous "Kamikaze" suicide attack units.
