The Zero

If you flew a Zero you were flying for the glory of the Emperor and the Land of the Rising Sun and you had utter disregard for your own life. Your plane was built for attack. Its designers were so intent on lightness and speed that they didn’t even include a parachute. When American pilots first encountered the Zero they were stunned by the agility of the planes and the skill of the Japanese pilots. But through careful probing they eventually discovered the Zero’s weaknesses. For example, the pilots of the 49th Fighter Group learned that their heavier Curtiss P-40 Warhawks could take a lot more battle damage than the Zero, and could dive faster too. You could outturn and outroll the Zero at high speed, and once you got in a fight the Zero couldn’t leave because you were faster. You had .50 caliber machine guns to their .30 calibers, and when you got on their tails you could really tear ‘em to shreds. But in order to get to that point you had to know your machine. You had to be able to ride your plane in the midst of battle like a cowboy rides a bucking bronco.