A6M Zero: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

On this page about A6M Zero:

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• Attack on Pearl Harbor (48)
• Carrier-based aircraft (98)
• Japanese fighter aircraft 1930-1939 (3)
• World War II Japanese fighter aircraft (15)

Encyclopedia: A6M Zero

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero ("A" for fighter, 6th model, "M" for Mitsubishi) was a light-weight, carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. Its history mirrored the fortunes of Imperial Japan in World War II. At the time it was introduced, the Mitsubishi A6M was the best carrier-based fighter plane in the world and was greatly feared by Allied pilots. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Tactics were developed by 1942 by Allied forces to engage the Zero on equal terms. By 1943, American and British manufacturers were producing fighters with greater firepower, armor, and speed and approaching the Zero's maneuverability. By 1944, the Mitsubishi A6M was obsolete but remained in production. In shifting priorities during the final years of the War in the Pacific, the Zero was utilized in kamikaze operations.

It is universally known as Zero from its Japanese Navy designation, Type 0 Carrier Fighter (Rei shiki Kanjo sentoki, 零式艦上戦闘機), taken from the last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940), when it entered service. In Japan it was unofficially referred to as both Rei-sen and Zero-sen. The official Allied code name was Zeke (Hamp for the A6M3 model 32 variant); while this was in keeping with standard practice of giving boys' names to fighters, it is not definitely known if this was chosen for its similarity to "Zero."

Translations

How to say "A6M Zero" in other languages:

	(Chinese)	零式艦上戰鬥機
	(Japanese)	零式艦上戦闘機
	(German)	Mitsubishi A6M
	(Spanish)	Mitsubishi A6M
	(French)	Mitsubishi A6M
	(Italian)	Mitsubishi A6M