In the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, a report from nationalist China described a mysterious super fighter plane used by Japanese forces that was said to be faster and more manoeuvrable than any aircraft in the American arsenal. US intelligence dismissed this as exaggeration and underestimated Japan's capabilities. The aircraft was later identified as the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, which dominated the skies over the Pacific after Pearl Harbor. Lieutenant Commander John S. Jimmie Thach of the US Navy recognised the threat posed by the Zero and developed a tactic to counter it. As the Japanese prepared to attack Midway Atoll, Thach trained his pilots in the Thach Weave, a revolutionary formation designed to offset the Zero's superior performance. This tactic proved highly effective in aerial combat, allowing Thach's squadron to neutralise the Japanese advantage. The Battle of Midway became a turning point in the Pacific War. The victory of the US Navy, aided by Thach's tactical innovation, crippled Japan's offensive capabilities. After Midway, the Japanese did not win another major battle, while the Americans did not lose another, marking a decisive turning point in the war.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Gorman, R. J.
Title
Defeating Japanese Zeros
Details
English text, 32 bw-illustrations. 248 pages.
State
new
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Church Street 47 S70 2AS South Yorkshire Vereinigtes Königreich
