Quote:
Originally Posted by Schroeder
Ouch. That's why they had horrific loss rates against the F6 Hellcat and the F4U Corsair.... 
It might have been the most capable Japanese carrier based fighter but it was definitely outclassed by later American aircraft.
Here is what Wikipedia says for the Kill / Loss ratio of the Hellcat against the Zero: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F6F_Hellcat |
I already stated by 1942, the allies were producing better aircraft. The allies also were using better tactics like the Thatch Weave tactics developed by John S. Thatch of the U.S Navy .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thach_Weave
The Gruman F4F wildcat was bested by the Zero early on. The Zero had better climb rates as well. Although the Zero was more maneuverable because of lack of weight, The penalty for that ability was lack of armor protection for the pilot and fuel tanks.
An outgrowth of the Gruman F4f Wildcat Aircraft was the Gruman F6F Hellcat which first flew June 26, 1942. As you said, the Hellcat was able to meet the zero on even terms.
Quote : The F6F was best known for its role as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter which was able, after its combat debut in early 1943, to counter the
Mitsubishi A6M Zero and help secure air superiority over the
Pacific Theater. Such was the quality of the basic simple, straightforward design, that the Hellcat was the least modified fighter of the war, with a total of 12,200 being built in just over two years
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F6F_Hellcat
The U.S as you mentioned, produced the excellent F4U Corsair not to mention the outstanding P-51 mustang after it had been re-engined with the Rolls-Royce’s Merlin 61. The “60 series” denoted two-stage, two-speedsupercharged versions of the engine.
As most know, Germany also produced excellent aircraft like the Messerschmidt BF 109 which remained competitive with the allies latest aircraft designs till the end of the war. There was also the ****e-Wulf Fw 190 to say nothing of the Jet powered Me-262 or the innovative Horton Ho 229 flying wing.
If the Zero was so incapable, how did it achieve a 12-1 kill ratio early on ? I agree the Zero was outclassed later on but it's abilities came as a shock to the allies early on.