US Naval Aviation Training Division

MacArthur name “Zeke” or Zero Mitsubishi “Type 00” – Japanese fighter plane

Aeroplane identification poster, published 1943

63 x 47 cm

A particularly unusual style of aeroplane identification poster, owing to the very arty images. Most such posters rely on very plain silhouettes, this series – and we have several in this series; view them here – have a much more arty approach to the task with shading and an interesting angle view.

The Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” was a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. The official Allied reporting name was “Zeke”, although the name “Zero” (from Type 0) was used colloquially by the Allies as well.

The Zero was considered to have been the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world when it was introduced early in World War II, combining excellent manoeuvrability and very long range. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) also frequently used it as a land-based fighter. In early combat operations, the Zero gained a reputation as a dogfighter, achieving an outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1, but by mid-1942 a combination of new tactics and the introduction of better equipment enabled Allied pilots to engage the Zero on generally equal terms. The Zero continued to serve in a front-line role until the end of the war in the Pacific; during the final phases, it was also adapted for use in kamikaze operations. Japan produced more Zeros than any other model of combat aircraft during the Second World War.

Condition: generally very good.

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