A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft, manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the Mitsubishi Navy Carrier Fighter or the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen.
When it first appeared, the Zero could outmaneuver every airplane it encountered. Moreover, its 156-gallon (591-litre) internal fuel tank was augmented with a 94-gallon external tank that could be dropped when empty, thus enabling the Zero to fly far beyond its expected range. The Allies did not field fighters that could defeat it in aerial combat until 1943. Many Zeros were converted to kamikaze craft in the closing months of the war. In all, nearly 10,430 of them were built.
When it first appeared, the Zero could outmaneuver every airplane it encountered. Moreover, its 156-gallon (591-litre) internal fuel tank was augmented with a 94-gallon external tank that could be dropped when empty, thus enabling the Zero to fly far beyond its expected range. The Allies did not field fighters that could defeat it in aerial combat until 1943. Many Zeros were converted to kamikaze craft in the closing months of the war. In all, nearly 10,430 of them were built.