It's always seemed to me, based upon what I've read, that you couldn't try and fight the Zero's battle - it was probably the most aerobatic plane available for most of the war - I remember reading that, I beleive it was the battle for Malaya/Singapore, some Spitfires and Hurricanes were brought in and the Zero's chewed them up - again, they were trying to dogfight the Zero.

But when the tactics were evolved (and utilized) - (such as Chennault's 'Dive and Run Away, Live to Fight Another Day', the later 'Thach Weave' and the diving turn) that took advantage of the strengths of the Allied fighters (wieght, firepower, ruggedness, diving speed, etc) and negated the Zero's strengths (aerobatics, maneuverablitly, turning radius, climbing speed), then the victories over the Zero started mounting.


just my 2 cents
(...which, together with a 5-dollar bill, will buy you a coffee at Starbucks!)

-whatever

-Lou

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