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By the Autumn of 1942 US intelligence gathered enough data on IJN Type 0 carrier fighter (A6M, Reisen, Zero) from combat observations and study of crashed planes (among them famous “Koga’s Zero”, which was already repaired and tested in mock combat against the US fighters) to publish several summaries about this aircraft. Three of them are published on this page.
By this time US military was taking its Japanese enemies very seriously. “Never attempt to dog fight the Zero” is as serious warning as it could be about A6M maneuverability in combat. Of course, A6M weak points were stressed even more to ensure US pilots will use them in combat.
All files provided by Rich Leonard from the Axis History Forum.
US Army Air Force Informational Intelligence Summary 59 from 4 September 1942
US Navy Technical Aviation Intelligence Brief No 3 from 4 November 1942
US Army Air Force Informational Intelligence Summary 85 from December 1942
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