Blog #13 – October 20, 2024

The other morning there was no internet service, just when I wanted to write the next blog, so I decided to “wing it.” There was no subject selected. I thought about it. Tony Addeo was one of the 11 writers of the letters in my book, The WWII Chain Letter Gang, and he was the only pilot. I had little information about him, except he trained to be a pilot and was told to “get those Zeros” by a fellow member of the Wolverines from Neptune, New Jersey, who went off to fight in World War II, as did his pals.

Not knowing what a “Zero” was, and I had to do this for my book when I read that letter, I hit the internet to do some more research. The photo above is the result. On June 4, 1942, above the cleared Midway – which was a small island, specifically, the Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean and the site of the pivotal Battle of Midway; it was a turning point in the Pacific war because it was the site where the U.S. Navy defeated the Japanese fleet —  the Jap’s warplanes were circling and attacking. Yes, the Zeros certainly made themselves known. But so did the American flying Brewster F2A-3 Buffalos that were lovingly nicknamed “Flying Coffins.” It was Capt. Herbert Merrill who bailed out after being gunned down in a dogfight against these Mitsubishi Zeros. His comment later? “The F2A-3 is not a combat aeroplane.” He said that “any commander who sent a Buffalo out to fight ‘should consider the pilot as lost before leaving the ground.’” Later, Cmr. Mitsuo Fuchida, added, “Zeros braved our own antiaircraft fire and dove down on the Americans.” They destroyed quite a few of U.S. planes. Gottit? It was basically the Zeros against the Buffalos. Not really good balance. Let’s see why but, first, we’ll talk about Midway.

The Midway Atoll was a perfect location for Japanese expansion at the NW part of the Hawaiians. Due to the U.S.’s ability to break codes, strategic plans were made and carried out. The U.S. troops were out at sea and also on Midway kind of holding back. The Japanese who at first thought Midway was somewhat disserted, attacked and severely damaged the base, then returned to their own base to refuel. When they went back to Midway to continue their strike, the U.S. Navy was waiting in prey and attacked the surprised Japanese Navy, forcing them to retreat. Their loss was high: 3,057 men, four carriers, one cruiser, and hundreds of aircraft; the U.S.’s loss consisted of about 362 men, one carrier, one destroyer, and 144 aircraft. This victory for the U.S. was especially critical because it stopped Japanese growth in the Pacific; the United States was now in a position to help destroy the Japanese empire. They carried out island-hopping invasions and even larger naval battles over the next couple of years.

Quickly, though, let’s discuss the Zeros and the Buffalos. There have been many things said comparing the two combatant planes once set out against each other.

The Mitsubishi A6M “Zero” is a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 carrier fighter, or the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen. The A6M was usually referred to by its pilots as the Reisen (零戦, zero fighter), “0” being the last digit of the imperial year 2600 (1940) when it entered service with the Imperial Navy. The official Allied reporting name was “Zeke“, although the name “Zero” was used colloquially as well.

The Zero is considered to have been the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world when it was introduced early in World War II, combining excellent maneuverability and very long range. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service also frequently used it as a land-based fighter.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The prototype Brewster XF2A-1 had flown in December 1937. After Navy trials, production was ordered in June 1938 and the first production F2A-1 was completed in June 1939. VF-3 in the Saratoga was the first carrier squadron to receive F2As, with VF-2 being the only other carrier fighter squadron to fly the fighter. Brewster produced 509 Buffalos at its plants in Newark, New Jersey, and Long Island City, New York. Of those planes, 163 went to the U.S. Navy and Marines; Finland flew 44, Britain flew 210; Australia flew 20 (ordered for the Netherlands); and the Dutch flew 72.

See: Brewster’s Buffalo | Naval History Magazine – April 2007 Volume 21, Number 2 (usni.org)

Here’s one opinion from Quora site on the Internet:

The Brewster was out of date when it entered combat experience versus the Zero. It was a lightly armed engine plane and would have been able to out-turn the Zero because of its favorable wingloading. But having more speed and power, more range, a stronger undercarriage, and more guns gave it typical “creep”, and it now sacrificed maneuverability – and this feature was very important in close combat. Therefore, it was good when it came to hit and run and then disappeared in a cloud like situation or making that high-speed dive down to sea level with a high G turn and twist. Could it get a steady shot now when a Zero was at its tail?

While the Japanese Zero fighters initially appeared to be a major advantage at Midway, their lack of armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, coupled with evolving American tactics, ultimately hindered the Japanese at Midway, as American pilots learned to exploit the Zero’s weaknesses and outmaneuver them despite their superior maneuverability in dogfights; however, Zeros still inflicted significant damage on American aircraft during the battle.

See: The Battle of Midway | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans (nationalww2museum.org)

Here’s what Co-Pilot had to say about their comparison:

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the Brewster F2A Buffalo were two very different fighter aircraft that faced off in several battles during WWII, including 1944.

Mitsubishi A6M Zero

• Origin: Japan
• Role: Fighter aircraft
• Performance: The Zero was known for its exceptional maneuverability, long range, and high speed. It was highly respected by both its pilots and adversaries.
• Armament: Typically equipped with two 20mm cannons and two 7.7mm machine guns.

• Weaknesses: Despite its strengths, the Zero had limited armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, making it vulnerable to enemy fire.

Brewster F2A Buffalo

• Origin: United States
• Role: Fighter aircraft