Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter (ca. 1943)

[Music] see that plane climbing to heaven like a Skyrocket Heaven's the wrong destination for that baby that's a zero The Real [Music] McCoy it was shot down over Alaska and as luck would have it the only thing that got really damaged was the pilot he broke his neck SW think he can recognize her again let's make sure this is the Japanese zero take a good look at her your recognition of the zero May save your life your recognition of the zero May destroy its life watch her closely study every characteristic to Aid you in your recognition look at that nose A Perfect Circle broken only by the oil cooler note the slight dihedral angle look at that low wing and middle tail notice the oil cooler and air scoop directly below the engine cing see how the fuselage tapers to a point in the rear it's like a big cigar note the tapering edges of the Wings the rounded tips see how straight the line is from engine to tail and that tail see how the Leading Edge of the vertical piece tapers more than the trailing Edge look how it curves out to a point away from the nose think you can recognize her don't think be sure watch her watch her closely yes we know that's no zero that's a P40 but did you know they don't look alike to you now do they look at the difference in the shape of those noses the P40 with its deep radiator is hoval the zero is a perfect circle broken only by that oil cooler get those undercarriage fairings on the P40 compare the tail the tail of the P40 is high the tail of the zero is Middle let's look at her from below look at the pointed nose of the P40 and the blunt nose of the zero the Leading Edge of the wings of the P40 has no taper the wings of the zero taper back the tail of the P40 is Ned the tail of the zero tapers into the fuselage which extends Beyond it now let's take them in profile the engine of the P40 is in line the zero is Radio note the Deep Radiator on the P40 as compared to the shallow oil cooler and air scoop on the Zero next see how the cockpit canopy on the P40 is much further back from the nose than on the Zero once more the canopy on the P40 fits into the fuselage while the canopy on the Zero sits on the fuselage now for the tails the p4s is rounded and Curves in toward the nose the zeros is pointed and curves out away from the nose no one could possibly mistake them for each other could they you think not well let's see let's take the case of One Pilot his name was Jimmy Saunders his story starts on the day when he was flying to a base somewhere in the Far [Music] East come in and S is reporting for Duty sir glad to have you with us Lieutenant glad to be here maor we can certainly use you sit down cigarette oh thank you sir how was the flight over well I made it sir with the help of a P40 you like our P40 oh yes sir it's a nice airplane good then maybe we can count on you not to shoot any of them down I didn't have any plans along that line sir it's been done you know you mean Jeff Pilots I mean American Pilots men with as much enthusiasm for the P40 as you have but with an unfortunate lack of ability to tell a friend from an enemy excuse me sir but how could anybody mistake a P40 for a zero a great many things can happen in the excitement of preparing for combat too many Pilots are too anxious to make sure they're kill they start shooting before they made certain what they're shooting is it's a damn site's better to let a zero get away than to knock down one of your own planes say nothing to one of your own men we feel enough to spare around here sir I had no idea we're not broadcasting in fact I know I don't misunderstand me lieutenant it's not a common occurrence most of our men know their planes identifications to come second nature to them there still a dot in their minds they maneuver close enough to make sure of course there is such a thing as being too cautious I take the case of the man who drew those Silhouettes say that's quite a job he had plenty of time for it been flat on his back for 2 months shot down while he was still maneuvering around trying to decide if the other plane was a zero or not he found out if he'd known his identification that zero might never have gotten him well he learned his lesson and to make certain that others would profit by it he put it all down and those all right let's see if you can do your wefting on the Zero yes sir with or without looking you might as well make it easy on yourself now it'll be a lot tougher upstairs yes sir Wings Leading Edge tapers trailing Edge tapers chips rounded slight dihedral angle you might add to to that that there are two 20 mm cannons mounted one in each Wing probably Swiss ear guns yes sir there's something I didn't know about Sir oh yes the wing tips can be folded so as to utilize more space in a carrier incidentally the span is 39 F4 in all right go on with the engine engine radio mitsubichi version of our Cyclone that's right there are twin row 14 cylinders now for the fuselage fuselage blunt nose when the spinner on it cockpit canopy sits on the fuselage retractable landing gear with fairing plates say there seems to be one gear missing sir the gears are operated hydraulically as a result the wheels retract alternately I guess there are a couple of things I don't know about this airplan sir I'm glad to hear you admit it that's the beginning of wisdom the wings in the fuse Sid are in one piece made of du aluminum and there's another feature worth noting the entire fuse SL is flush riveted with a result there are very few prances to cause wind resistance the length is 28 F 5 in there's a pair of machine guns mounted in grooves above the collie they're 7.7 mm and they're synchronized to fire through the propeller I hope you don't ever get them on your tail I'm with you there sir all right finish her up tail Leading Edge of flat surface tapers more than trailing edge with the fuselage extending to a point Beyond it Leading Edge of vertical piece tapers more than trailing Edge tail is pointed curves out away from the nose I guess that's it sir good enough as you probably know there are three types of zeros one is a single float plane without rig all three have slightly varying characteristics but this is the type your most have to tangle with so get to know all of her yes sir I'll look for the balls of Rouge on her wings and fuselage I wouldn't depend on that if I were you the Japs have a neat trick of painting all sorts of colors sometimes even like our p4s coffee no thanks well sir how soon do I get a chance to knock one up and down soon enough I don't get any idea the zero is a pushover with 340 mph top speed a service ceiling of 35,500 ft and a normal range of 700 Mi increased by a droppable extra fuel tank there's not much she can't do they build her light and maneuverable threw away the armor protection for the pilot and the self-sealing gasoline tanks he only weighs around 5200 M fly loaded and has a horsepower of over 900 and when you see the speed with which she climbs you'll appreciate what I'm saying there's just no use trying to dog fight a zero that's out your best bet is to hit fast either the wings or just behind the cockpit but if you miss don't hang around really as bad as all that sir seeing's believing and if I were you I'd take my word for it yes sir now here is our operation when you're on your own you'll do for control from our base here to these outlying [Music] islands well the big day finally came Saunders was on his own out chap hunting look sort of keyed up wouldn't you be don't expect too much Lieutenant not on your first day what's up see something it's a plan all right what sort of a plane friend or enemy P40 or zero well now's the time to remember your recognition now as it a deep radiator round tail curving in toward nose inline engine and it's a P40 or has that plane an oil cooler and air scoop pointed tail curving out away from nose radial engine if it has then it's a zero tough to tell from here maybe if he got closer start climbing [Music] Saunders take another [Music] look all it Ed make sure [Music] now look at that plan that's no zero that's a P40 a lucky thing you missed want that on your conscience look it's coming back like to take another shot at it okay we won't rub it in oh you've got it coming to you not waiting to get your recognition wish I could apologize from here well what's stopping you go on over [Music] [Music] there [Music] are you sure it was a P40 I'm positive sir after he held fire he drew up and dipped his wings in recognition I don't like to complain sir but do we have to fight our own Air Force too you've got good cause for complaint I don't know who's responsible for this but what I do come in major I want I'm sorry sir tenant sa is reporting sir I just Lieutenant Wellen here has been telling me that he was attacked this afternoon by one of our planes do you by any chance know anything about this yes sir I'm afraid it was me he's afraid well sers what have you got to save for yourself not much sir from a distance I was sure it was a zero then I held my fire a little late on your identification weren't you yes sir but I did run how far were you from the other plane when you opened fire I'm not quite sure sir we'll soon find out have your film developed immediately yes sir major I want you can wait Lieutenant get after that film yes sir corpal get the projector ready yes sir how could you start firing at that distance hold it didn't you look in your sight I thought I did Sir you don't seem to be very sure of yourself lieutenant I'm sure of one thing major after I look at that airplane it's closer now I realize but even at the distance you started firing you should have been able to identify it look at that deep radiator the inline engine that cockpit canopy fits into the fuselage the tailor round and Curves in toward the nose all right Corporal take it away there's more film sir I'm sorry Lieutenant but I have an appointment you can stay and run it if you want to coming won if you don't mind sir I think I'll stay for a few more feet I want to see how close I came to being wiped out carry on corpal now I know what a clay pigeon feels like hey wait a minute that's not me it's a zero whatuh hold it well Saunders I think got this well sir following my encounter with the lieutenant here I was flying along wondering if I should slit my throat I felt like a candidate for the Air Force getting time to turn for home not that I was homesick I had a hunch what was in store for me but well there was no use stalling I was thinking that other guy's probably back already telling the major how he almost got knocked down by another P40 I was thinking what youd tell me when I got back suddenly I stopped there I saw something another plane I tried to make her out she was too far [Music] away I started to climb I had to get my recognition right this time the gar shaped fuselage tapering to point and rear check Wings close to nose canopy sits on fuseli check tail pointed curving out blunt nose stubby spinner radial engine oil cooler air scoop at bottom of nose it's a zero [Music] [Music] check for a minute I thought I had it I [Music] missed I live for a Hulk h b for Hulk but I had company right on my tail [Music] what a mistake that baby mate suddenly was right in my [Music] sight was a hell of an explosion and well I guess that's all sir that's enough holy smoke what's the matter with you Wen well it just occurred to me sir there but by the grace of God went I I see your point I don't think however that you'll have anything to worry about the future at least not from Saunders he seems to have learned his lesson by a method I'd hardly recommend putting in a general practice but nevertheless he's learned it thoroughly if every pilot would only realize the importance of identification and become letter perfect in the art of identification and be fewer lives lost and fewer planes destroyed know your enemy but also know your friend well they know their friends all right and what's more they know their enemy do you radial engine Perfect Circle broken only by oil cooler low Wings cockpit canopy sits on cigar shaped fuselage bunk nose stubby spinner oil cooler and air scoop fuselage tapering to point in rear closeness of wings to nose radial engine canopy close to nose tail pointed and curving out away from nose remember on your recognition of the zero may depend your life know it so you can destroy it this is the Japanese [Music] zero