- HayabusaThe Imperial Japanese Army Air Service’s primary land-based fighter, the Hayabusa was known to Allied pilots by the codename “Oscar”. It was a low-wing, all-metal monoplane that was considered to be one of the most maneuverable fighters of the war. The Hayabusa was often mistaken for the Zero because of its similar lines, but pilots could tell them apart by the finer lines around the Hayabusa’s tail and the lack of canopy framing.
- ZeroThe A6M Zero was the fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
- DifferencesThe Hayabusa was considered more maneuverable than the Zero, but both aircraft had inadequate offensive firepower and defensive armor. The Hayabusa was also under-armed, with only two machine guns in the nose.
- Code nameThe Allies used a code name reporting system to identify Japanese aircraft. The Hayabusa was codenamed “Oscar” and the Zero was codenamed “Zeke”.
- EvaluationThe U.S. Navy filmed a captured Hayabusa flying with a Zero near Patuxent River, Maryland in 1945. The evaluation of these Japanese fighters helped American pilots engage the enemy on favorable terms
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The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero were both fighter aircraft used during World War II
