<r> <QUOTE><s>[quote]</s>ORIGINAL: treespider<br/>
<br/>
Thought I'd post this to throw some more fuel on the fire:<br/>
<br/>
From:<br/>
<br/>
Mitsubishi Zero, Robert Jackson, 2003, Crowood Press<br/>

<QUOTE><s>[quote]</s> Recovering an almost intact A6M in the Aleutians was a major ...

<r> Cat in drag<br/>
<br/>
<IMG src="https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/upfiles/17919/30AE962D30BF458B9D12BB1B8814AD50.jpg"><s>[img]</s><URL url="https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/upfiles/17919/30AE962D30BF458B9D12BB1B8814AD50.jpg"><LINK_TEXT text="https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/upfi ...

the "not Japan that was that much behind" refered to "the rest of the world" not the US.

<r> <QUOTE><s>[quote]</s>ORIGINAL: mdiehl<br/>
...<br/>
By 1943 the kill ratio across the board should be on the order of 2:1. By mid 1943 about 3:1 favoring the Allies. By 1944, 10:1. By 1945, 20:1.
<e>[/quote]</e></QUOTE>
<br/>
1. Those kill ratios are based on "confirmed" kills from allied ...

<t> I think it was the units with A6M3 32 (Hap/Hamp/Zeke32) that lost planes; it had about 20% shorter range than the A6M2<br/>
<br/>
It was those losses that made them make changes to the A6M3, resulting in the the A6M3 22 with additional fuel tanks in the wings and folding wing tips, restoring ...

how does droptanks figure in when calculating endurance?

I don't think anybody is disputing that the US had a very high, effective and modern production.

But IMO it was really the US that was ahead of the rest of the world, not Japan that was that much behind.

Since it is a well known "fact" that the Japanese production, planes, weapons, soldiers, logistics, leadership etc. all were crap, why did it take the allies 4 years to win?, or were this the fastest it could be done vs. a clearly inferior opponent?.

<r> <QUOTE><s>[quote]</s>ORIGINAL: ChezDaJez<br/>
<br/>
...The Japanese seldom modified their aircraft in the field to correct a deficiency or make an improvement. Can you name a Japanese aircraft that was modded in the field?...
<e>[/quote]</e></QUOTE>
<br/>
The ki-45 and J1N1 was both ...