The Akutan Zero was a type 0 model 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Japanese
fighter plane which crash-landed on Akutan Island during World War II.
It was captured intact by the Americans in July 1942 and became the
first flyable Zero acquired by the United States during the war.
Following its capture, it was repaired and flown by American test
pilots. As a result of information gained during these tests, American
strategists were able to devise tactics to defeat the Zero, which was
the Imperial Japanese Navy's primary fighter plane throughout the war.
The Akutan Zero was "a prize almost beyond value to the United States",
and "probably one of the greatest prizes of the Pacific war". Japanese
historian Masatake Okumiya noted that the acquisition of the Akutan
Zero "was no less serious" than the Japanese defeat at the Battle of
Midway, and that it "did much to hasten [Japan's] final defeat". The
Akutan Zero was destroyed in a training accident in 1945. Pieces of it
are preserved in several museums in the United States.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akutan_Zero>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1850:
Louise of the Netherlands married Crown Prince Karl of Sweden-Norway.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_of_the_Netherlands>
1939:
Former American baseball player Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, now commonly known in the United States
as "Lou Gehrig's Disease".
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Gehrig>
1953:
Americans Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed as spies who passed
U.S. nuclear weapons secrets to the Soviet Union.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_and_Ethel_Rosenberg>
1961:
Kuwait declared independence from the United Kingdom.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait>
2005:
Only six race cars competed in the United States Grand Prix at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, after all the
Michelin-shod entrants were withdrawn due to safety concerns.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_United_States_Grand_Prix>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
truss (v):
1. To tie up a bird before cooking it.
2. To secure or bind with ropes
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/truss>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from
fear.
--Aung San Suu Kyi
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi>