Sakai said that Nizchizawa was the most amazing pilot he ever saw, and coming from an amazing pilot in his own right. The quality of Japanese pilots pre Midway were incredible.
Early Japanese successes in WW2 against American forces were said to have been the result of several factors: The Japanese already had several years of aerial combat experience that honed their tactics. Their A6M Zero out-performed the Grumman F4F Wildcat and P-40 in dogfighting because the Americans were using outdated tactics and refused advice from the Flying Tigers in China about fighting against the superior Zero. Once the U.S. started introducing improved aircraft such as the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the P-38, along with improved tactics, it became a numbers game of attrition. Japan couldn't replace their pilots and aircraft fast enough to keep par with American replacements. As with the fate of the German Luftwaffe, the might of American industrial production and sheer numbers of new aircraft and pilots couldn't be stopped.
Well said. And the Wildcat wasn't so bad if proper tactics were used. But, like you said, the US military wasn't privy to new tactics like what came from Gen. Chenault.
I think it's a little unfair and not totally accurate to credit the victory of the USA in WW2 to industrial production and 'numbers' US pilot training was far superior to Japanese training and from late 1942 had technically superior aircraft as well.
@@Ant1815 I totally agree. It was both. One thing I learned reading many autobiographies (my preferred history books) is that all of Europe thought in terms of 100s, while the US thought in terms of 1000s, whether vehicles or manpower.
@@Snarge22 Interesting general conviction largely accurate. A secondary necessity is understanding the equipment. A Dauntless SBD driver was attacked by 3 Zeros. He was statistically dead. But, he understood all of the equipment involved. With his much slower and underarmed small bomber he intentionally got into a turning fight with the 3 aircraft. The American pilot understood that his only advantage was that his slow heavy bomber had a tighter turning radius. In the grueling turning battle he managed to get a lead on two of the Zeros and shoot them down with his two nose machine guns. The third Zero scooted away. This is told in detail in a TH-cam video.
Another pre-pilot experience they all share is the operation of complicated machinery. Hiroyoshi Nishizawa worked in a textile factory, his western counterparts often played instruments or were experienced shooters before the war. IDK how much the phaysical fitness of a pilot was a factor. I do know that Hartman had over 8 years experience over almost every other pilot he came up against as his family was in flight before the 1930's his mom becoming a flight instructor in 36. The kid had over 10 years of experience before he ever saw combat. No wonder he did well. Full details of the pre-war experience of all WWII pilots are not always available. But they should all have experience that's at least a little relevant.
Yeah, Saburo Sakai had written a book. I'm 71 years old now, but when I was a teenager I was dedicated to becoming a pilot, and became a private pilot on my 18th Birthday, but while doing all that I read every book on flying that I could find and one of them was Saburo Sakai's book. Yeah, I just did a search for it... the title of his book is "Samurai". Thumbs up. Oh, yeah, Admiral Yamamoto, the Architect of the Attack on Pearl Harbor died as a passenger on a transport too. For the greatest heros, it seems that just commuting back and forth to work presented the greatest risks. But, yeah, it was a vindication for the tactic of applying resources to the end of interrupting Japanese Transport and Communications
77 years here. I purchased the paperback Samurai for $0.25 in the Weekly Reader book club in 6th grade. The book led me into international studies. Only many years later did I sadly learn that Sakai-san merely related his story to a young pseudu-historian later TV screen writer Martin Caidin. Apparently, Caidin related most of his interview in his novelization, but large portions were wholly fictitious according to Sakai-san. Caidin was accused many times of creating events and lost any minor standing he had as a historian and stuck to popular TV action shows. Sakai's story is available thru online research. Sakai-san's story was made into a Japanese subtitled movie entitled Samurai of the Skies. Other Japanese aviation movies are also available online. Niishizawa-san has become the legendary pilot of the Pacific Theater for good reason. I would heartily recommend the books written by the late aviation researcher Henry Sakaida. His stories are quite unusual and he also wrote about Sakai-san after interviewing him. That volume is the only reliable account in English. Thanks for this video.
Yamamoto was essentially assassinated by a special mission of U.S. P-38s that made a planned long range mission to take him out based on intercepted and decoded Japanese communications.
@@jnmrn4069 That's accurate. Much online material on the mission. Very popular topic. Interesting is that the mission was a toss-up between two catastrophic outcomes. The American educated Yamamoto Isoroku was the single naval military genius in WWII who set up Japanese strategy after warning of the extreme danger of engaging the U.S. Pearl Harbor was merely one part. Interesting that the U.S. Navy had anticipated every detail of this attack in war strategies, but we're still caught with their panties around their ankles and resorted to scapegoating two military leaders who followed Naval orders. The assassination gamble was that if they got to Yamamoto and missed, then the Japanese would still be guided by his military genius and quite probably figure out that we were reading all of their codes and by changing them leave us blind for a dangerous period of time. If we got to Yamamoto, then the Japanese would quickly figure out we were reading their codes and by routinely change them leave us largely blind. What did occur was the best of eventualities. Yamamoto was removed and the Japanese eternal, including today, conviction of racial superiority precluded them from conceiving of the possibility that mere whites could break their codes. That fanaticism of racial superiority led them into territorial war leading to overwhelming defeat and currently a national economic and cultural crisis with no seeming solution. Did anyone pick up on my admiration of Yamamoto-san?
@@MakerBoyOldBoy Wow! Thanks, but what a disillusioning shock. But, yeah, you saved me from trying to find that book in Kindle formal. Yeah, not that I have the best memory in the World for books I read more than 50 years ago, but watching this video, it occurred to me that I didn't remember hearing so much about Nishizawa... but yeah, the Aerobatic Demonstration over the American Air Base was included. but, remember, those were still early times for Japanese and American post-war rapprochement. Remember how that went... there was the popular hit song "Sukiyaki" and then "The Nicest People Ride Hondas" and suddenly the most affordable and reliable motorcycles on the road or on the trails were Jap "Rice Burners" ... after that we could imagine Japanese Publishers supporting a Japanese War Veteran by getting a Japanese Ghost Writer, and then picking up a phone to get an American Publishing House to publish it, but, early on, at the beginning of the Rapprochement it'd be as expect that some adventurous American Literary Journalist to jump in and with a few hints and shreds and make a Book out of it. Well, it worked for a 13 year old kid, and it seemed to have worked for you. Congratulations on what must have been a really Good Life.. For me, well, I'm a Cat Person and so I'm happy to have just been able to land on my feet... I've retired now on Social Security and a a small pension, and some saving that I did into when things get tight.
@@leovolont Thank you for the kind memory filled response. My most adventurous days were riding a Honda CC750. My first grade school radio was a Japanese transistor I bought from a school bus driver for $2 supplied by my folks. We share the same road. Also on SS. The actual Sakai-san story is told by the late American historian Henry Sakaida in his The Winged Samurai. His other works are equally unique. He left us far too quickly. You might be able to read a copy from Interlibrary Loan. I've used this s lot doing research. Free resource.
Sakai lost an eye in the Guadalcanal battle. He later met the man who wounded him and they became good friends. Sakai became a guest at many U.S. Air Force gatherings over the years.
I remember reading a book back in the late 1960's written by Sakai. Interesting read on his exploits as a Zero pilot. His descriptions of the weakness of early war American fighters was interesting. Windcats, P 40's and P 39's were easy prey for him. He respected the Hellcats. I don't remember if he ever tangled with a Corsair.
@@davemanning6424 No, he did not. After a long period in the hospital he was put to work as a training officer. He wound up flying a few missions at the very tail end of the war, including managing to fight off a pretty large group of Hellcat fighters, only surviving by the skin of his teeth due to their getting in one another's way, likely due to being relatively new pilots. He was well aware of the severe handicap his missing eye and was extremely thankful (and, I think, amazed) to have survived. Only his extreme familiarity with the A6M Zero, his ability to get the absolute best out of the airframe due to hundreds of hours flying it, and his luck combined with a handy cloud saved him.
yes, yes, of course, he lost an eye and after the war he met the pilot who shot him ....😂 Americans watch so many crappy Hollywood movies that they are always ready to believe ANYTHING ! And NO, Sakai didn't write a book in the 60's ! Martin Caidin, an American novelist and science fiction story teller wrote the book Samourai after interviewing Sakai in 1957 ! He is the one who pretended that Sakai was "credited" with 64 aerial victories.... while ! Japan never made any record of air victories ! 🤣 These are just claims... It includes just about any airplane that flew away because you shot in their direction ... The best expert on that matter is Henry Sakaida who wrote "Winged Samourai" in 1985, yes, almost 40 years ago, to set the facts straight From his research, Sakai shot 12 (maybe 15 at the most) American aircraft. but 40 years later people still write craps on social media. 🥱
All of these Aces couldn't win the War for the Axis. Whether it be planes, tanks or automobiles. Ask Hans-Ulrich Rudel of the Luftwaffe or Michael Wittmann of the Panzer SS. When there are so many targets you can't win.
They couldn't win becuz the axis used all of their aces in the starting of the war without training others , compare that to the americans and they would be sent back to the states and train more pilots which lead to more experienced American pilots at the end of the war and German pilots were way inexperienced in the last days
The tables changed in Afghanistan and Iraq, when all the American super soldiers with advanced weaponry couldn't defeat a few old cave dwellers and cross-eyed farmers. I know the Americans were super soldiers because I watched TH-cam videos where US Vetrans told me how super they are/were. .
@@craigd1275he was mainly talking about aerial aces and btw , how are you gonna differentiate when your enemy literally wears like the normal farmers and explode when they come near you
@@A.LeeMorrisJr They did not dominate over Rabaul. That was called the Marana's Turkey shoot. The kill ratio was 11 to 1 for the Hell Cat. Never thought I would unsubscribe from this channel but it is time to go.
@@ohwell2790 Yes, I'm familiar with that particular engagement. I was thinking more of the earlier days of the war before we captured a Zero intact, examined it, flew it, learned its strengths/weaknesses, & how to defeat it. Before that, allied fliers were warned do NOT try to dogfight them! If you do, he'll outfly & kill you!
@@ohwell2790 Unfortunately, Japanese military thinking considered aircraft expendable which likewise made their pilots expendable! Like the Nazis they were trying to produce better planes late in the war, but they couldn't build in quantity & had no combat experienced crews to fly them.
I agree. Early in the war the Japanese had a better aircraft and gained a lot of experience lining up and shooting down the enemy. As the allies got better planes and more experience the tables turned. As manufacturing took off And American aviators got better schooling and more time in the air the Japanese were overwhelmed.
I remember reading Saburo Sakai's autobiography, "Samurai," as a kid. He said the pilots of the IJN Air Service were trained to spot stars during daytime as a means to identify enemy aircraft at long distances. I have no idea if that was true since much of what is in his book has not stood up to closer scrutiny.
Zeros did fare pretty well against thhe Wildcat. THEN, the Zero killer showed up; the Hellcat, AKA "Ace-Maker." The Hellcat made more Aces than any other U.S. plane. You should edit out the Gun Camera clips from the E.T.O.
They didn't do well at all. They had limited success 1 on 1, they only place they outfought wildcats was over Midway and only because the Wildcats were outnumbered.
Mabalacat is difficult for people to learn to pronounce. Having moved to the area, I had to learn 😂🤣 Clark field was only named that after the war. And the entire area around the airport, north of Angeles City is now called 'Clark'. In fact, it's the area I and extended family had lunch today
The Imperial Japanese flight training programs, both Army and Navy, were brutal, with high attrition. IF you survived, you were certainly a badass pilot.
I've heard that those Browning 30s in Dauntlesses were a special breed, firing 1200 rpm (Browning .30 AN/M2). I've also read that Marine troops sought out these particular guns to carry as a SAW in leu of the BAR. This .30 AN/M2 version was equal to the MG-42's rate of fire.
As far as Hiroyoshi Nishizawa was concerned- The only reason he was unable to help Japan further is because he was killed in a transport plane taking him to another part of the war front.
Imperial Japan's Naval Air Training was so severe, that it has been compared to US Navy Seal training. It had a high wash out and was almost year long. This is one reason that it was always took a long time to generate numbers for the Imperial Navy, before Pearl Harbor. They were the cream of Japanese aviation. As Japanese losses became worse the quality of the pilots went down.
Steep dive in a Zero? Shooting down 3 Wildcats in a row? Strange.... the dive must be short period, and he must used up all his cannon ammo from very close range (only 55-60rpg for the wing mounted Type 99-I cannon, which had poor ballistics due to its short barrel).
Wildcat killers not hellcat killers. Wildcats weren't very good planes but is all they really had at the time. Hellcats came and things began to change in air combat for the US.
@@OverlordGrizzaka Interesting point. The counter argument is that both air armies used similar capable aircraft until the A6M Zero domination. Sakai-san fought in the A5M "Claude" first and later the A6M. All other Japanese naval pilots had the same experience. The Japanese pilots flew against Chinese, Americans, and international pilots, and the Soviet Air Force long before the AVG and the A6M appeared. The Japanese pilots were simply far better trained. In the pre-WWII era it was equal to the German Luftwaffe in training and equipment. Both the A6M and the Bf-109 appeared at roughly the same time. The Bf-109 was first. Soviet pilots who flew against the Bf-109 during the Spanish Civil War and then were transferred to fly and fight in China against the Japanese Army and Naval air forces were terrified that the Japanese would buy Bf-109s and drive them out of Chinese skies as they had in Spain! Traditional Japanese fanaticism led to their pilots' superior training. The Americans were forced to grow up and change their training.
@MakerBoyOldBoy the Flying Tigers were so good that the Japanese quit sending planes into their area. The P-39 need escort fighters, it was used incorrectly as the Russians proved. The P-38 shot down the most Japanese planes, at wars end the Japanese were trying to build a plane better than the 38, according to the Japanese. The top American Aces flew the P-38, it to was used incorrectly fighting with our bombers instead of ,Free Roaming, ahead of the Bombers. Same mistake the Germans made over the Battle of Britian.
Sheer stupidity to put your best fighter pilot in an unarmed transport without escort into skies ruled by American fighters. That Japan lost the war is no surprise.
yes, yes, of course, Saburo Sakai lost an eye and after the war he met the pilot who wounded him ....😂 Americans watch so many crappy Hollywood movies that they are always ready to believe ANYTHING ! And NO, Sakai didn't write a book in the 60's ! Martin Caidin, an American novelist and science fiction story teller wrote the book Samourai after interviewing Sakai in 1957 ! He is the one who pretended that Sakai was "credited" with 64 aerial victories.... while ! Japan never made any record of air victories ! 🤣 These are just claims... It includes just about any airplane that flew away because you shot in their direction ... The best expert on that matter is Henry Sakaida who wrote "Winged Samourai" in 1985, yes, almost 40 years ago, to set the facts straight From his research, Sakai shot a total of 12 (maybe 15 at the most) American aircraft. but 40 years later people still write craps on social media.
Yes almost all of his victories came early 42. His credits of B26’s is a joke because according to US records hardly any B26’s were shot down in that theater in 42 !
Exactly. Inflated numbers and manufactured perpetuance of the Zekes supposed prowess led to the myth. In reality up until Wake, Japanese pilots never encountered Wildcats. Their entire track record till then consisted entirely of 2nd and 3rd string enemy aircraft over China and Manchuria.
@@didierdenice7456 Thank you! !. Yours is truly the first informed comment I have read on these issues with the younger readers. I largely repeated the same info in responses before I read yours. Thanks much for mentioning Henry Sakaida. He was right enthusiastic and a proper historian. I was fascinated at his research on The Siege of Rabaul. I had the pleasure of corresponding with him briefly. His unique work is sadly not mentioned today much. Yup, about American movie gullibility as truth. The mid war propaganda John Wayne movie Flying Tigers still poisons all discussions about the AVG guys and their hard earned reality in rejected British Curtis Model H81 pre war aircraft and only a few hours solo in them before engaging the superior Japanese air forces. Online there are subtitled Japanese air war movies of interest. Translated memoirs are only a few. The Library of Congress has original Japanese wartime published pilot memoirs which remain untranslated. Ironically. A Japanese right wing millionaire financed a Zero movie to establish the same war time Japanese fanaticism in their modern youth to counter Western influences. The Eternal Zero is a good movie which terrified Japanese youth.
They were in it till the end unlike allied forces rotation’s of troops for rest Germany got 2wks every six months if not on the eastern front allies offered 6 months for 6 months in the fight gee wonder why they lost 😂
Your geographical info is rather poor. Lea is no Island PAL. And your description of Japanese actual locations is largely incorrect. You do no proper homework!! Even your pronunciation of place names are incorrect.
Sakai said that Nizchizawa was the most amazing pilot he ever saw, and coming from an amazing pilot in his own right. The quality of Japanese pilots pre Midway were incredible.
Early Japanese successes in WW2 against American forces were said to have been the result of several factors: The Japanese already had several years of aerial combat experience that honed their tactics. Their A6M Zero out-performed the Grumman F4F Wildcat and P-40 in dogfighting because the Americans were using outdated tactics and refused advice from the Flying Tigers in China about fighting against the superior Zero. Once the U.S. started introducing improved aircraft such as the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the P-38, along with improved tactics, it became a numbers game of attrition. Japan couldn't replace their pilots and aircraft fast enough to keep par with American replacements. As with the fate of the German Luftwaffe, the might of American industrial production and sheer numbers of new aircraft and pilots couldn't be stopped.
Well said. And the Wildcat wasn't so bad if proper tactics were used. But, like you said, the US military wasn't privy to new tactics like what came from Gen. Chenault.
F4F Wildcat did well in Guadalcanal Campaign.
I think it's a little unfair and not totally accurate to credit the victory of the USA in WW2 to industrial production and 'numbers'
US pilot training was far superior to Japanese training and from late 1942 had technically superior aircraft as well.
@@Ant1815 I totally agree. It was both. One thing I learned reading many autobiographies (my preferred history books) is that all of Europe thought in terms of 100s, while the US thought in terms of 1000s, whether vehicles or manpower.
The Zero had no armor protection for pilot or fuel tanks. Speed vs safety;💥
It seems many of the most successful fighter pilots had exceptional eyesight.
In addition, they had natural talents in aerial combat.
@@Snarge22 Interesting general conviction largely accurate. A secondary necessity is understanding the equipment. A Dauntless SBD driver was attacked by 3 Zeros. He was statistically dead. But, he understood all of the equipment involved. With his much slower and underarmed small bomber he intentionally got into a turning fight with the 3 aircraft. The American pilot understood that his only advantage was that his slow heavy bomber had a tighter turning radius. In the grueling turning battle he managed to get a lead on two of the Zeros and shoot them down with his two nose machine guns. The third Zero scooted away. This is told in detail in a TH-cam video.
this reads like a paid comment
Another pre-pilot experience they all share is the operation of complicated machinery. Hiroyoshi Nishizawa worked in a textile factory, his western counterparts often played instruments or were experienced shooters before the war. IDK how much the phaysical fitness of a pilot was a factor. I do know that Hartman had over 8 years experience over almost every other pilot he came up against as his family was in flight before the 1930's his mom becoming a flight instructor in 36. The kid had over 10 years of experience before he ever saw combat. No wonder he did well.
Full details of the pre-war experience of all WWII pilots are not always available. But they should all have experience that's at least a little relevant.
Yeah, Saburo Sakai had written a book. I'm 71 years old now, but when I was a teenager I was dedicated to becoming a pilot, and became a private pilot on my 18th Birthday, but while doing all that I read every book on flying that I could find and one of them was Saburo Sakai's book. Yeah, I just did a search for it... the title of his book is "Samurai". Thumbs up. Oh, yeah, Admiral Yamamoto, the Architect of the Attack on Pearl Harbor died as a passenger on a transport too. For the greatest heros, it seems that just commuting back and forth to work presented the greatest risks. But, yeah, it was a vindication for the tactic of applying resources to the end of interrupting Japanese Transport and Communications
77 years here. I purchased the paperback Samurai for $0.25 in the Weekly Reader book club in 6th grade. The book led me into international studies. Only many years later did I sadly learn that Sakai-san merely related his story to a young pseudu-historian later TV screen writer Martin Caidin. Apparently, Caidin related most of his interview in his novelization, but large portions were wholly fictitious according to Sakai-san. Caidin was accused many times of creating events and lost any minor standing he had as a historian and stuck to popular TV action shows. Sakai's story is available thru online research. Sakai-san's story was made into a Japanese subtitled movie entitled Samurai of the Skies. Other Japanese aviation movies are also available online. Niishizawa-san has become the legendary pilot of the Pacific Theater for good reason. I would heartily recommend the books written by the late aviation researcher Henry Sakaida. His stories are quite unusual and he also wrote about Sakai-san after interviewing him. That volume is the only reliable account in English. Thanks for this video.
Yamamoto was essentially assassinated by a special mission of U.S. P-38s that made a planned long range mission to take him out based on intercepted and decoded Japanese communications.
@@jnmrn4069 That's accurate. Much online material on the mission. Very popular topic. Interesting is that the mission was a toss-up between two catastrophic outcomes. The American educated Yamamoto Isoroku was the single naval military genius in WWII who set up Japanese strategy after warning of the extreme danger of engaging the U.S. Pearl Harbor was merely one part. Interesting that the U.S. Navy had anticipated every detail of this attack in war strategies, but we're still caught with their panties around their ankles and resorted to scapegoating two military leaders who followed Naval orders. The assassination gamble was that if they got to Yamamoto and missed, then the Japanese would still be guided by his military genius and quite probably figure out that we were reading all of their codes and by changing them leave us blind for a dangerous period of time. If we got to Yamamoto, then the Japanese would quickly figure out we were reading their codes and by routinely change them leave us largely blind. What did occur was the best of eventualities. Yamamoto was removed and the Japanese eternal, including today, conviction of racial superiority precluded them from conceiving of the possibility that mere whites could break their codes. That fanaticism of racial superiority led them into territorial war leading to overwhelming defeat and currently a national economic and cultural crisis with no seeming solution. Did anyone pick up on my admiration of Yamamoto-san?
@@MakerBoyOldBoy Wow! Thanks, but what a disillusioning shock. But, yeah, you saved me from trying to find that book in Kindle formal. Yeah, not that I have the best memory in the World for books I read more than 50 years ago, but watching this video, it occurred to me that I didn't remember hearing so much about Nishizawa... but yeah, the Aerobatic Demonstration over the American Air Base was included. but, remember, those were still early times for Japanese and American post-war rapprochement. Remember how that went... there was the popular hit song "Sukiyaki" and then "The Nicest People Ride Hondas" and suddenly the most affordable and reliable motorcycles on the road or on the trails were Jap "Rice Burners" ... after that we could imagine Japanese Publishers supporting a Japanese War Veteran by getting a Japanese Ghost Writer, and then picking up a phone to get an American Publishing House to publish it, but, early on, at the beginning of the Rapprochement it'd be as expect that some adventurous American Literary Journalist to jump in and with a few hints and shreds and make a Book out of it. Well, it worked for a 13 year old kid, and it seemed to have worked for you. Congratulations on what must have been a really Good Life.. For me, well, I'm a Cat Person and so I'm happy to have just been able to land on my feet... I've retired now on Social Security and a a small pension, and some saving that I did into when things get tight.
@@leovolont Thank you for the kind memory filled response. My most adventurous days were riding a Honda CC750. My first grade school radio was a Japanese transistor I bought from a school bus driver for $2 supplied by my folks. We share the same road. Also on SS. The actual Sakai-san story is told by the late American historian Henry Sakaida in his The Winged Samurai. His other works are equally unique. He left us far too quickly. You might be able to read a copy from Interlibrary Loan. I've used this s lot doing research. Free resource.
Sakai lost an eye in the Guadalcanal battle. He later met the man who wounded him and they became good friends. Sakai became a guest at many U.S. Air Force gatherings over the years.
I remember reading a book back in the late 1960's written by Sakai. Interesting read on his exploits as a Zero pilot. His descriptions of the weakness of early war American fighters was interesting. Windcats, P 40's and P 39's were easy prey for him. He respected the Hellcats. I don't remember if he ever tangled with a Corsair.
Also saki lost the sight of one eye but continued to fly combat missions for two years until the end of the war .
@@chuck5558 Yes, the book was titled "Samurai", I have a copy too.
@@davemanning6424 No, he did not. After a long period in the hospital he was put to work as a training officer. He wound up flying a few missions at the very tail end of the war, including managing to fight off a pretty large group of Hellcat fighters, only surviving by the skin of his teeth due to their getting in one another's way, likely due to being relatively new pilots. He was well aware of the severe handicap his missing eye and was extremely thankful (and, I think, amazed) to have survived. Only his extreme familiarity with the A6M Zero, his ability to get the absolute best out of the airframe due to hundreds of hours flying it, and his luck combined with a handy cloud saved him.
yes, yes, of course, he lost an eye and after the war he met the pilot who shot him ....😂
Americans watch so many crappy Hollywood movies that they are always ready to believe ANYTHING !
And NO, Sakai didn't write a book in the 60's ! Martin Caidin, an American novelist and science fiction story teller wrote the book Samourai after interviewing Sakai in 1957 !
He is the one who pretended that Sakai was "credited" with 64 aerial victories.... while ! Japan never made any record of air victories ! 🤣
These are just claims... It includes just about any airplane that flew away because you shot in their direction ...
The best expert on that matter is Henry Sakaida who wrote "Winged Samourai" in 1985, yes, almost 40 years ago, to set the facts straight
From his research, Sakai shot 12 (maybe 15 at the most) American aircraft.
but 40 years later people still write craps on social media. 🥱
Thank You
Now that would suck! Dying because his fate was in someone else's hands
Awesome video! Anyone who liked this video should read Saburo Sakai's book Samurai.
Very interesting history of WW-2. Thanks.
All of these Aces couldn't win the War for the Axis. Whether it be planes, tanks or automobiles. Ask Hans-Ulrich Rudel of the Luftwaffe or Michael Wittmann of the Panzer SS. When there are so many targets you can't win.
They couldn't win becuz the axis used all of their aces in the starting of the war without training others , compare that to the americans and they would be sent back to the states and train more pilots which lead to more experienced American pilots at the end of the war and German pilots were way inexperienced in the last days
👍💯✅️😁@@muhammadsaleh7229
The tables changed in Afghanistan and Iraq, when all the American super soldiers with advanced weaponry couldn't defeat a few old cave dwellers and cross-eyed farmers. I know the Americans were super soldiers because I watched TH-cam videos where US Vetrans told me how super they are/were.
.
@@craigd1275he was mainly talking about aerial aces and btw , how are you gonna differentiate when your enemy literally wears like the normal farmers and explode when they come near you
Especially if you been up for a whole week on amphetamine you start seeing double most likely😂😂
The video’s title is misleading. Nishikawa and Sakai were Wildcat killers, not Hellcat killers.
When the Zeros dominated the Pacific.
@@A.LeeMorrisJr They did not dominate over Rabaul. That was called the Marana's Turkey shoot. The kill ratio was 11 to 1 for the Hell Cat. Never thought I would unsubscribe from this channel but it is time to go.
@@ohwell2790 Yes, I'm familiar with that particular engagement. I was thinking more of the earlier days of the war before we captured a Zero intact, examined it, flew it, learned its strengths/weaknesses, & how to defeat it. Before that, allied fliers were warned do NOT try to dogfight them! If you do, he'll outfly & kill you!
@@ohwell2790 Unfortunately, Japanese military thinking considered aircraft expendable which likewise made their pilots expendable! Like the Nazis they were trying to produce better planes late in the war, but they couldn't build in quantity & had no combat experienced crews to fly them.
I agree.
Early in the war the Japanese had a better aircraft and gained a lot of experience lining up and shooting down the enemy. As the allies got better planes and more experience the tables turned. As manufacturing took off And American aviators got better schooling and more time in the air the Japanese were overwhelmed.
I have to respect these pilots. They were very courageous.
I remember reading Saburo Sakai's autobiography, "Samurai," as a kid. He said the pilots of the IJN Air Service were trained to spot stars during daytime as a means to identify enemy aircraft at long distances. I have no idea if that was true since much of what is in his book has not stood up to closer scrutiny.
All...read the book.
I have that book
Thanks for covering the dance macabre. This was portrayed in an old world war 2 film if anyone knows which one please reply.
Oh man, can you imagine the total thrill of being in a Zero, and having a target rich environment of Wildcats to rack up your score.
and you train your soldiers to encourage each other to go missing so you won't have to pay them for their service
A whipple/Turbo F150, now that’s a hellcat killer…
Nah cuhhh. Let’s race.
F150? What a piece of junk.
☝️imbeciles
Zeros did fare pretty well against thhe Wildcat. THEN, the Zero killer showed up; the Hellcat, AKA "Ace-Maker." The Hellcat made more Aces than any other U.S. plane. You should edit out the Gun Camera clips from the E.T.O.
They didn't do well at all. They had limited success 1 on 1, they only place they outfought wildcats was over Midway and only because the Wildcats were outnumbered.
@@OverlordGrizzaka Those were F2A Buffalos, not Wildcats. Marine Squadron VMF221. Well, mostly Buffalos, anyway. Over twenty F2A's and six F4f's.
Death defying aerial maneuver in enemy air space x2 yup we got this! Something tells me the Sky King would have been impressed
@@dustincorbin5398 Thanks greatly for remembering Sky King the first air Hero ! !
Super👍👍👍
Well, at least the enemy on the ground was impressed by their flying skills overhead.
I read about this feat many many years ago from the American perspective, they actually stopped firing their AA’s to admire the show.
Mabalacat is difficult for people to learn to pronounce. Having moved to the area, I had to learn 😂🤣
Clark field was only named that after the war. And the entire area around the airport, north of Angeles City is now called 'Clark'. In fact, it's the area I and extended family had lunch today
The Imperial Japanese flight training programs, both Army and Navy, were brutal, with high attrition. IF you survived, you were certainly a badass pilot.
I've heard that those Browning 30s in Dauntlesses were a special breed, firing 1200 rpm (Browning .30 AN/M2). I've also read that Marine troops sought out these particular guns to carry as a SAW in leu of the BAR. This .30 AN/M2 version was equal to the MG-42's rate of fire.
Wildly over-written!
As far as Hiroyoshi Nishizawa was concerned- The only reason he was unable to help Japan further is because he was killed in a transport plane taking him to another part of the war front.
Imperial Japan's Naval Air Training was so severe, that it has been compared to US Navy Seal training. It had a high wash out and was almost year long. This is one reason that it was always took a long time to generate numbers for the Imperial Navy, before Pearl Harbor. They were the cream of Japanese aviation. As Japanese losses became worse the quality of the pilots went down.
Horn Island 🏝️ in Northern Australia needs to become self-sufficient Naval base..
Steep dive in a Zero? Shooting down 3 Wildcats in a row? Strange.... the dive must be short period, and he must used up all his cannon ammo from very close range (only 55-60rpg for the wing mounted Type 99-I cannon, which had poor ballistics due to its short barrel).
The Dalai Lama, would disagree. Starting a war, and killing others, is not honourable.
Wildcat killers not hellcat killers. Wildcats weren't very good planes but is all they really had at the time. Hellcats came and things began to change in air combat for the US.
If it's about Wildcats, why does it say Hellcats in the title!?
he totaled 85?
Achtung! ERIC HARTMAN was here.
Would have been interesting to see what he could have done with American planes
What is the story behind the thumbnail?
This needs a preface. Sakais numbers were inflated and most of his kills were over china, just like most of Japans "aces". More like pseudo aces.
Every nations' air kills were inflated. At times, the US pilots were just as bad.
@@OverlordGrizzaka Interesting point. The counter argument is that both air armies used similar capable aircraft until the A6M Zero domination. Sakai-san fought in the A5M "Claude" first and later the A6M. All other Japanese naval pilots had the same experience. The Japanese pilots flew against Chinese, Americans, and international pilots, and the Soviet Air Force long before the AVG and the A6M appeared. The Japanese pilots were simply far better trained. In the pre-WWII era it was equal to the German Luftwaffe in training and equipment. Both the A6M and the Bf-109 appeared at roughly the same time. The Bf-109 was first. Soviet pilots who flew against the Bf-109 during the Spanish Civil War and then were transferred to fly and fight in China against the Japanese Army and Naval air forces were terrified that the Japanese would buy Bf-109s and drive them out of Chinese skies as they had in Spain! Traditional Japanese fanaticism led to their pilots' superior training. The Americans were forced to grow up and change their training.
@MakerBoyOldBoy the Flying Tigers were so good that the Japanese quit sending planes into their area. The P-39 need escort fighters, it was used incorrectly as the Russians proved. The P-38 shot down the most Japanese planes, at wars end the Japanese were trying to build a plane better than the 38, according to the Japanese. The top American Aces flew the P-38, it to was used incorrectly fighting with our bombers instead of ,Free Roaming, ahead of the Bombers. Same mistake the Germans made over the Battle of Britian.
It's "Sakai's numbers". Learn the difference between plural and possessive forms.
It didn't help the Japanese that they didn't let their aces teach the new fighter pilot's
the plane designed by howard hughes
3:40 Those who survived at least. Most of their early war pilots did not survive.
Too many enemy planes…just too many
Not Hellcat. That's what made me look at the video. False title
Why couldn’t We be Friends Japan 🇯🇵 ??? 🇺🇸
Not much comp between Wildcat and Hellcat
Very poignant.
Sheer stupidity to put your best fighter pilot in an unarmed transport without escort into skies ruled by American fighters.
That Japan lost the war is no surprise.
By this time Japan did not have resources to spare a escort , supply them with a armed plane or anything
😊❤😊❤😊❤😊
😊
😊😊😊
😊
yes, yes, of course, Saburo Sakai lost an eye and after the war he met the pilot who wounded him ....😂
Americans watch so many crappy Hollywood movies that they are always ready to believe ANYTHING !
And NO, Sakai didn't write a book in the 60's ! Martin Caidin, an American novelist and science fiction story teller wrote the book Samourai after interviewing Sakai in 1957 !
He is the one who pretended that Sakai was "credited" with 64 aerial victories.... while ! Japan never made any record of air victories ! 🤣
These are just claims... It includes just about any airplane that flew away because you shot in their direction ...
The best expert on that matter is Henry Sakaida who wrote "Winged Samourai" in 1985, yes, almost 40 years ago, to set the facts straight
From his research, Sakai shot a total of 12 (maybe 15 at the most) American aircraft.
but 40 years later people still write craps on social media.
Yes almost all of his victories came early 42. His credits of B26’s is a joke because according to US records hardly any B26’s were shot down in that theater in 42 !
Exactly. Inflated numbers and manufactured perpetuance of the Zekes supposed prowess led to the myth. In reality up until Wake, Japanese pilots never encountered Wildcats. Their entire track record till then consisted entirely of 2nd and 3rd string enemy aircraft over China and Manchuria.
@@didierdenice7456 Thank you! !. Yours is truly the first informed comment I have read on these issues with the younger readers. I largely repeated the same info in responses before I read yours. Thanks much for mentioning Henry Sakaida. He was right enthusiastic and a proper historian. I was fascinated at his research on The Siege of Rabaul. I had the pleasure of corresponding with him briefly. His unique work is sadly not mentioned today much. Yup, about American movie gullibility as truth. The mid war propaganda John Wayne movie Flying Tigers still poisons all discussions about the AVG guys and their hard earned reality in rejected British Curtis Model H81 pre war aircraft and only a few hours solo in them before engaging the superior Japanese air forces. Online there are subtitled Japanese air war movies of interest. Translated memoirs are only a few. The Library of Congress has original Japanese wartime published pilot memoirs which remain untranslated. Ironically. A Japanese right wing millionaire financed a Zero movie to establish the same war time Japanese fanaticism in their modern youth to counter Western influences. The Eternal Zero is a good movie which terrified Japanese youth.
They were in it till the end unlike allied forces rotation’s of troops for rest Germany got 2wks every six months if not on the eastern front allies offered 6 months for 6 months in the fight gee wonder why they lost 😂
America always fights😮 we always keep going😊
Not in Vietnam and Afghanistan. We quit.
@@Matthew-rr4de And Korea. That war is still going btw, cease-fire, not a peace treaty.
@@Matthew-rr4dewrong on both counts.
@@GhettoFabulous99 Na...you're just uneducated and resistant to facts.
@@GhettoFabulous99 You mean being educated counts. There, fixed it for you.
That narrator seriously needs a testosterone infusion!
🙂
America has always been unbeatable. At least until the weenies started occupying the White House beginning in 1988.
Really? America hasn't won a war since 1945.
Especially corporal bone spurs
Unbeatable? Vietnam and Afghanistan say otherwise.
@@sharzadgabbai4408 When did he get promoted from private!
You forgot about the Weenie Politicians that lost the Vietnam War!
Your geographical info is rather poor. Lea is no Island PAL. And your description of Japanese actual locations is largely incorrect. You do no proper homework!! Even your pronunciation of place names are incorrect.
Unless u have a ton of followers who give a shit about pronunciation go get stuffed. Couch scholar!!
Where is the Hellcat killer?
Try watching the video
@@Charles-k9g5y The vlogger is confusing the Hellcat with the Wildcat. The Hellcat totally outclassed the Zero once it entered the war. Get informed.
@@Charles-k9g5yDid you watch the video yourself?
@@robbysun3137 -- yup
May he rest in peace. Even though he was the enemy
Whats with the thumbnail picture, Ronald Reagan . European guncam? This is why I prefer books and proper editing.
😮