Christy's+Research

**Advances Made in World War II In Flight Technology**

 * Japan vs. the USA**

In WWII, aircraft played a large role in the fighting of the war. Aircraft highly affected the ways countries developed their technology to fight WWII. Each country wanted to build the finest plane to gain victory. The biggest competition between aircraft was between Japan and the United States. An immense improvement seen in technology, was between the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the Army's Ki-43 Oscar, and the American’s Grumman F6F Hellcat.

The Wildcat, built by the American Grumman plane company for challenging take-offs and landings on small, heaving carrier decks. It had a top speed of 320 mph and had six 50 caliber machine guns. There were 7,860 planes produced with production starting in December of 1940 until the American F6F Hellcat became one of the most distinguished planes in the world. 1)("Ace Pilots”) == == ==  T he Japanese fighter plane, the Navy’s Mitsubishi A6M Zero, and the Army’s Ki-43 Oscar, were built to rule the air. It out flew the American Wildcat and the majoirty of all planes of that time. When this plane first took flight the Americans thought they were facing a “wonder weapon”. It had two 7.7 machine guns and two 20mm cannons. During that time that was considered heavily armed. When it took flight, it beat out every plane because it was lithe, aerodynamic and maneuverable. 2 )("Ace Pilots”)   == ==In response to the Japanese Zero, the American Grumman company built the world known plane, the Hellcat. It went up to a top speed of 376mph, and had six 50 caliber machine guns.It dominated the skies. Production started in October of 1942 and by the end of production, 12,500 planes were produced. This plane was built as a follow up to the Wildcat and specifically built to encounter the Zero. The wings extended over 334 square feet while the average was less than 250 square feet. It flew about 55mph faster than the Zero and at 20,000 feet it was 70mph faster. The first Hellcat mission occurred on August 31, 1943. 3)("Ace Pilots") ==

== The Grumman Company built the Hellcat to be more aerodynamic than the Zero. The race was on between the two countries to build the best plane. It also shaped the way the flight technology was used. The major catalyst in the "competition" was the way the technology was inovated and redeveloped. The swifter and more agile the plane the greater chance of gaining triumph. ==

** 1) ** "WW2 and Aviation( Grumman F4F Wildcat)." //Ace Piolots//. Ace Piolots, 14,2,2011. Web. 11 Apr 2011. [].
== ** 2 ****)**"WW2 and Aviation." //Ace Piolots//. Ace Piolots, 14,2,2011. Web. 11 Apr 2011. []. == == ** 3) ** "WW2 and Aviation." //Ace Piolots//. Ace Piolots, 14,2,2011. Web. 11 Apr 2011. []. ==