零式戰鬥機（Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen），是日本海軍在二戰初期所研發與大量部署的主力艦載戰鬥機。它的誕生改變當時亞太地區空中戰力的平衡，被譽為當時世界上最靈活的飛機之一，曾在1941年至1942年間於太平洋戰場上取得壓倒性制空權，於1945年正式退役。然而，隨著戰局發展與盟軍飛機技術進步，零式的設計缺陷逐漸暴露，尤其在與美軍F6F地獄猫(Hellcat)等新型戰機的對抗中，優勢不再，甚至成為被針對的對象。

零式戰機的優勢主要體現在其極致的機動性與續航力。為實現長距離護航與艦載作戰，日本設計團隊刻意採取「輕量化至極致」的理念。整機結構大量使用鋁合金與中空設計，並捨棄自封油箱與裝甲防護等重量設施，使其在機動回轉方面極為靈活，能以極小半徑進行水平轉彎，在空戰中具備近距格鬥的致命優勢。加上其航程超過3350公里，遠超越當時多數西方戰機，使其在珍珠港事件、菲律賓與新加坡戰役等初期作戰中發揮關鍵作用。

然而，這種以極致輕量換取性能的設計也埋下致命隱患。首先，由於零式缺乏任何防彈措施，使其在被敵機擊中時極易起火或損毀。其次，其氣密與控制系統在高空作戰中表現不佳，尤其是在爬到6000公尺以上高度，控制面反應遲鈍，升力損失明顯，操縱桿甚至會出現「卡死」現象，導致飛行員無法即時調整姿態。此外，其原始引擎功率有限，在爬升與加速方面逐漸落後於盟軍新型戰機，難以脫離戰鬥。

相對而言，F6F Hellcat是美國格魯曼公司於1943年為對抗零式所設計的艦載戰鬥機，整體性能與設計理念幾乎可視為對零式的「反制型態」。F6F具備強大火力與厚重裝甲，使用Pratt & Whitney R-2800雙排氣冷式發動機，輸出達2000匹馬力，最高時速可達600公里以上，爬升力與俯衝性能優越。它的飛行穩定性與結構強度極高，即使中彈也能維持飛行，這點與零式形成強烈對比。

更關鍵的是，F6F的飛行戰術與訓練策略完全針對零式弱點設計。美軍飛行員接受嚴格訓練，避免與零式纏鬥，而採取俯衝打擊、高速穿插與高度壓制的方式作戰。由於零式在6000公尺以上的性能急劇下降，F6F便常常選擇在此高度發動攻擊，利用其爬升與俯衝速度優勢，在零式尚未反應過來前便完成擊落。加上F6F在高速下仍保有良好操控性，使其能在追擊與脫離之間自由切換，而零式則因氣動限制無法有效逃脫。

從1943年瓜達康納爾戰役起，F6F全面取代F4F成為太平洋戰場主力。根據美軍資料，F6F在整個戰爭期間共擊落5156架敵機，其中絕大多數是零式，其實戰交換比高達19:1，成為二戰中最具代表性的「零式剋星」。

綜合來看，零式戰機雖在初期以極致的機動性與航程席捲太平洋戰場，但隨著戰爭進入中後期，其設計理念無法適應科技進步與戰術轉變，成為歷史上典型的「短期優勢、長期劣勢」戰機。而F6F Hellcat則以強大火力、高生存力與針對性戰術成為盟軍反攻成功的重要象徵，改寫太平洋空戰的格局。

The Mitsubishi A6M "Rei-sen," commonly known as the Zero, was the Imperial Japanese Navy’s primary carrier-based fighter during the early stages of World War II. Its debut dramatically shifted the balance of aerial power across the Asia-Pacific, earning it a reputation as one of the most agile aircraft of its time. From 1941 to 1942, the Zero achieved overwhelming air superiority in the Pacific theater. However, as the war progressed and Allied aircraft technology advanced, the Zero's design flaws became increasingly apparent. By 1945, the aircraft was officially retired, having lost its former dominance—especially in the face of newer U.S. fighters like the F6F Hellcat, which was specifically engineered to counter it.

The Zero's core strengths lay in its exceptional maneuverability and range. To accommodate the demands of long-distance escort and carrier operations, Japanese engineers prioritized extreme weight reduction in its design. The aircraft incorporated lightweight aluminum alloys and a semi-monocoque structure while omitting features like self-sealing fuel tanks and armor protection to keep weight down. This made the Zero incredibly nimble, capable of performing tight horizontal turns with a very small radius—an advantage in close-range dogfights. Its operational range of over 3,350 kilometers far exceeded that of most Western fighters at the time, playing a crucial role in early battles such as the attack on Pearl Harbor and campaigns in the Philippines and Singapore.

However, this lightweight philosophy introduced fatal vulnerabilities. Most notably, the Zero had no armor protection for the pilot or critical systems, making it highly susceptible to fire or catastrophic damage when hit. Additionally, its pressurization and control systems performed poorly at high altitudes. At elevations above 6,000 meters, the aircraft’s control surfaces would become unresponsive, lift would sharply decrease, and the control stick could even lock up—leaving the pilot unable to maneuver effectively. Its original engine was also underpowered compared to newer Allied fighters, putting it at a disadvantage in terms of climb rate and acceleration, and making it difficult to disengage from combat.

In contrast, the F6F Hellcat, developed by Grumman in 1943, was a direct response to the Zero. It could be considered a "counter-design" in both performance and philosophy. The F6F was equipped with the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 twin-row radial engine producing 2,000 horsepower, allowing speeds over 600 km/h and excellent climb and dive capabilities. Unlike the Zero, it had heavy armor protection and robust structural integrity, enabling it to absorb damage and keep flying—qualities that made it highly survivable in combat.

Crucially, the Hellcat’s combat tactics and pilot training were tailored specifically to exploit the Zero’s weaknesses. U.S. Navy pilots were trained to avoid close dogfighting, instead favoring boom-and-zoom tactics—high-speed dives, quick strikes, and immediate disengagement. Knowing the Zero’s performance dropped drastically above 6,000 meters, Hellcat pilots often initiated attacks from this altitude, using superior speed and climb rates to deliver strikes before the Zero could react. The Hellcat also retained high-speed controllability, allowing it to switch between offense and defense fluidly, whereas the Zero struggled to escape due to its aerodynamic limitations.

From the Guadalcanal campaign in 1943 onward, the F6F replaced the older F4F Wildcat and became the dominant U.S. Navy fighter in the Pacific. According to U.S. military records, the Hellcat was credited with 5,156 enemy aircraft kills over the course of the war—most of them Zeros. With an exceptional kill-to-loss ratio of 19:1, it became one of World War II’s most iconic "Zero killers."

In summary, the Zero initially swept the Pacific battlefield with its unmatched agility and range, but its extreme design compromises proved unsustainable as the war and technology evolved. It became a textbook case of a fighter optimized for short-term advantage but vulnerable in the long run. The F6F Hellcat, with its firepower, durability, and strategically tailored tactics, symbolized the turning of the tide in the air war over the Pacific and helped define Allied success in the latter half of World War II.