Rei-sen-2-2-gata-kou

this is a truncated form of:

Rei-shiki kan-jou sen-tou-ki 2-2-gata kou

(Japanese books don't use the A6M designation)

I wish they would! The Type 97, Type 99, Type 0 etc usage are
bewildering.

the above would be in english:

Type 0 carrier fighter Model 2-2-a

(The manufacturer doesn't enter into it)

Does this gel with your understanding of the long form?

Yes, that's as I understand it. The same model in the short form would
(I bleieve) be A6M2 Model A.

BTW, in the short form, the Val is referred to as the 99-kanbaku (Type
99 carrier bomber) the Kate as the 97-kankou (Type 97 carrier
attack plane), similar to the 0-sen (Type 0 fighter) except that
`kan' is left off here.

Well, I think of that as the *long* form

For comic relief:

American pilots called the Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" bomber the Flying
Zippo for its propensity to burst into flame when hit by incendiary
bullets. Using the long form, the Japanese army air crew had a very
similar name for it: Type 97 Lighter.

(I am even now reading a book about the air war in Burma from the
Japanese perspective www.warbirdforum.com/rangoon1.htm and I just
about fall asleep hearing how the Type 97 Fighters escorted the Type
97 Light Bombers while the Type 97 Heavy Bombers flew on ahead.)


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put CUB in subject line)

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
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