| − | The Zero first saw combat in China on September 13, 1940, when 13 Zeros fought 27 Chinese fighters over the city of Chungking. In a thirty minute battle, every Chinese plane was downed, one pilot accounting for five planes himself. Four Zeros suffered light damage.<ref>Zero, by Masatake Okumiya, Jiro Horikoshi, and Martin Caidin, 2004</ref> | + | The Zero first saw combat in China on September 13, 1940, when 13 Zeros fought 27 Chinese fighters over the city of Chungking. In a thirty minute battle, every Chinese plane was downed, one pilot accounting for five planes himself. Four Zeros suffered light damage.<ref name="MyFirstRef">Zero, by Masatake Okumiya, Jiro Horikoshi, and Martin Caidin, 2004</ref> |
| − | The Zero played a role in the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], escorting the Japanese [[bomber]]s and strafing installations. Nine Zeroes were lost in the attack, but they shot down at least ten defending American fighters and destroyed many more on the ground. | + | The Zero played a role in the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], escorting the Japanese [[bomber]]s and strafing installations. Nine Zeroes were lost in the attack, but they shot down at least ten defending American fighters and destroyed many more on the ground.<ref name="MyFirstRef"/> |
| | Zeros were present for almost every battle of the Pacific War that had an aerial component. They were especially prominent in the carrier battles, such as those at [[Battle of the Coral Sea|Coral Sea]] and [[Battle of Midway|Midway]]. | | Zeros were present for almost every battle of the Pacific War that had an aerial component. They were especially prominent in the carrier battles, such as those at [[Battle of the Coral Sea|Coral Sea]] and [[Battle of Midway|Midway]]. |