(10-11-2014 11:01 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  That is an interesting article but it doesn't tell the whole story. Japan's Naval air service did not lack for planes, in fact most Japanese military forces never really lacked for equipment, but they completely lacked trained aircrews, experienced pilots, etc. Throughout the war the Japanese also stockpiled massive amounts of hardware on the home islands and did not ship it throughout the pacific, even though as late as Nov of 44' they maintained a nearly intact transit system throughout the empire.

The Germans and the Japanese would let their best pilots fly till they were killed. This is why Germany has fighter aces with hundreds of kills, but its a terrible waste of a good pilot. There comes a point where you are wasting their talents IN the cockpit. The US would yank experienced crews to pass that experience on to other crews. Had the Japanese Naval Air Arm and especially the Luftwaffe done this the war would have been much harder. Neither lacked airplanes even late in the war.