P-38 and the Zero
Larry said:
"Japanese pilots didn't want to give up any maneuverability in the name of pilot protection. Many of them refused to wear parachutes because they interfered with movement in the cockpit."
It's ironic that one of the best Zero killers in WW-II was the P-38, refer to:
http://www.acepilots.com/usaaf_bong.html
The P-38 is a hot airplane and one of my favorites. However it was not as maneuverable as a single engine fighter like the Mustang or the Corsair. Chuck Yeager despised the P-38. It's my understanding the P-38's lethality came from its being a night fighter using radar. The Japanese were so focused on maneuverability but it did them no good against an invisible enemy.
Gary