Jiro Horikoshi

Jiro Horikoshi was a Japanese aeronautical engineer who designed many fighter aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He is best known for creating the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, which was considered one of the most advanced and maneuverable fighters of its time. Horikoshi was also involved in the development of other aircraft, such as the Mitsubishi A5M, the Mitsubishi J2M, and the Mitsubishi A7M. Horikoshi was fascinated by aviation since his childhood, and he graduated from the University of Tokyo with an engineering degree. He joined Mitsubishi in 1927 and worked at the Nagoya Aircraft Manufacturing Plant. He became the chief engineer of the fighter design team in 1936. Horikoshi faced many challenges and difficulties in his career, such as the lack of resources, the high expectations of the navy, the changing demands of the war, and the ethical dilemmas of creating weapons. He also suffered from personal losses, such as the death of his wife from tuberculosis and the destruction of his hometown by Allied bombing. Horikoshi was a pacifist who opposed the war and hoped for a peaceful resolution. He expressed his thoughts and feelings in his diary, which was later published as a book. After the war, Horikoshi continued to work for Mitsubishi until his retirement in 1969. He also wrote several books and articles about his experiences and his views on aviation. He died of pneumonia in 1982 at the age of 78. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest aircraft designers in history and a pioneer of Japanese aviation.