Slate’s open thread for the week of July 10.

Finding the Akutan Zero, in This Week’s Open Thread

Finding the Akutan Zero, in This Week’s Open Thread

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July 10 2017 12:00 AM

Finding the Akutan Zero

Join Slate’s open thread for the week of July 10.

Akutan Island
U.S. military personnel inspect a Japanese Zero aircraft piloted by Tadayoshi Koga that crashed on Akutan Island after bombing Dutch Harbor on June 4, 1942. The Zero was later shipped to the US and put into flying condition for intelligence purposes. Koga was killed in the crash.

Courtesy of Mike Bouchette, Son of Capt. Theodore J. Bouchette, National Park Service

On this day in 1942, the U.S. Navy discovered a Japanese fighter plane that had crash-landed on Akutan, one of the Aleutian Islands, a discovery that would eventually help the Navy devise new ways of combating the Japanese in the Pacific theater. You may use the comment thread on this page to remember the Akutan Zero, as the plane became known, or to otherwise pursue a freewheeling, off-topic discussion.

Find previous discussions in the Open Thread archive.

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