Jiro Horikoshi

Jiro Horikoshi
Born	22 June 1903 Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture
Died	11 January 1982
Nationality	Japanese
Education	University of Tokyo
Work
Significant projects	A7M "Reppu"
Significant design	A5M A6M "Zero"

A Mitsubishi A5M.

Dr. Jiro Horikoshi (堀越 二郎, Horikoshi Jirō, 22 June 1903 - 11 January 1982) was the chief engineer behind many Japanese fighters of WWII. Most notable of such was the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter.

An A6M "Zero" taking off from the Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi on 7 December 1941.

He was born near the city of Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, Japan.

In 1927, Jiro graduated from the newly established Aviation Laboratory (Kouku Kenkyu Sho) within the Engineering Department of the University of Tokyo , and started his career in Mitsubishi Internal Combustion Engine Company Limited, which later became Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagoya Aircraft Manufacturing Plant. He first built the successful Mitsubishi A5M (allied codename "Claude") before he and his team at Mitsubishi were asked, in 1937, to design Prototype 12 (corresponding to the 12th year of the reign of the then present Emperor). Prototype 12 was completed in July 1940, and it was accepted by the Japanese Imperial Navy. Since 1940 was the Japanese year 2600, the new fighter was named as "Model 00" or "Zero", in Japan also known as the "Rei-sen" (literally meaning "zero fight," shortened for Model zero fighter airplane).

A J2M "Raiden".

Subsequently, he was involved in many other fighters manufactured by Mitsubishi, including the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Thunderbolt) and the Mitsubishi A7M Reppu (Strong Gale).

An A7M "Reppu" under construction.

His memoir, regarding the development of Zero was published first in Japan in 1970, and it was translated in the 70s, by the University of Washington Press as Eagles of Mitsubishi: the story of the Zero Fighter.

References

Bibliography

• Horikoshi, Jiro. Eagles of Mitsubishi: the story of the Zero Fighter. Washington, DC: University of Washington Press, 1992. ISBN 978-0295971681.