Mitsubishi A7M

The Mitsubishi A7M Reppū ("Strong Gale") was designed as the successor to the Imperial Japanese Navy's A6M Zero, with development beginning in 1942. Performance objectives were to achieve superior speed, climb, diving, and armament over the Zero, as well as better maneuverability. As a result, the wing area and overall size were significantly greater, on par with the American P-47 Thunderbolt. The A7M's Allied codename was Sam.

Mitsubishi A7M in Days of Infamy
At a meeting with Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, Lt. Saburo Shindo asked the commander about the progress of the A7M after Fuchida informed him that the Americans were introducing a new fighter. Although Lt. Shindo knew next to nothing about the fighter, he knew that it had been on the drawing board for far too long, and what frustrated him even more, was it didn't look like it was coming off any time soon.