The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (short for Kübelsitzwagen, meaning bucket-seat car)
was a military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen
during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS).
Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but
eventually became known internally as the Type 32.
With its rolling chassis and mechanics built at KDF Stadt (now Wolfsburg) and its
body built by US owned firm Ambi Budd in Berlin, the Kübelwagen was for the
Germans what the jeep was for the Allies.
The Thach Weave was an aerial combat tactic developed by naval aviator John S.
Thach of the United States Navy early during World War ll.
Thach had heard, of the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero's extraordinary maneuverability
and climb rate. Before even experiencing it for himself, he began to devise tactics
meant to give the slower-turning American F4F fighters a chance in combat, he
eventually came up with what he called "Beam Defense Position", but what soon
became known as the "Thach Weave". It was executed either by two fighter aircraft
side-by-side or by two pairs of fighters flying together. When an enemy aircraft
chose one fighter as his target (the "bait" fighter: his wingman being the "hook"), the
two wingmen turned in towards each other. After crossing paths, and once their
separation was great enough, they would then repeat the exercise, again turning in
towards each other, bringing the enemy plane into the hook's sights. A correctly-
executed Thach Weave (assuming the bait was taken and followed) left little chance
of escape to even the most maneuverable opponent.
"at high altitude, it wouId've been a different story." (Zero's excelent maneuverability at lower altitudes)
After Yoshika performs Mio's maneuver to beat Francesca and Charlotte. Francesca
makes a subtle reference to the A6M Zero's excellent maneuverability at lower
altitudes.
Mio's magic shield not working (The A6M Zero's "little problem")
Designed for attack, the Zero gave precedence to maneuverability and firepower at
the expense of protection ---most had no self-sealing tanks or armor plate--- thus
many Zeros were lost too easily in combat along with their pilots. One shot in the
tanks and the Zero will burst into flames...