Yep, no 5th generation fighter threat out there as a reason to build the F-22.
I guess the P-40 and F4F-4 Wildcat were good enought, no need to worry about the Japs having something better. Especially when their ‘cheap copy’ aviation industry’s quality of production was worth zero.
LOL - good pun
The Zero was a low-wing design, constructed of a lightweight aluminum alloy named “Extra-Super Duraluminum (ESD)”, with the exception of fabric-covered rudder and elevators. The aircraft’s lightweight construction helped it achieve the performance goals specified by the IJN. However, the severe limits on weight ensured that the new fighter also lacked armor and self-sealing fuel tanks.
Japs lost a plane, they could replace it in under a month, the pilot, 23 years.
The US lost a place, it was replaced in a day, the pilot fished out of the drink and back in the game.
Recipe for disaster.
How many F-22’s could we have for the BILLION dollars spent on clunker automobiles?