Allied Opinion of IJN vs. IJA Fighter Pilots

[Broncazonk]

This thread has been generating some great posts, (all but mine because I don't know anything) and to one and all, I say thank you.

There was racism, a lot of racist propaganda that was directed against the Japanese prior to, during and throughout the war--for home consumption. However, each of the Allied nations had a military attaché exchange program with the Japanese in the late 1930's, no? The actual abilities and capabilities of the Japanese army and navy air forces had to be known (should have been known) to someone in the British and US military pre-war, no? And if not, why not?? (The standard narrative is that the Japanese came as a big surprise to the British and Americans. The Zero certainly was. Were the Japanese THAT successful in hiding their abilities in the late 1930's?)

Bronc