Thach Weave: The maneuver that defeated the A6M Zero Fighter! The Thach Weave was an innovative aerial combat maneuver developed during World War II by U.S. Navy pilot James Thach. Designed to counter the superior agility of the Japanese A6M Zero fighter, the Thach Weave involved two American aircraft flying in tandem to create a protective formation. When one fighter engaged an enemy, the other would weave in to assist, making it difficult for the Zero to target either plane without exposing it