285 A5M

The Mitsubishi Type 96 A5M fighter  (allied code named 'Claude') was the predecessor to the famed Zero and was as ground breaking in 1936 as the later Zero would be some years later. Over China in the late 1930s it bested every aircraft that went against it, although the quality of IJN pilots was certainly a big part of this success. The Soviet I-16 was the best of it's adversaries, but comparisons are full of plotiical distorsions.  The A5Ms escorted the G3M Nels often over China. 
The A5Ms were active on most Japanese island bases such as Roi, Kwajalien, the  Marshall islands and at Rabaul up to  the Battle of the Coral Sea, when the last of them fought. They were then withdrawn from front line service and used as trainers.