>Also in about 1872 or so, a great diplomatic mission from Japan sent
>the smartest and best educated Japanese <read: connected and literate>
>to Europe and Americas to learn the secrets of modernity.

Yes it did. The mission, if I recall my history classes correctly, lasted a ten year period. (sorry, my history books are in a storage unit right now, or I'd get the exact dates).

>I believe
>it include both samurai and merchant classes. This is what allows
>Japan in 1880 to begin the world's fastest modernization develop and
>to produce technical minds capable of innovating. That's a feat, I
>believe, unparalleled by any other culture/national in human history.

Yeah, China tried it and crashed and burned. Very Ugly.

>So, assuming that the political parallels stay the same in this AU, a
>1890 launching would be just right for some smart kid who spent all
>his youth traveling about Europe, learning lingua franca, and studying
>the art and science of mechanics to turn into the first, great
>Japanese pilot of his generation.

Oh, I don't dispute the facts that it's possible for the individuals, but try to remember that this was a period of wanton western imerialism, which was then followed by a period of beating the re-emerging eastern powers down, basically stating "We've declared the imperialism game closed."