A6M? under resoration in Chino, CA - United States

[SOLIDKREATE]

Can anyone ID this type Zero?

 

 

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

I don't think its an A6M5 type since it doesn't have the multiple exhaust ejector stacks, so maybe an A6M3?

[Feathered_IV]

The distance of the cowl flaps from the wing leading edge suggests an A6M3.  The spinner is a bit pointy.  More like a Nakajima produced version than a Mitsubishi type, but is may be a modern day reproduction. 

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

If it is the Planes of Fame Zero, though it doesn't appear to be, then they list it as an A6M5. It has a few minor modifications to make it more pilot friendly but is essentially the closest thing to a 100% (99?) original flying Zero. If you've never made it to the PoF/Chino airshow it is well worth a visit. One of the very best warbird shows in the world and the Zero is one of the stars.

 

EDIT: Not the PoF Zero. Different tail number.

Edited September 20, 2016 by II/JG17_HerrMurf

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

AI-112 is a replica of A6M3 model 22 -> http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/a6m3/3858_replica.html

[Lusekofte]

this is a M2 

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

Yeah - http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/a6m2/31870.html

 

But I prefer this one: 

 

 

Camo painting is slightly off, engine is not original (or to be fair whole aircraft is a replica) but its still best restored A6M2. 

[Feathered_IV]

That's my favourite too. What a beauty.

[Cybermat47]

The A6M2-21 is my favourite Zero. It fought at Hawaii, Wake, Darwin, and Midway, making it the most iconic, and it's just so simple and smooth.

 

There's one on display at the Australian War Memorial. Anybody interested in WWI and WWII aviation should go there - as well as the Zeke, they have Spitfire, Bf-109, Me-163, Me-262, P-51, Mosquito, Lancaster, Albatros D.Va (one of two left in the world), S.E.5a, Pfalz D.XII, V-1, P-40, and part of a Wirraway.

 

They also have fantastic movies playing, which are best seen there, but here are recordings of them:

 

 

 

And there's another one about the Attack on Sydney Harbour.

 

Apologies for the slight derailment, just thought you guys would be interested

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Yeah - http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/a6m2/31870.html

 

But I prefer this one: 

 

 

Camo painting is slightly off, engine is not original (or to be fair whole aircraft is a replica) but its still best restored A6M2. 

I dunno, Planes of Fame states theirs is the most complete flying Zero - including the original motor.

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

Ekhem, thats exactly what I mean. Blayd A6M2 is a replica, best restored A6M2 but still has only some original parts if I'm not mistaken. Planes of Fame got original airframe and engine so that makes their A6M5 best restored Zeke among all variants, and closest to original aircraft. 

[Feathered_IV]

 

There's one on display at the Australian War Memorial. Anybody interested in WWI and WWII aviation should go there

 

 

The Zero at the AWM is amazing.  It's one that Sakai was known to have flown too, which makes it pretty special.  When I was there I couldn't resist leaning over the railings to touch the wingtip. 

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

AWM, I've spent there more than a month walking around. I mean in the archives. I mean digital archives. I wish they would install that Star Trek teleportation system so I wont have to place orders for documents anymore.

[Lusekofte]

Ekhem, thats exactly what I mean. Blayd A6M2 is a replica, best restored A6M2 but still has only some original parts if I'm not mistaken. Planes of Fame got original airframe and engine so that makes their A6M5 best restored Zeke among all variants, and closest to original aircraft. 

 

It is not a bad thing you know, there is a reason for these reproduced parts. Only Prewar planes was made to last, the one produced during war was not protected against wear and corrosion, they was not expected to last for long, it is the same story behind Spitfires and Hurricanes, it is called restoration , but a lot of parts are reproduced in order to meet regulations and demands of modern aviation

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

As I recall one issue with the A6M is that the magnesium alloy they used for much of the airframe gets brittle with age so the plane gets dangerous to fly. Replicas built with aluminum don't suffer that problem. Plus there are so few Zekes around it would be preferable to fly replicas and keep the precious originals safe.

 

I remember seeing the PoF A6M5 at the Salinas Air Show many years ago. It was on static display during the show but at the end of the day it flew off heading south to Chino along with the Hellcat. Quite a lovely site! The A6M5 with the original Sakae engine has quite a mellow sound pleasant in flight as I remember, not the ugly "snarl" that a P&W puts out. 

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

 

 

magnesium alloy

Small correction, it was zinc alloy. Produced by Sumitomo Metals it was called "Super Ultra Duralumin" or "Extra Super Duralumin", and was a zinc aluminium alloy equivalent to modern day 7075 material I believe. It's strength properties were significantly higher than those of the normally used copper aluminum alloys, while its unit weight was almost the same. Allied aircraft did not use a similar until well in mid-1940s.

 

Lt. Col. J. M. Hayward, chief of foreign development projects at Wright Field stated in Air Force magazine in January 1943: “Claims that German and Japanese airplanes were poorly constructed of unsatisfactionary materials have not been substantiated by fact.” Hayward’s and other Allied reports noted that the Japanese had expended considerable effort in lightening aircraft structures but at the expense of basic safety and structural integrity. An intelligence report on the Zero recovered in Alaska reported it was well constructed and debunked that it was “flimsy.”

 

But yes, it has flaws and ages faster than some other types of duralumin alloys. Though at least Sakae engine never malfunctions 

[352nd_Wheels]

Yeah - http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/a6m2/31870.html

 

But I prefer this one: 

 

[img=http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/igor113/15886453/1663214/1663214_original.jpg]

 

Camo painting is slightly off, engine is not original (or to be fair whole aircraft is a replica) but its still best restored A6M2.

 

It tangled with a Corsair earlier this year...

http://allthingsaero.com/airshows/gallery-original-japanese-zero-loses-tail

 

 

Wheels