RE: New Picture
This aircraft is the only authentic, flying example of the Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Model 52. Built in May 1943, it was the 2357th Zero produced. The Air Museum’s Zero flew with the 261st Air Corps where it participated in Operation “Pogo” (the air defense of the Japanese main home islands). In March of 1944, it was reassigned to the air defense of Saipan, Tinian and Palau Islands, and based on Saipan at Asilito Airfield. It was captured at Asilito Airfield in Saipan in June 1944 during Operation “Foraged” and shipped to the US aboard the USS Copahee in July of 1944.
After its capture, the aircraft was flight tested at Patuxent River, Maryland accumulating 190 hours of flight time. One of the pilots to test fly this aircraft, was Charles Lindbergh (Spirit of St. Louis). Discarded by the military after the war, this Zero was acquired by Ed Maloney in 1950. The Zero was restored and first flew in June 1978 and has about 200 hours of flight time since the rebuild. The Zero has done two tours in Japan, one shortly after it was restored and more recently during the summer of 1995. The Zero can be viewed in the Japanese Aircraft Exhibit in Chino.
[img src=”http://www.dslextreme.com/users/367th/zeke2.jpg“]
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