Hunting Zeros
Finding an airworthy Zero is not easy these days. In fact, you can count them on one hand.
- By Roger Mola
- Air & Space magazine, July 2007
Seeing a Zero in the air is a rare treat, but if collectors have their way, more like this one could take wing in coming years. Phil Makanna
Finding Mitsubishi A6M Zeros that remain able to fly is a rare thing these days. Time and American airpower made the Zero, a staple of the Japanese air force during World War II, a highly endangered species. Nearly 11,000 Zeros have dwindled to only two airworthy specimens: The Commemorative Air Force flies one, and the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California, flies the other.
“From the late ‘30s right up to maybe 1943 in the Pacific Theater, we couldn’t really compete against it, until our F6F Hellcat,” says Steve Barber, wing leader of the Commemorative Air Force World War II museum in Camarillo, California. Barber pairs the American and Japanese fighters in mock dogfights at airshows. Despite original landing gear, cockpit, and most instruments, the museum uses a Pratt & Whitney R1830 radial engine.
“Of course, the first ten Zeros which flew had American engines,” says Barber. “Since we were nice enough to sell Japan some Pratt & Whitney engines, they turned around and essentially copied them, which is why the parts are nearly interchangeable today.”
He marvels at the Zero’s nimble moves, yet he compares them to tin foil. “You can just touch the Zero and then the Hellcat, and see the difference in philosophy,” Barber adds. “The Japanese government didn’t care if the pilot survived. They were looking for climbability and maneuverability.”
The Zero had no bulletproof glass. Japanese pilots only had a single piece of armor plating behind him, affording little protection. Even more dangerously, a Zero’s fuel tanks were not self-sealing. “If you hit it a Zero with a tracer, they’d almost always catch fire,” Barber says. (“The Niiahu Zero,” July 2007)
The Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero No 61-120 at Chino flies with its original 1,200-horsepower 14-cylinder Nakajima Sakae 31. Though stripped of working weapons, its paint and markings are the same as the day it defended Iwo Jima. The Zero was among 12 captured on Saipan Island in June 1944 by U.S. Marines.
No 61-120 was shipped to the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, Maryland, where it was evaluated by 25 test pilots. Today the Zero flies only once a year, at the Planes of Fame air display each May.
At nearby Van Nuys Airport, Ted Thomas may soon double the population of flyable Zeroes. David Price of the Santa Monica Museum of Flying had sent three Zeros to a Russian contractor for restoration, one of which went to the Commemorative Air Force when Santa Monica closed for renovation. The two sister Zeros are now held by Thomas at Van Nuys. One is destined for the collection of Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen. Thomas has nearly completed the other restoration, which will debut on the airshow circuit. Like the CAF Zero, however, the pair wear re-skinned fuselages and will fly with Pratt & Whitney engines.
Related topics: Airplane Restoration International Military Aviation Propeller Aircraft Fighters WWII
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Comments (1)
I work for the railroad in Amarillo, Tx. and today July 15, 2008 my coworkers and I were quite surprised to look up in the sky and see what we agreed were 2 possibly 3 Japanese zeros flying overhead. I could almost imagine that I was seeing them on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor. They reminded me of the models I collected as kid. My favorites being the F4U corsair and the zero fighter. It was quite a thrill even If it was our imaginations running wild. I enjoted the above article about the famed aircraft.
Posted by Steve Anderson on July 15,2008 | 12:47 AM