CAF Southern California Wing's Mitsubishi A6M3 Zeke "Zero"

The Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is the operator of this rare Mitsubishi A6M3 Zeke "Zero" (Type 0, Model 22) which is on display in Camarillo, CA. and is available for airshows, flybys and film throughout the USA.

In 1937, in light of combat reports from China, the Imperial Japanese Navy established specifications for a new carrier fighter aircraft. The aircraft had to achieve a maximum speed of 500 km/h at 4000 meters; a climb to 3000 meters in 3.5 minutes; an endurance a 1.5 to 2 hours at normal power and fully loaded and with additional fuel tank; or 6 to 8 hours at economical cruising speed; armament requirement consisted of two 20mm cannons and two 7.7 mm machine guns, and two 30 kg or 60 kg bombs; a complete radio set; a wing span of less than 12 meters; and maneuverability at least comparable to the A5M type 96 aircraft.

The specifications were presented to the Nakajima and Mitsubishi aircraft manufacturing teams. Nakajima considered the new requirements unrealistic and pulled out of the running. The Mitsubishi team, led by Jiro Horikoshi, presented a two-bladed propeller, low-winged monoplane with a retractable landing gear, and powered by a Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 engine. The aircraft presented a large canopy for an excellent view. The first prototype, the A6M1, was flown my Katsuzo Shima on April 1, 1939. The two-bladed propeller was soon replaced by a three-bladed propeller. On September 14, 1939, the Japanese Navy accepted the aircraft as the A6M1 Type 0 carrier fighter. After further testing the Mitsubish Zuisei engine was repaced by the Nakajima Sakae engine and redesignated the A6M2. On July 31, 1940, the A6M2, named "Reisen", entered into production as the Navy Type 0 carrier fighter, Model 11.

In November 1940, the aircraft, was redesigned with manually folding wingtips so that the aircraft could fit on the deck elevators of Japanese aircraft carriers; it was designated as the Model 21. Production continued for two years in the Mitsubishi and Nakajima plants. A total of
1,540 aircrafts of this version were manufactured. The model 21 took part in the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, the New Guinea and the Solomon operations.

In October 1942, the Reisen (Zero) fought its last air campaign during the Battle of Santa Cruz. Thereafter, the A6M2 was replaced by the A6M3 and relegated to second line duties and training.

560 A6M3 Model 22s were built between December 1942 and summer of 1943. The A6M3 was built after the Battle of Midway, with longer wings, folding wing-tips (for carrier use), a more powerful engine and the longest range of all the Zeros.

The first flight of the "Zero" fighter was April 1, 1939. Allied Intelligence applied the name "Zeke" to the A6M, but it was better known as the Zero, the name derived from its type designation after the year in which it was put into service - 1940. Mitsubishi and Nakajima built 10,449 "Zero" fighters (more than any other type of Japanese aircraft). The single-seat fighter has light-weight all-metal construction and fabric-covered control surfaces. As the fighting on Guadalcanal raged, the Zero 22s were rushed to Buna in New Guinea and Buka in the Solomon Islands to provide cover over the supply route to Guadalcanal.

Our Zero was delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Group #3. The aircraft was recovered from Babo in New Guinea in 1991, partially restored from several A6M3s in Russia, then brought to the United States for completion of restoral. In 1998 the aircraft was re-registered and displayed at the Santa Monica Museum of Flying. Currently, this aircraft has a Pratt & Whitney R1830 engine (compared to the original Sakai engine in the Planes of Fame Museum's flyable A6M5 Zero). There is, nevertheless, the fact that Japan had a contract with Pratt & Whitney before WWII in which P&W provided engines for fighter planes and other aircraft. It is, therefore, conceivable that some of the planes participating in the Pearl Harbor attack could have been powered by American engines.

This Zero is currently one of only three flyable Zeros in the world.

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