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Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:37 pm 
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The famous Akutan Zero with my very best thanks to my good friend Sean Hert, who found them at NARA:

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:07 am 
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Great pics.
What an accomplishment to collect and restore this wreck back in that time.
IIRC it was an A6M2, not A6M5 which came along later. The 5 featured multiple ejector exhaust stacks which help identify that model.
This has the earlier collector exhaust with 2 large outlets on the bottom.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:59 am 
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I don't know enough about Zeros to tell the difference, so you are more than likely correct. The file said A6M5 but others have also confirmed. Thanks.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:21 am 
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What a handsome aircraft, seriously- and what a fantastic series of photos, most of which I've never seen! Outstanding find, outstanding post- thanks much for these!

Lynn


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:51 am 
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That is the Zero recovered from Alaska, the antenna mast was damaged and sawn off shorter.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:32 pm 
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I've never seen most of those, is it just the lighting, or is the airplane in three toned cammo? The rudder appears to be another, different shade of blue.
Thanx for the closeup of the type and the BUAERNO on the fin/rudder 8)

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:55 pm 
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The rudder is not a different shade of blue but rather gives a different reflection due to the deflection of the rudder vs. the fin. and it's paint over fabric next to paint over metal. This can cause a different effect with same colours....

What a machine! I wonder what happened to it??


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:07 pm 
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In February of 1945 it was taxiing for takeoff and a landing SB2C Lost control while landing and hit it, destroying it. Pilot was okay but the Zero was a complete loss.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:22 pm 
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In about the second week of February 1945, Koga's Zero (A6M2 4593) was taxiing preparing for a training flight at San Diego Naval Air Station by Comdr. Richard G. Crommelin when a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver failed to see it ahead and overran the Zero, chopping the Zero into pieces all the way to the cockpit, just missing Crommelin. The wreckage was basically scrap and a few things were salvaged and later donated to the Navy Museum at Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. There is further info about the plane and a few other surviving parts in the "Koga's Zero: The Fighter that Changed World War II by Jim Rearden, 1995. The same book seems to have also been published earlier (1990) under the title "Cracking the Zero Mystery". Hope that helps.

Randy


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 6:27 pm 
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Pics provided by me, driving to NARA, pulling the original pictures, scanning them and driving back home.

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:13 pm 
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thanks for sharing....pretty sure i haven't seen most of them....some very historic shots there.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:33 pm 
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A few more ...

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A6M Zero 361 Kokutaion Saipan 1944

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A6M5 Zero fighters found on Saipan 1944

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Mitsubishi A6M Zero September 10 1945 Atsugi Air drome Tokyo Japan

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:05 pm 
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wow great pics w/ great perspective as to it's lines. why is it that the japanese were such lousy photographers when they made so many of the prime brands of cameras back then & today??

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:03 am 
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Great pics .. thanks to everyone for sharing.

I can't help thinking it would be cool to see a flying Zero/Tora replica in this US Navy scheme .. even if it were just a temporary movie style treatment removed shortly after an airshow appearance and photo shoot. Let's plant the seed now for a commemorative event at Planes of Fame in July 2017 (75th anniversary of recovering the Akutan A6M!!)


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:22 pm 
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since we are on the subject of American Meatballs, What is the history of the Planes of Fame Zero? How did we procure that one? Are there any capture images of that aircraft

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