Warbird Information Exchange

While I prefer to be able to see a breathing example of an aircraft vibrating on the flightline, and creating a vortex in the sky, I am greatful to the staff and volunteers that put in a great deal of their life into the preservation of these rare machines. Thanks for a job well done . The last remaining George that has yet to be restored, It would be cool to have it under restortation for the air show circuit. I think, now this is just "My" opinion, that the NAFM is missing an oportunity to generate additional funds and visitation to their facility, by not sponsoring one of their inventory on/for the air show circuit. On the downside, if it is a one of a kind-last surviving example, I do feel that it is one that should be preserved and housed, as the chances of loosing it this way is minimized as opposed to gravity taking over. okieDokie...I'm done

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

I'm not sure, but I think the unrestored George is a badly corroded airframe pulled from a Japanese lake a few years back. Unfortunately, I doubt it would make a good candidate for a flying restoration. In fact, restoring any original WWII Japanese aircraft to airworthy condition would be a major challenge. Some of the alloys they used were picked for light weight rather than long-term durability. And especially later in the war, corrosion protection was next to nonexistant. To bring an original back to flying status, you'd probably end up replacing most of the original metal.

Now, in a dream world it would be cool to reverse-engineer a George (or Frank, or even Tojo) and build up a flying reproduction, like the Oscar project. Of course, you'd have to use an American or maybe a Russian engine. Suitable power plants would be another major obstacle in restoring any Japanese warbird to flying condition. I believe the only Japanese WWII aero engine still running anywhere in the world is the Sakae on the Planes of Fame A6M5.

SN

Steve, is it possible that the Japanese still has the jigs etc to their engines and airframes tucked away in a vault that is covered in dust and only a chossen few know of their existance, or did we break up all that stuff? I would imagine that most of their engineering documents were seized when we entered Japan.

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Glad to see the George on display. It has come a long way since I saw it on display last August.



I hope to see it again this summer.

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Hello,

I strongly believe the last unrestored "Shiden-kai" will never be completely restored. She is a 343 Air Group combat vet and had only a light clean up prior to display.

I have never seen or heard of any original Japanese a/c jigs in existance.
However, they can be rebuilt using plans - the Blayd Corp. (from Canada) did a superb job on their remanufactured Zero(s).

The Ki-61s being restored in NZ are very cool too! Hats off to Jerry Yagen for restoring his fighter.

All it takes is cash and some good engineers and just about anything can be remanufactured.

Regards,

Ron W.

So, where is this unrestored George that everyone keeps mentioning?

Matt the Uninformed

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Matt

Hello,

The unrestored Shiden-kai is on display in a small museum in the Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It overlooks Hisayoshi Bay where the fighter was recovered in 1979. No remains of the pilot where found. Several pictures and detailed info can be found in Henry Sakaida's superb work "Genda's Blade, Japan's Squadron of Aces, 343 Kokutai."

Regards,

Ron W.

Say Ron,

Concerning Steve Nelson's comments on the POF Zero having the only running Japanese aero engine: I know that Nobuo Harada's Zero-sen collection is aways advertised as having been restored to airworthy (including engines). Do you know if the engines on any of his collection are ever run (Or were ever run following restoration?)?

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

I don't know much about Mr. Harada's collection (I believe he has also has a Betty aft fuselage.) His aircraft may be airworthy, but I don't think any are flown.

As for the jigs and drawings, I think the Japanese destroyed most of their paperwork while preparing for Allied occupation forces..and we were pretty thorough in our destruction of the remaining aircraft. I would assume all the factory tooling and such was recycled, as metal and other resources were in short supply in post-war Japan.

SN

Hey Dan K,

Harada's SAKAE engine RUNS. It has run in the test stand before - I have a picture. Sadly, the darn Japanese government will never let him fly his warbirds! What a shame - red tape in Japan.

BUT, the A6M3 Zero owned by Evergreen Museum WILL have a running Sakae engine but no idea if they will fly her once the rebuild is done.

Oshkosh 2008 book signing or bust!

Ron

Cool and Cool!

Back to the NMUSAF Shiden-Kai, has it been restored in the markings it originally wore?

SN

Steve,

The museum wasn't 100% sure on their fighter's history and chose to restore it in Yokosuka A/G markings. All the other survivors wear 343 A/G markings "Japan's Squadron of Aces."

Ron

Thanks..I know the NMUSAF bird used to wear 343rd markings. As I mentioned, it's nice to see a Shden-Kai restored in something different.

Are any of the other restored examples actual 343rd vets? I read a magazine article that indicated the NMNA plane is.

SN

I was at the Hazy Center Tuesday morning waiting to come home and they have quite a few new displays. I really like the Connie, even know that nose wheel is in the wrong place......

Lynn

The unrestored George that was recovered from underwater (Lake Biwa) is in extremely poor condition. The skin is such a corrosion bomb that you can see sunlight through the holes in the fuselage. If I remember correctly, even back in the late 70's when they recovered it, the corrosion was so extensive that it would have basically destroyed the airframe if they tried to do a "proper" restoration. I believe all they did was clean it up a bit and put a new fresh coat of paint on it. It even has the original plexiglass still on it.

I've never heard of any jigs surviving, but the MOF/Flight Magic Zeros that were rebuilt in Russia in the 90's had the benefit of using authentic surviving Zero blueprints. I saw them myself at SMO in about '91 or '92.