US Navy Lieutenant Commander Eddie Sanders taxiing the captured Japanese A6M Zero fighter 'Akutan Zero', Naval Air Station San Diego, California, United States, Sep 1942 [Colorized by WW2DB]

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Caption     US Navy Lieutenant Commander Eddie Sanders taxiing the captured Japanese A6M Zero fighter 'Akutan Zero', Naval Air Station San Diego, California, United States, Sep 1942 [Colorized by WW2DB] ww2dbase
Colorization Note   This photograph was originally a black and white photograph; the colorized version presented here was a derivative work by WW2DB. The colors used in this version were speculative, and could be significantly different from the real colors.

Processed using Adobe Photoshop Image Processor, with default neural filter, selecting "None" as the profile.

View the original black and white photograph at its own permanent page.
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseUnited States National Archives
Identification Code   NA 80-G-12777
More on...   
A6M Zero   Main article  Photos  
Photo Size 742 x 519 pixels
Added By C. Peter Chen
Colorized Date 24 Feb 2023
Licensing  Public Domain. According to the US National Archives, as of 21 Jul 2010:
The vast majority of the digital images in the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) are in the public domain. Therefore, no written permission is required to use them. We would appreciate your crediting the National Archives and Records Administration as the original source. For the few images that remain copyrighted, please read the instructions noted in the "Access Restrictions" field of each ARC record.... In general, all government records are in the public domain and may be freely used.... Additionally, according to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government".

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
27 Nov 2011 02:30:25 PM

MILITARY SECRETS ARE THE MOST FLEETING:

The Zero was very maneuverable well armed w/
2x20mm wing mounted cannons and 2x7.7mm machine guns and had long-range. It did have its weaknesses light construction, no armor
protection for the pilot or fuel tanks.

FLAME THE ZERO:

Allied pilots developed tactics to combat the zero. The firepower from the .50 caliber
machine was enough to shoot it down most.

WALK THOSE SLUGS IN:

US pilots would use deflection shooting aim
just ahead of the zero, and the pilot would fly into the fifty caliber slugs.
Hitting the pilot, fuel tanks or engine he's gonna go down. Most of the time, the zero would break up in the air from the impact of those fifties.

LOST WAR PRIZE:

The A6M2 Model 21 in above photo was tested until it met its fate from a US Navy SB2C Helldiver's propeller chewing up the zero's tail.
With such a war prize, you would think the navy would have follow me vehicles in front and behind with checkered flags and flashing lights, to warn other aircraft that were about to taxi.
2. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
3 Nov 2015 03:30:38 PM

TAIL OF THE ZERO: s/n 4593

Photograph shows Lt.Cdr Eddie R. Sanders at the controls of Koga's A6M2, Model 21 Zero Fighter.
San Diego, Ca. North Island Naval Air Station 1942. Sanders studied the zero for a week, as mechanics rebuilt the aircraft.
Sanders made twenty-four (24) test flights in the zero from Sept.20, 1942 through Oct.15, 1942. The zero was also test flown by US Army pilots.
How close was the Navy to rebuilding the zero, mechanics rebuilt the zero 98% many of the a/c
equipment, was license-built copies such as the propeller, aircraft instruments and other systems of US equipment.
The zero had a range of 1,675 nautical miles or 1,930 statue miles more than any other carrier fighter of the time. It was armed w/2 x 7.7mm
machine guns w/500 rounds per gun and 2 x 20mm cannons w/60 rounds per gun

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