World War II Database

1.  BILL says:
17 Mar 2009 03:36:51 PM

Late war A6M5 Model 52 is displayed at Ontario Army Air Base, California in 1944 used to familiarize U.S. pilots. However many zeros were tested at the Naval Air Station Anascotia, Washington D.C. Aircraft T.A.I.C. 8 could have operated out of N.A.S. Anascotia as well.

2.  Bill says:
10 Jun 2011 08:51:09 PM

A6M5 Model 52 could be one of the Zeros that were captured on Saipan. The Zeros flew with the 261st Kokutai, Aslito airfield.

3.  Bill says:
20 Dec 2011 09:37:09 AM

Twelve A6M5s were captured by US Forces on Aslito Airfield, Saipan shipped to the U.S. for testing.
One Zero was coded TAIC-7, later FE-130 and T2-130 tested at Wright Field, Ohio and Eglin Field, Florida. The Zero was acquired by the National Air & Space Museum Wash. DC
in the late 1970s and is now on display.

4.  Bill says:
5 Jul 2015 04:16:17 PM

TALE OF A ZERO:

Planes of Fame Air Museum Chino, California has the only authentic A6M5 Zero in the world.
61-120 was built in May 1943 by Nakajima and was the 2,357th Zero off the production line.
Accepted by the Imperial Navy and assigned to a
Japanese Naval Air Group stationed on the home island of Honshu.

OFF TO WAR:

Assigned to the 261st Kokutai on Iwo Jima March 1944. During the fighting for Iwo Jima, 61-120 was captured June 1944 with twelve other Zero fighters by the US Marines that took Asilito Airfield. Captured aircraft along with spare engines and other equipment were shipped to San Diego, Ca. for tested and evaluated, four zeros were made airworthy, two sent to the US Army and two sent to the US Navy, 61-120 was tested at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
August 1944 the Zero flew back across the US to San Diego, Ca.
January 1, 1945 more test flights pilots logged over 190hrs. flying hours. Declared surplus at wars end 61-120 sold for scrap, but was saved by Mr. Ed Maloney in 1951 as he was in the process of creating his Air Museum located at that time in Claremont, Ca. that opened in 1957.
The zero was on static display for a number of years, before restoration work started in 1973 and was completed 4 1/2 years later 1978 today 61-120 is the only authentic A6M5 Zero in the world.
Did you know that 61-120 is powered by an original Nakajima Sakae 31, 14 cylinder 1,130hp
air-cooled radial engine. 61-120 carries the camouflage and markings when served with the
Imperial Navy.
The A6M2 was armed with 2 x 7.7mm machine guns and 2 x 20mm cannons.

A BABY BOOMER REMEMBERS:

In the early 1960s the Air Museum moved from
Claremont to Ontario, Ca. Dad & Mom surprised my brother and I and took us to spend a day at the museum it was a wonderful adventure and I
was able to the Zero in an area off to the side.
Over the decades, I was able to see the progress
made in its restoration and see the Zero fly.

5.  Bill says:
11 Feb 2016 08:07:09 PM

WAR PRIZE:

Technical Air Intelligence Unit T.A.I.C.-8, A6M5, Model 52 Zero stripped of its Japanese green camouflage and given US markings, the Zero in above file photo, is now on display today at the National Air & Space Museum, Wash. D.C.

The Zero was built by Mitsubishi in 1943 and was assigned to the 261st Kokutai, code 61-108 it was one of twelve (12) Zeros that were captured by US Marines on Saipan, at Aslito, Air Field, March 1944.
Shipped back to the USA for tests and evaluation at Wright Field, Ohio and at Eglin, Field, Florida and carried the numbers FE-130 and T2-130

I thank the editor/ww2db for his continued support in allowing me to leave my comments and sharing my knowledge of WWII...