RE: Zero flies over Japan for first time since WWII

[brad kaste]

http://news.yahoo.com/zero-fighter-flies-over-japan-1st-time-since-064646682.html

[Bomber_12th]

It's quite a big development for Japan's civil aviation, to have a warbird based and flying in Japan - hopefully it will finally open the way for more warbirds flying in that country (just as Germany's civil aviation has opened so much to warbird operations in the last several years). This, however, is not the first time that a restored Zero has flown over Japan in recent memory - the Planes of Fame's restored original A6M5 Zero has done so on a couple different visits to that country in past years (videos of which can be found on Youtube). Crazy to see how much Skip Holm has aged!

[Ivan]

I thought the Chino A6M5 was crated up and sent over to Japan just a couple years ago for a flying demonstration.
I think this is a beautiful bird with a rather unattractive colour scheme though.

- Ivan.

[Bomber_12th]

Ivan, the Planes of Fame Zero was sent over to Japan a couple years back, but it was only ground-run/displayed during that visit (which was its third visit to Japan by Planes of Fame - the prior two visits it had flown over Japan). Before the Planes of Fame Zero was sent over to Japan this last time, it was determined that it needed to be given an in-depth airframe overhaul/restoration, so that process began as soon as it arrived back in the US in early 2014. Hopefully it should be flying again by the end of this year.

Here is some video of the Planes of Fame Zero flying over Japan during its visit in 1995:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbH6e1cPVkI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opImkmsLCxI

[Bomber_12th]

Here are some videos from today's flight in the Japan-based Zero:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34UKy8q-mOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biLaj2At_5E

[Ivan]

Thanks for the information. Didn't know that it didn't fly this time.
I do wonder though what was the point of sending it all that way just for ground running.

- Ivan.

[Bomber_12th]

The reason why the Planes of Fame Zero went over to Japan this last time (late 2012 to late 2013), was that it was contracted to be exhibited at the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum. The exhibition coincided with the release of the Japanese movie about the designer of the Zero. While there, it was able to be ground-run several times, just outside the museum, so that spectators could hear what a genuine Japanese Sakae engine sounds like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXVm0dJCqu4&feature=share&list=UUw0hVxwLOFOTcnBCKB8t1Ag

Here are some photos from its time being exhibited at the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum. The last time the aircraft flew was in 2012, and as I mentioned in my last post, after it arrived back at Chino in late 2013/early 2014, the airframe was stripped-down and it has been under extensive overhaul/maintenance/restoration ever since.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/1146156_707338872625198_304219308_o_zpsxehjulvr.jp g (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/1146156_707338872625198_304219308_o_zpsxehjulvr.jp g.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Bomber_12th001/1274027_10151656652833790_1555460529_o_zpsj8ivcurj .jpg (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/Bomber_12th/media/Bomber_12th001/1274027_10151656652833790_1555460529_o_zpsj8ivcurj .jpg.html)

[SPman]

I believe the Ki84 Hayate flew a few times in Japan when it went back there, many years ago.