IJN
Aircraft History
Built by Nakajima, estimated date of assembly September 1943.
Wartime
History
Abandoned at Taroa Airbase, Maloelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Recovered by John
Sterling, in the 1990s. After a year of negotiation,
including sleeping in the jungle for nearly 3 months to perform the recovery
of this and other Zeros: A6M3 3148, A6M3 3685 and A6M3
3318 that were disassembled, crated and shipped
back to his home in Boise Idaho in May 1991. He focused his efforts
on restoring A6M3 3318 and using parts from the others to support this
single project.
Later sold to the Evergreen Air Museum in Oregon. Currently
under restoration by Vintage Aircraft
Ltd in Colorado. This airframe is being used as the basis of the restoration,
with parts from A6M3 3318.
Thanks to Bill Bartsch and Ryan Towes for information. Asahi Journal Vol
1 No 2 has an interview with John Sterling.
Zero
