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| USAAF ? Kōkūtai |
Aircraft History Built by Mitsubishi, estimated date of assembly July 1943. Delivered to the IJN (IJN) as Type 0 Carrier Fighter Reisen / A6M3 Model 22 Zero manufacture number 3844. Disassembled and loaded as cargo aboard a transport and shipped to Rabaul and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to an unknown Kōkūtai (Air Group) with tail code 2-152. Possibly, this Zero was assigned to the 201 Kōkūtai (201 Air Group) and likely operated from Rabaul then Kara Airfield (Toripoil) on southern Bougainville. During 1943 damaged or unserviceable and Kara Airfield (Toripoil). In 1945, as a morale boosting exercise for roughly sixty to seventy Japanese Navy maintenance personnel stationed at Kara Airfield, this Zero was repaired to flying condition using parts from several other Zeros including including A6M3 Zero 3616, A6M3 Model 32 Zero 3278 and A6M3 Model 32 Zero 3217. The repaired Zero retained the identity of A6M3 Zero 3844 including the manufacture number stencil on the rear fuselage. By July 1945, the repaired Zero was restored to flyable condition and was reported by radio to headquarters at Rabaul. Soon afterwards, Petty Officer Sekizen Shibayama was flown as a passenger aboard E13A1 Jake at Rabaul and landed in the sea off Kahili (Buin) then was taken to Kara Airfield. Shibayama planned to test fly the Zero then fly it to Rabaul, but the Pacific War ended before this was accomplished. Phil Bradley adds: "The story goes that it was assigned to fly a bombing / kamikaze mission but the ground crew delayed the work so the war ended before the mission was flown. When they restored the plane they found a poem written inside the gun compartment. I have pictures of various other bits and pieces on display next to the aircraft pilot's gear etc." Surrender On September 8, 1945 after the official surrender of Japanese forces on Bougainville, rumors came to the attention of Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) intelligence officers about an intact Japanese Zero. On September 14, 1945 a photographer departed Piva Yoke Airfield aboard RAAF Auster A11-3 and landed at Kara Airfield. Japanese personnel started the engine and performed an engine run up. After the official surrender of Japan this Zero was hand painted in surrender markings stipulated by the Allies overall white with a black upper engine cowling and nose to the forward canopy with green cross atop the fuselage and wings. After being painting, the original Hinomaru (Rising Sun) showed through the white paint slightly and some of the green below the layer of white paint. On September 15, 1945 Wing Commander William "Bill" R. Kofoed, NZ404380 and Engineer Officer C. D. Kingsford took off from Piva Yoke Airfield flying a RAAF Wirraway from No. 5 Squadron to Kara Airfield. On the ground, Kofoed was briefed by Japanese personnel how to operate the Zero as it was fueled. Next, Wing Commander Kofoed took off from Kara Airfield on a 32 minute flight to Piva Yoke Airfield and during the flight kept the landing gear expended. War Prize On the ground at Piva, the Zero was a curiosity to the Allies, and heavily photographed. Personally inspected by RNZAF Air Commodore G. N. Roberts. At Piva, the engine was run-up several times but the Zero was never flown again. During October 1945, the Zero was partially disassembled and loaded as cargo aboard TSS Wahine at Torokina and departed October 15, 1945 and five days later arrived at Auckland Harbor and was unloaded. Next, transported aboard a barge to Hobsonville Airfield. In New Zealand, assigned Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) serial number NZ6000. During December 1945 took off piloted by Wing Commander Willis, commanding officer of Hobsonville Airfield on a ten minute flight. After the flight he reported: "the aircraft was quite pleasant to fly, being rather like a Harvard. It appeared to have no unusual traits in the ten minutes I was flying." This was the last time this Zero was ever flown. Afterwards, the RNZAF planned to perform further flight tests or donate it to an aviation school for use as a training aid, but both plans never materialized. In May 1946 grounded and assigned serial number INST.113 (airframe) and INST.BI72 (engine). On February 28, 1947 transferred to Technical Training School at Hobsonville Airfield but was never used. In September 1947 offered to Auckland War Memorial Museum but remained in RNZAF possession until a display space was available. The Zero remained in storage and was only occasionally displayed thought the 1950's, and parked outdoors with other historic and surplus aircraft. During 1954 and 1957, display at Hobsonville Airfield for an Easter Show at Hobsonville Airfield. Afterwards, the Zero was partially disassembled and transported to Ardmore Airfield and stored in Hanger No. 8. In 1958, the RNZAF attempted to reassemble the Zero and repainted it for display at events celebrating the 21st anniversary of establishment of the RNZAF. Afterwards, placed into storage at Ohakea Airfield. On November 30, 1959 moved to Whenuapai Airfield where it remained prior to donation to Auckland War Memorial Museum. Display During December 1959, this Zero was delivered to Auckland War Memorial Museum and reassembled by RNZAF personnel for static display. In 1985, the Zero was partially dismantled for study by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel F/L Scholz and Dennis Doggett, who were involved with the restoration of A6M2 Zero 5784. They confirmed components from several Zeros were used to repair this aircraft, including: Left wing root accessory panel - 3278 Both gun port panels - 3616 Top engine accessory cowl - 3616 Top engine cowl - 3616 Tail cone - 3844 Right gun chute access panel - 3616 Left gun chute access panel - 3217 Both sides gun blast panel - 3616 Later, Andrew Wilkins and Peter Lewis made a further examination of the Zero. They noted, that the front section of the Zero is from A6M3 Zero 3835, and the rear half from A6M3 Zero 3844. In 1995 the Zero underwent extensive restoration at the museum, and is today displayed in at the "Scars on the Heart", exhibit, opened in 1997. References Production figures of the Mitsubishi/Nakajima A6M Zero by Jim Long Pacific Aircraft Wrecks (1979) page 20 (upper photo) The Mitsubishi Zero - War Prize by Peter Lewis about capture of A6M3 3844) The Mitsubishi Zero - Identity by Peter Lewis about identification numbers and parts Koku Fan August 2009 "Then & Now story of Recycled Zeros" by Yoji Watanabe This article speculates this Zero was assigned to the 201 Kōkūtai at Rabaul and flown to Buka Airfield on October 22, 1943, enroute to Kara Airfield (Toripoil) then remained on Bogainville." Zero A Biography of Mitsubishi A6M3 NZ600 Auckland War Memorial Museum 1985 Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph - William Robert Kofoed, NZ404380 Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph - C. D. Kingsford Contribute
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