Final Flight  September 18, 1945

Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi, estimated date of assembly September 1943. Painted with standard two tone camoflage pattern: dark green upper surfaces and gray lower service.

Wartime History
This Zero was based at Rabaul, and likely assigned to several Kokutai. Painted with tail code 3-108. Evidence of battle damage and repairs are evident on the fin.

This Zero was one of only a handful of Zero fighters left at Rabaul that survived the war in flying condition. After Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945, Japanese requested permission to surrender their remaining aircraft to an Air Force, instead of the Australian Army that occupied Rabaul. This required the aircraft to be flown to the nearest Allied base at Jacquinot Bay Airfield. Japanese pilots were allowed to fly the aircraft.

A group of aircraft including this Zero, Ki-46 Dinah and two other Zeros were painted in surrender markings to hand them over to New Zealand personnel. Flown by Japanese crews, the aircraft took off on September 18, 1945 from Vunakanau Airfield to Jacquinot Bay Airfield. After landing, the pilots saluted, made a report and were flown back to Rabaul aboard a RNZAF PBY Catalina.

Wreckage
The wreckage remained at Jacquinot Bay Airfield until the late 1970s.

In the late 1970s, it was recovered to Australia and stored at the Australian War Memorial. Portions of this airframe were used for the restoration of A6M2 Zero 5784.

Weeks Air Museum states:
"After the Australian Museum restored 1 of the recovered Zeros [A6M2 5784], the balance of the aircraft and parts were traded off to Robert Greinert from Sydney. Kermit purchased the aircraft from him in the late 1980’s where it was eventually made up for display in Fightertown as a crashed aircraft."

Also reported is that this aircraft was traded to Kermit Weeks / Fantasy Of Flight Museum in exchange for a MiG-15 and a Beaufort in the 1980s. A6M5 4043, and possibly another Zero are with Fantasy Of Flight Museum.

Displayed since the 1980's as a crashed aircraft in "Fightertown" in an unrestored state at Fantasy of Flight Museum. Even in its unrestored state, it is valued at $250,000 on the museum webpage.

The tail cone only of this aircraft, including manufacture number 4043 stencil is displayed at Hamamatsu-Minami AFB. It is unclear how this tail portion only ended up in Japan, likely traded or donated by AWM after their Zero restoration.

References
The Siege of Rabaul page 87 - 89
Arawasi Issue 8, 1-3 2008 "Relic Rarities" by Shima Chiaki p44 - 45
Fantasy of Flight - Zero Page
J-Aircraft "The Dismembered Zero: A Mystery of Missing Body Parts From Reisen 4043" by Jim Lansdale
Thanks to Jim Lansdale and Jim Long for additional information

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