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  A6M3 Model 32 Zero Manufacture Number 3318 Tail S-112 (Y2-128)
IJN
252 Kōkūtai

Click For Enlargement
via Ron Werneth 1998

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Buffy's Best 2005

Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi, estimated date of assembly during November 1942. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 0 Carrier Fighter / A6M3 Model 32 Zero manufacture number 3318.

Wartime History
Assigned to 252 Kōkūtai. Tail code "S-112". Later, over painted with tail code "Y2-128". During 1943 this Zero operated from Taroa Airfield.

Wreckage
This Zero was sustained damage and was abandoned at Taroa Airfield. Until early 1991, this Zero remained in situ on Taroa Island.

Recovery
During 1991, this Zero was recovered by John Sterling after a year of negotiation, including sleeping in the jungle for nearly three months. He salvaged a total of four Zeros, this aircraft plus A6M3 Zero 3685, A6M3 Zero 3148 and A6M2 Zero 31574. All four Zeros were disassembled, crated and shipped to the United States.

Restoration
During May 1991, this Zero arrived at the home of John Sterling in Boise, Idaho. During the 1990s, John Sterling focused his efforts on restoring this Zero using parts from the other Zeros salvaged to support this single restoration.

During 2000-2001 this Zero was sold to Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum and displayed at the museum. Currently under restoration by Vintage Aircraft Ltd in Colorado. Vintage Aircraft has undertaken a complete new restoration effort that utilizes the original A6M3 3318 pieces rather than the restoration work by Sterling.

Vintage Aircraft is manufacturing new components when required from original Mitsubishi A6M3 specs to facilitate an airworthy restoration, which will include an original Sakae engine. Special care is being taken to research the paint colors and aircraft markings. When complete, this restoration will result in one of the most authentic Zero aircraft yet seen.

Derek Brown Buffy's Best adds:
"It is actually the heat treated (unpainted at this point) aluminum you are seeing. When it is ready for paint they will use the Mitsubishi interior color. They are really going the extra mile on this restoration. They are even having an entire new set of cockpit and misc data plates made in Japan, that match the Japanese characters that Mitsubishi used in the early 40's! They are also using original instruments, and when not possible to obtain, have made incredible facsimiles of the instrument fronts to use with the appropriate size American instruments. You'd never know from the outside that these were not Japanese instruments. Amazing level of detail."

References
Asahi Journal Vol 1 No 2 "The Return of Japan's Legendary Zero Fighter" January 1998 interview with John Sterling.
FlyPast "Zero Restorations" by Ron Werneth August 2005
Thanks to Ryan Toews, Derek Brown and Ron Werneth for additional information

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Last Updated
August 25, 2021

 

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