Zero Floatation - New information!

[Greg Springer]

Hi Gents,

 

In a discussion on j-aircraft's Navy Aircraft board, Jim Long has reported from his collection of technical intelligence documents that the floatation cell that is fitted inside the rear fuselage of the A6M2 is made from a rubber-coated fabric that is a light yellow color, not the white I had assumed it was.

 

Cheers!

 

Greg

[Juggernut]

Hey Greg, that's good news....Mine isn't that far off then. I used a shade of tan for mine.

 

Can you tell me about this restored zero in Hawaii? I"ve heard it's a Mitsubishi built airframe but has Aotake wheel wells. Ryan tells me that Mitsubishi built airframes had the olive-grey color painted in the wheel wells and that the aotake was used by Nakajima. I know it's only a restoration and as such it may be subject to certain inaccuracies but I'm interested in your opinion on the matter.

 

Regards,

 

Tim

[Greg Springer]

Hi Tim,

 

It is the former CAF plane. "Restored" to flying condition in Canada and restored again by the CAF, it is the twin on the one that hangs in the Pensacola museum. I think that it has intergranular corrosion in the spars and the replacement of the spars was beyond the means of the last owner. Unfortunately the correct gear well colors are only just becoming known. The photos from the Hickam Field lab clearly show that Hirano's plane at Ft. Kam had the wells in the underside color. You can view these in the research section of j-aircraft. Ryan Toews reports that the Nakajima-built Zeros he has examined have the aotake wells.

 

Cheers!

 

Greg