Imperial Japanese navy air corps original zero fighter parts WW2 military IJN

  

This is a former Japanese navy air corps. It's from war time. This item is wing material from the Type 0 carrier-based fighter 63 model 210-118, which was salvaged from Lake Biwa in January 1973. Zero Fighter 63 Type 210-118 (aircraft number 82729, manufactured by Nakajima Aircraft) belonged to the 210th Naval Air Squadron located at Meiji Base (Meiji Village, Aichi Prefecture). The 210th Naval Air Squadron was established in September 1945 as an aviation unit directly led by the 3rd Air Fleet.

It had 48 fighters, 48?? local fighters, 24 carrier bombers, 24 carrier attack planes, and 24 ground reconnaissance planes, and was mainly engaged in air defense battles in Chukyo.

On the evening of August 6, 1945, aircraft No. 210-118, piloted by Lieutenant Tsuneo Azuma (73rd Marine), suffered engine failure during a test flight after repairs and crash-landed in Lake Biwa.

Lieutenant Azuma succeeded in escaping, but the aircraft sank into the lake. However, in 1991, when the museum was closed, it was moved to Zero Park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture. However, as Zero Park was closed in 2002, it was taken over by the Kure Maritime History and Science Museum (Yamato Museum) in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and after further restoration work, it is now on display at the same museum.

In addition, it seems that the Kure City Maritime History and Science Museum displays it as ``Type 62'' rather than Type 63. Both Type 62 and Type 63 are so-called ``bakusen type'' equipped with suspension racks for 250kg bombs, but Type 62 is an improved version of Type 53 that uses the Sakae 31 Type A/Otsu engine.

On the other hand, the 63rd type was an improved version of the 52nd type C which used the Sakae 31 type engine. During the restoration work at the museum, it was confirmed that the engine was a Sakae 31 Type A. There are no noticeable scratches or stains.

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