Preserved at the entrance to the Shrine is this restored Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Sen Model 52.

Photo taken by my son in 2010.

NZ6000 had been surrendered to New Zealand forces at Bougainville and shipped to New Zealand. Made airworthy with the intention of demonstrating it to the public, it made a single brief flight. Now part of the New Zealand War Memorial collection. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1944. Had tail code 61-121. Captured intact by the US Marines at Aslito Field, Saipan in 1944 and shipped to the USA. Damaged when it ground looped at Atlanta NAS in 1945 and sold for scrap. Purchased by an antique dealer in Atlanta and displayed at his premesis until the 1980s. Moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL for possible restoration in 1993 then to the Flying Heritage Collection at Everett, WA in 2001 and registered as N1303 for restoration to flight.

PoF Zero being run up before a flight on practice day

Built by Mitsubishi with a manufacturing date of 21 October 1941, this Zero, coded V-172, was on its way from Hainan Island to a base near Saigon for the upcoming Japanese invasion of Malaya, but made an emergency landing on a Chinese beach on 26 November 1941, before Pearl Harbor. It was sent to the American 23rd Fighter Group in China, the Flying Tigers, and eventually shipped to the USA from Karachi to receive Evaluation Branch code EB-2. Its fate is unclear. Photo from: National Museum of the US Navy

On display at NMUSAF since 2004. This rare Type 21 Zero was recovered from Kavieng, New Ireland and bought by the museum in 1971. Said to have been flown by 6th Kokutai, it is now painted with tail code A1-3-102 to represent a section leader's Zero from the aircraft carrier Zuiho during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in Mar 1943. Zuiho Zeros wearing J3 grey normally used tail code EIII until Oct 1942. The carrier's Zeros were based ashore during Feb-Mar 1943 to provide support after the Guadalcanal debacle. The longer spinner of this externally well-restored Nakajima-built A6M2b is evident.

Made up of parts from several aircraft but mainly an A6M2 recovered from New Britain in 1973. Acquired by the Australian War Memorial in 1974 which restored it to static display condition.

On display at Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum. As compared to A6M2 production models, several differences are visible in this replica of the prototype Zero that include a Sumitomo Hamilton constant speed two-blade propeller without spinner that would have been connected to a 780hp engine, no visible carburetor air intake in the cowling, a shallow oil cooling air intake under the engine and an antenna angled at 20 deg.

Preserved in unrestored state in order to maintain the authenticity of its markings. Allotted T2-130 after capture.

This aircraft was, and still is, the only authentic, flying example of the Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Model 52, with its original Sakae engine.

[Nikon D300s + Tokina 12-24mm/4]

Wears the WW2 markings of the Japanese Navy.

This rare and beautiful Zero is one of only three flying Zeros in the world. This plane was found on New Guinea (now Indonesia), near the town of Babo. It was restored partly in Russia, and partly in the U.S. and is based at CAF - SoCAL Wing Aviation Heritage Museum, Camarillo. Owner is David Price.