World War II Zero Fighter Flies Over Japan

From the Jan. 27, 2016, Military Times by Miki Toda, AP.

A Mitsubishi "Zero" fighter made a brief flight from Kanoya base in southern Japan.  It was flown by former U.S. pilot Skip Holm.

Zero fighters were considered one of the most capable fighter planes  of World War II, rivaling the British Spitfire and American Mustangs.  It was a long-range plane and only a few are still in operating condition.

It was the first flight for Model 22 of Mitsubishi's A6M fighter with round wing tips.

This particular plane was found decaying in Papua New Guinea in the 1970s and was owned by an American until Japanese businessman Masahiro Ishizuka purchased it and brought it back to Japan last September.

The Japanese see the plane as a symbol of their technological advances and a reminder of the war.  In the last phase of the war, the Zeros were used as kamikazes.  Kamikaze pilots took off from the same airfield as this one to try to stop the Allied advance on the home shore.  Kanoya Naval Air Base is located on the island of Kyushu.

With its American owner, the plane made an appearance in the movie "Pearl Harbor" and was seen in various events around the country.

--GreGen