A6M2 Zero For Sale

[MIflyer]

One of a handful of flying Nakajima A6M-2 Zero fighters is on the block for $5 million. The Zero, offered by Platinum Fighter Sales, was pulled from the jungle of the Solomon Islands in 1965. It was built in 1941 and shot down on Feb. 4, 1943. The rebuild took decades and involved 60,000 man hours including the manufacture of 14,000 parts. Everything is faithfully restored except the engine, which was swapped for a more reliable and serviceable Pratt & Whitney 1830 radial. It has 362.6 flight hours on it.

NOTE: Or if you'd rather have something newer, there is a CF-104 in flying condition available for only $3.8 Million.

 

[SaparotRob]

It'd be nice to have the original engine, even if it's a box of parts, to go with it. After I hit the Mega Millions jackpot, I'll buy it along with that B-17E in Texas GrauGeist brought up.

 

[MIflyer]

I think this one was free, after Hurricane Charley trashed the museum it was in back in 2004.

 

[SaparotRob]

My mom won't let me play with lawn darts.

 

[Simon Thomas]

How unreliable were the original engines?

 

[MIflyer]

How unreliable were the original engines?

Not unreliable at all. The same Zero flown at the Pax River Fighter Conference in 1944 is still flying with its original engine. Koga's A6M2 flew fine with its original engine despite being crashed, actually showing better reliability than some of the USAAF aircraft evaluated against it, and that Zero was destroyed in a ground collision.

But crash an airplane, leave it there for 32 years, and you could expect some serious reliability problems, especially given the utter lack of spare parts. After WW2 some Japanese aircraft continued to be flown by the new owners.

 

[mjfur]

Pacific Wrecks - A6M2 Model 21 Zero Manufacture Number 6544 Tail A1-1-129

On February 1, 1943 took off from Kahilli Airfield on Bougainville piloted by PO2c Sakuji Tanaka escorting D3A Vals and intercepted by Wildcats and crashed on Pavuvu Island.

pacificwrecks.com

Pacific Wrecks - A6M2 Model 21 Zero (Reconstruction) Registration N8280K Tail A1-1-129

Newly built aircraft reconstruction by Blayd Corporation and Tri-State Aviation restored to flying condition. Painted in the markings of A6M2 Zero 6544 Tail A1-1-129. Today displayed at Texas Flying Legends Museum.

pacificwrecks.com

Pacific Wrecks

Photo archive of images from the Pacific during World War II and the Korean War.

pacificwrecks.com

 

[frankv]

One of a handful of flying Nakajima A6M-2 Zero fighters is on the block for $5 million. The Zero, offered by Platinum Fighter Sales, was pulled from the jungle of the Solomon Islands in 1965. It was built in 1941 and shot down on Feb. 4, 1943. The rebuild took decades and involved 60,000 man hours including the manufacture of 14,000 parts. Everything is faithfully restored except the engine, which was swapped for a more reliable and serviceable Pratt & Whitney 1830 radial. It has 362.6 flight hours on it.

NOTE: Or if you'd rather have something newer, there is a CF-104 in flying condition available for only $3.8 Million.

View attachment 796272

I'd buy it, except I'm about $4,990,000 short. Can I put down a deposit and pay it off? NB: Don't mention this to my wife.

 

[DBII]

Set up financing like what is done with expensive art. Get a loan from a bank, make reasonable payments. The bank makes their money when the plane is sold years later at a huge profit. Everyone gets a cut. Owner, bank, auction house all gets a percentage of the sell price. Let's flip warbirds.