A6M2 Zero For Sale

• Sep 9, 2024

• #1

M

MIflyer

1st Lieutenant

7,162

14,799

May 30, 2011

Cape Canaveral

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.

 

• Sep 9, 2024

• #2

SaparotRob

Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII

15,290

16,502

Mar 12, 2020

Long Island, NY

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.

 

• Sep 9, 2024

• Thread starter
• #3

M

MIflyer

1st Lieutenant

7,162

14,799

May 30, 2011

Cape Canaveral

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

 

• Sep 9, 2024

• #4

SaparotRob

Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII

15,290

16,502

Mar 12, 2020

Long Island, NY

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

 

• Sep 9, 2024

• #5

Simon Thomas

Senior Airman

436

543

Jan 16, 2017

Sarnia, ON

How unreliable were the original engines?

 

• Sep 9, 2024

• Thread starter
• #6

M

MIflyer

1st Lieutenant

7,162

14,799

May 30, 2011

Cape Canaveral

Simon Thomas said:

How unreliable were the original engines?

Click to expand...

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.

 

Last edited: Sep 9, 2024

• Sep 9, 2024

• #7

M

mjfur

Senior Airman

735

909

Sep 23, 2006

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

 

• Sep 10, 2024

• #8

F

frankv

Recruit

4

6

Nov 20, 2023

MIflyer said:

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

Click to expand...

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.

 

• Sep 11, 2024

• #9

DBII

Senior Master Sergeant

3,212

1,678

Oct 16, 2007

Conroe, Texas

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.