These Mitsubishi A6M Zeros were inside the front cargo hold
of the FUJIKAWA MARU
From WIKIPEDIA:
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft,
manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,
and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945.
The A6M was designated as the Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter,
or the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen.
The A6M was usually referred to by its pilots as the "Reisen" (zero fighter),
"0" being the last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940)
when it entered service with the Imperial Navy.
The official Allied reporting name was "Zeke",
although the use of the name "Zero"
was later commonly adopted by the Allies as well.
A captured Zero
When it was introduced early in World War II,
the Zero was considered the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world,
combining excellent maneuverability and very long range.
In early combat operations, the Zero gained a legendary reputation as a dogfighter,
achieving the outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1, but by mid-1942,
a combination of new tactics and the introduction of better equipment
enabled the Allied pilots to engage the Zero on generally equal terms.
Aircraft engine cowling
Corey by Zero
Wings for Zero
Looking out porthole of the cargo hold
Zero body
Neal in the hold, at 100' . . .
. . . next to a Zero body that was to have been delivered & assembled on the Chuuk Airdrome
Photos of Neal, courtesy Brad Lehuquet
Cooking kabobs for dinner
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