Zero flies in Japan

摘要

For the first time since 1945, a Japanese-owned Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen flew in Japanese airspace on 27 January, when American pilot Skip Holm got airborne in A6M3 serial 3858 at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force base at Kanoya in Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. The fighter, owned by 54-year-old Japanese businessman Masahide Ishizuka, was recovered from Babo Island in Indonesia by Bruce Fenstermaker in 1991. Following restoration -initially in Russia, with completion at Mojave Airport, California - it flew again on 2 March 2000 at Mojave, powered by a Pratt Whitney R-1830. Owned by LGT Aviation, it was registered N553TT.