Mitsubishi Zero A6M5 cockpit

Single-engine (Nakajima Sakae radial) low-wing monoplane, WW2 Japanese single-seat fighter.

This aircraft, captured by Allied forces sometime in 1945, was operated by the Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit South East Asia, or ATAIU-SEA, which can still be seen on the surviving cockpit section held by IWM. The fate of the rest of the aircraft is not known. NB - ATAIU-SEA was distinct from the US-run TAIC operation in Australia, which wound down in August 1945. It is not known whether this aircraft operated under TAIC auspices at any prior stage. This aircraft (possibly construction number 196 or 96, see below) originated in Singapore, was operated out of Tebrau in Malaya. The ATAIU-SEA established an operation there after the cease fire in August 1945, flying various IJN and IJAAF types. These were marked with RAF-style roundels, but retained their Japanese unit tail codes. This aircraft carried the tailcode BI-05 - very likely to be its IJF tail number. Please note that these codes are written as both "BI-XX" and "B1-XX". Butler uses "BI". BI-05, together with BI-12, an A6M2, was allotted to Australia for museum purposes. John White of the Australian War Memorial confirms (pers. comm. 11.4.06) that "both of the A6M2s did arrive in Australia ex-Singapore by ship in about 1946, and made their way to Canberra for the AWM. Unfortunately both machines were so badly damaged in sea transit that they were scrapped in 1954. This accounts for both the ATAIU Zeros that reached this country, confirms that they were too damaged to fly here (hence the flying shot must have been taken before departure from Singapore), and thus also confirms the place of origin of your machine." NB Primary reference is "War Prizes" by Phil Butler (Midland Counties Publications, 1994, ISBN 0904597 86 5), pages 144-149 and 151. This contains a photograph of the aircraft in formation over Malaya with the other Zero sent to Australia for museum purposes (BI-12, an A6M2). Thanks to John White of the Australian War Memorial. Hardcopy file information (email comm.) suggests that the aircraft was part of 381 Air Wing, Imperial Japanese Navy. JF was unable to confirm this however, and so has not entered this information in the relevant DB/T field. The construction number was located by Katsushi Owaki (pers. comm. Martin Garnett 1980s) from Japanese letters and numerals stencilled inside both machine-gun covers. Owaki claims that this is the standard location for such stencils and that further stencils should be visible upon removing the wheels, on the undercarriage door interiors (this has yet to be verified). Note that this location is not listed by John White of AWM as being a standard location for such stencilling - verification from him is pending (4.2006). The cockpit data plate reveals nothing beyond type, model, and installed engine type, whilst the data plate from fuselage centre section reads: Manufacturer - Nakajima Airplane Co., Ltd. Type - Type Zero Carrier Fighter Aircraft construction no. - Nakajima No. <blank> Parts No. - 1301 Weight - 60,000 Inspect stamp - <stamp> Date of inspection - <blank> Parts serial no. - Nakajima No.1100 Translator is again Katsushi Owaki, who notes that Nakajima built Zeros used a system to hide their true part numbers (e.g. adding a '1'). This is why the c/n in the machine-gun covers read *1*96, not 96 (the true number). Date of construction has been estimated by Katsushi Owaki using the final date of Zero 21 production, and the rate of production around that time. Estimate was 28 March 1944. Please note that like all Katsushi Owaki information on file, this has not been independently or professionally verified.