A6M3 Zero Southern California Wing

The CAF’s A6M3 Zero, N712Z, was initially delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Air Group #3. Recovered from Babo, New Guinea, in 1991, it underwent partial restoration in Russia using components from various A6M3s before being brought to the U.S. for final completion. It was re-registered in 1998 and displayed at the Santa Monica Museum of Flying until it was acquired by the CAF and assigned to the Southern California Wing. Now airworthy, it operates with a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engine instead of its original Nakajima Sakae engine.

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero, which first took flight on April 1, 1939, became Japan’s most-produced fighter during World War II, with a total of 10,449 units built by Mitsubishi and Nakajima. Allied Intelligence referred to the A6M as "Zeke," though it was more commonly known as the “Zero,” a name derived from its type designation that year. Lightweight and featuring fabric-covered control surfaces, the Zero exhibited exceptional maneuverability and range. Following the Battle of Midway, 560 A6M3 Model 22s were produced, equipped with longer wings and improved engines. These aircraft were quickly deployed to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to protect supply routes to Guadalcanal.