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| IJN ? Kōkūtai |
Aircraft History Built by Mitsubishi on December 31, 1942 or January 1, 1943. This aircraft was the 47th Model 22 completed. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 0 Carrier Fighter / A6M3 Model 32 manufacture number 3390. Wartime History Assigned to an unknown Kōkūtai (Air Group) at Rabaul. This Zero was abandoned at an airfield in the Rabaul area, likely Vunakanau Airfield. Likely, this aircraft was damaged on the ground then abandoned. Wreckage Until the early 1970s, this Zero remained in situ in the Rabaul. By 1972, the exterior paint had faded revealing the reddish primer paint on the upper surfaces with the Hinomaru insignia still visible on the fuselage. The left side of the rear fuselage manufacture number stencil with 3390. Ray Fairfield adds: "I thought it came from the nearest strip [Vunakanau Airfield]. Somewhere around the mission school or the strip." Recovery During the early 1970s, recovered and transported to Rabaul Technical College. Displayed outdoors atop a pair of oil drums and maintained by Michael Pearson until at least 1985. Later, the Zero was transported to the Kokopo War Museum and displayed outdoors. At some point around the middle 1980s, the front half of this aircraft was removed and attached to the front half and wings of A6M2 Model 21 Zero abandoned in the Rabaul area. Ryan Toews adds: "The 1972 photo of 3390 still has the proper A6M3 Model 22 front fuselage attached to the Type 22 rear fuselage with the s/n of 3390. At some point prior to your 2000 photo at Kokopo the rear fuselage of 3390 was separated and reattached to a different unknown A6M2 21 front fuselage. The old Type 22 front fuselage must have been discarded or destroyed. Who knows, it may still be some where in the Rabaul area." References Production figures of the Mitsubishi/Nakajima A6M Zero by Jim Long Charles Darby noted manufacture number during 1974 Thanks to Ray Fairfield, Bruce Hoy, David Pennefather, Jim Lansdale, Jim Long and Ryan Toews for additional information Contribute
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