Mitsubishi A6M2, 51553, "AI-3-102"
History
The Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero with serial number 51553 is a rare and historically significant aircraft on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. This particular Zero was built by Nakajima in early September 1943 and was assigned to the Imperial Japanese Navy's 6th Kōkūtai (Air Group), operating from the aircraft carrier Zuihō. It participated in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943, where Allied forces achieved a decisive victory over Japanese naval forces.
After the battle, the aircraft was abandoned at Kavieng Airfield on New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. In the 1960s, two wrecked Zeros were recovered from the jungle near the airstrip. One of these aircraft was identified by its visible manufacture number 51553. The wreckage was meticulously restored by Australian aviation enthusiast Thomas King, who repainted the aircraft with a fictitious serial number to facilitate export. In 1967, the aircraft was shipped to the United States and eventually acquired by the USAF Museum. It was restored to static condition by Century Aviation in the early 2000s, using original factory blueprints provided by Japanese researcher Dr. Keisuke Asai.
Today, the Zero is painted to represent a section leader's aircraft from the Zuihō during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.