Mitsubishi A6M, 3032, "V-190"
History
In the years following the end of World War II, many aircraft wrecks were discovered scattered across the Pacific, remnants of the brutal fighting that had taken place. Among these was Mitsubishi A6M Zero Serial No. 3032, which was found at Buna Airfield in Papua New Guinea.
Zero 3032 was likely one of the aircraft used by the Japanese in their defense of the Buna area. As with many other Zeros, the aircraft was probably damaged during combat and abandoned after the Japanese retreat. When it was discovered decades later, much of the aircraft remained intact, though exposed to the tropical environment of New Guinea, which had caused significant corrosion and degradation to the plane's components.
The discovery of A6M Zero Serial No. 3032 at Buna Airfield was significant for several reasons. First, it was one of the rare surviving examples of a Zero from the Pacific campaign, making it a valuable find for aviation historians and collectors. Second, it provided a tangible link to the dramatic battles that took place in the South Pacific. The plane had been abandoned on a battlefield where Japanese forces had fought desperately to hold off the Allied advance.
Aviation enthusiasts and historians recognized the importance of Zero 3032 and began to focus on its restoration. Given the rarity of intact A6M Zeros—with only a few examples surviving in museums and private collections—the aircraft was considered an important historical artifact, one that needed to be preserved and studied.