A6M3 Zero first Taxi in 80 years!

The Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero taxis under it's own power 80 years after it was abandoned on the island of Tarawa at the end of WWII. This A6M3 is one of only 343 Model 32 "Hamps" ever built and it is close to test flights.
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[@markmorris5880]

First wrote an article about her back in 2000 for Classic Wings magazine out of New Zealand, she was being restored at that time here in Colorado by Darryl Skurich!

[@gpagecolorado]

Nearly 1/4 of a century...

[@redblackvette]

That's great!! Another Zero gets to fly! I have flown many models of the Zero and it's a great flying airplane!!

[@mgbrv8]

I’ve been watching this restoration for years. This is fantastic.

[@cerfvolant11]

That's a real achievement guys!

[@flypawels]

Looks & sounds great.

[@BenDover-qj5mt]

Very exciting! What an amazing piece of history.

[@waynes8290]

Thank you for the update. Awesome work by all involved.

[@danshobbies123]

I was just wondering what the latest was with this Zero. Excellent to see it moving under its own power. Is the plan still for it to go to the MAM in Va?

[@gpagecolorado]

Yes... More soon!

[@1963mathetes]

​@@gpagecoloradoExcellent! She'll be hangar mates with Tinker Belle!❤

[@scottwooster4102]

Amazing accomplishment. Is it the original engine?

[@gpagecolorado]

It’s a P&W R-1830, used for safety and reliability…

[@conceptalfa]

👍👍👍!!!

[@fwicket]

Something I’ve wanted to know for a while now. Tires don’t last. So how do you go about replacing or maintaining the tires for aircraft when the supply and manufacturing of originals is gone?

[@gpagecolorado]

There are new manufactured tires for most planes. You can have old tires recapped also. With enough money, you can make anything…

[@fwicket]

@@gpagecolorado I remember the navy recapped theirs. Does any company do it or is there that guy everyone goes to?

[@bungscrung3337]

They actually made keychains out of some of the unusable, original aircraft skin from this exact plane!

[@Wvanbramer]

Original engine?

[@gpagecolorado]

This one uses a P&W R-1830. It’s safe and reliable and parts are available unlike the Sakae.

[@raymondyee2008]

Another airworthy A6M getting close to reality.