A6M5a Saburo Sakai

[Shinpachi]

Saburo Sakai on Iwo-jima 1944.

Thanks Lucky13, proton45

[Wayne Little]

Excellent Pic Shinpachi haven't seen that second one before!

"ヨ-137 was also a A6M5a? Or was only a A6M5c? I have no idea.."

I have no idea either..I know of no photo of this aircraft, so unless Hasegawa have a source it could be a guess...

If he was flying a Zero at this stage it could have been a 'c' but it is just as likely another A6M5 model,

have a shot of Yo-143 in a hangar after the war and it is not an A6M5c it is a 5a or b.

Ah, just found a profile claiming ヨ-137 is a standard A6M5 Model 52 flown at Iwo Jima by Sakai....so another different interpretation!! not cited as any of the minor modified variants of the model 52 'a' 'b' or 'c'

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome, Wayne. Thanks

[B-17engineer]

Cool picture!

[Ariete]

Shinpachi..Wayne..You are greats!!

The pic post by Shinipachi is beautiful..But also in this case is an A6M5c (cannons in the wings and other minor differents)..

Wayne..You're right!!
But I have Tamiya's kit #61103 and it reproduce an A6M5 or A6M5a..
The wing panels are so differents compared to an A6M5c..
Then, I'll build an another Zero of another pilot..
Alas..

[Wayne Little]

That Tamiya kit is a real good kit best one of the Zero so far in 1/48 scale.

One of the aircraft in the kit represents a IJNAF Ace in Lieutenant (JG) Sadaaki Akamatsu in Feb 1945 when he claimed a series of victories over Hellcats, he was one of the few pilots who mastered the J2M 'Raiden' when others preferred the Zero....he flew with the 302nd Kokutai in this later stage of the war.

Shinpachi, Love that shot of Yo-138 but I don't think A6M5c's were flying over Iwo Jima in 1944...?

[Ariete]

Originally Posted by Wayne Little

One of the aircraft in the kit represents a IJNAF Ace in Lieutenant (JG) Sadaaki Akamatsu in Feb 1945 when he claimed a series of victories over Hellcats, he was one of the few pilots who mastered the J2M 'Raiden' when others preferred the Zero....he flew with the 302nd Kokutai in this later stage of the war.

Great Wayne!!
In fact I'll build that aircraft..Sadaaki Akamatsu is certainly one of the most fascinating japanese pilot!!

[Ariete]

Ehm..
And now..

Are there some photos (or profiles) of Sadaaki's Zero A6M5 ヨD-126?

[Shinpachi]

That's right, Wayne. A6M5c had not been completed until September 1944.
So, I have no clue if the combination Yo-138 and A6M5c is correct or not at the moment...

[Wayne Little]

Originally Posted by Ariete

Ehm..
And now..

Are there some photos (or profiles) of Sadaaki's Zero A6M5 ヨD-126?

gotcha covered there too! There is one known photo.

Sourced from the internet, don't recall exactly where? BUT the same image is in the Bunrindo publication Kokufan Illustrated No.96 of the 302 Kokutai, which I have, on page 118.

[Wayne Little]

Originally Posted by Shinpachi

That's right, Wayne. A6M5c had not been completed until September 1944.
So, I have no clue if the combination Yo-138 and A6M5c is correct or not at the moment...

for the depicted time frame with Iwo Jima in the background it can't be accurate, BUT a Yo-138 could have existe more likely in Japan in 1945 i would think!

[Shinpachi]

Those IDs and color schemes were not necessarily my strong concern for a long time as I was rather interested in the mechanism but now I understand that my work would not have more realism without them.

Thanks Wayne. I will pay more attention to them in the future.

Hi, Ariete!
I've found out a color illustration of Akamatsu's Zero here

[Ariete]

Great Shinpachi!!!!!!

I hope to have a chance of thanking you for all you've done for me!!



What's write on the tail (japanese characters)..?

[Shinpachi]

It's "Itoh Ichi Sei Soh" meaning "1st Maintenance Sergeant Itoh"

[Ariete]

Thanks!!