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By: - 13th September 2019 at 13:02 Permalink
Looks very much an A5M "Claude" rather than a Zero, although an attempt may have been made to make it look more Zero-ish by adding extra canopy glazing and doing away with the spatted landing gear.
By: - 13th September 2019 at 13:11 Permalink
Ant that is a very good fit for tail, wings and spine- even with the cutout on the cowling between the guns.
With the extended canopy it appears to be a specific version A5M4 ???
Does this date it ?
By: - 13th September 2019 at 13:14 Permalink - Edited 13th September 2019 at 14:08
Correction it appears to be the A5M2b Model 22. Which I understand was only produced between late 1937 and 1938.
This suggests only 50 were made at two locations.
http://aerohistorians.org/Newsletter/2009/11/8x11.pdf
By: - 13th September 2019 at 15:18 Permalink
Surprised how accurate it is given that it is only 5 cm long.
There are the two cutouts/nicks in the front edge of the cowling where the two guns fired as well as the scoop in the top of the cowl and the gun lines in the fuselage.
The join between the tail and spine is also correct as are the wing ailerons and rudder line.
The roundel on the fuselage side is also where it is supposed to be just under the last window and not further back as it is shown on many models.
By: - 13th September 2019 at 15:20 Permalink
Well that's a new one to me, I knew there were variations of canopy and windscreen types on the A5M series but never knew there was a version with that much glazing. Certainly looks a close match for the A5M2b, minus the gear.
By: - 13th September 2019 at 17:43 Permalink
Some original photo's can be seen here -- http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?333
By: - 13th September 2019 at 20:40 Permalink
Thank you Ant and Duggy
By: - 4th October 2019 at 08:27 Permalink
Received this week a reference book on the A5M by Tadeusz Januszewski. The text says that the Nagoya plant made 108 of the canopied aircraft and a further 16 were made at Omura. Many canopies were removed in unit.
So leaves the question as to why someone would have a silver model of the canopied version.
Omura was a Naval arsenal so perhaps unlikely that the factory would have had them made as gift.
As this was in 1937 and the height of the combat with China It may be more likely a pilots first aircraft or a memento of an aircraft flown in combat ? Miyamoto ave not responded to my emails.
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By: FarlamAirframes - 13th September 2019 at 12:49 - Edited 13th September 2019 at 12:51
This small aircraft arrived in the post from Japan this morning.
The makers marks say it is made in Silver by Miyamoto-Shoko - a silversmith with imperial contracts located in Ginza district Tokyo.
It is a solid silver item.
The style of silver markings from Miyamoto-Shoko changed over the last century and I think these are mid century.
It is believed to be a zero.
The aircraft is a fighter with two guns in the nose firing through the prop. The canopy has a four panel structure.
However the raised spine and tail and not very zero.
I assume it was artisitic license.
I may have to contact Miyamoto-shoko to see who it was made for.
Interested to see if anyone has seen a Japanese silver aircraft before.
Brian
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