Staff at the Port of Tauranga took delivery of some extremely rare and valuable cargo last Friday when a historic Japanese fighter plane arrived by ship from the United States, en route to Wanaka for the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow.

The Mitsubishi Zero, one of the most feared fighters during WWII, was lifted by crane and transferred onto a truck for transporting by road to a secure hangar at Tauranga Airport.

Overseeing the delicate operation was Warbirds Over Wanaka aircraft co-coordinator Ray Mulqueen who said the port staff and transporter crews ran a well planned and faultless unloading of the aircraft.

Two highly-experienced American warbird pilots, Jason Somes and Stephen W. Barber from the Southern Californian wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), arrive in Tauranga today. They will then fly the fighter down the country tomorrow stopping at various points for refueling, and it is expected to arrive in Wanaka late tomorrow (Saturday 27^th).  Accompanying the Zero will be an XL Pacific Aerospace aircraft with CAF and Warbirds Over Wanaka personnel aboard.

Estimated itinerary for photo opportunities – Saturday 27^th March:

Leave Tauranga airport 11am
Omaka Airfield – refuel 1pm
Christchurch airport                  3pm  (will stop if media wish to view)
Ashburton/Timaru                     overfly
Wanaka airport arrival  4pm   (all times approximate, depending on weather).

The light-weight fighter is expected to attract aircraft enthusiasts to Wanaka from far and wide as airworthy examples are now virtually unseen anywhere in the world.

The Zero is one of the World War II classic fighter planes and was deeply feared by Allied airmen in the Pacific. It was designed by Jiro Horikoshi and when it was introduced into service was the best carrier-based fighter in the world. It’s design combined excellent maneuverability and very long range.

Japanese Zeros were used in the raid on Pearl Harbour and later it was utilised for kamikaze operations. In all, eleven thousand Zeros were produced between 1940 and 1945. Today a few exist in museums around the world, but it is believed that only two or three still remain flying.

The airshow begins on Friday April 2, with the traditional ‘practice day’ with the scheduled airshow running on Saturday and Sunday. The combination of the Zero, the arrival of four modern jet fighters from Australia, a wing-walking act, world-class aerobatics and host of war bird action is attracting huge interest and organizers are expecting around 80,000  visitors through the gates over the three days.

ENDS