AERO DARON 1/97 A6M2 ZERO IJNAS PS53433

This die-cast metal model airplane comes in 1/97 scale. Model is approximately 3 1/2 inches long with 4 1/2 inch wingspan. The A6M2 Zero is a carrier based aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII. It was the Allies main opponent in the Pacific Air War, combining long range with superior maneuverability and firepower. It had a maximum speed of 331 mph. (532 hmh) and the ability to climb to 6,000 m in under 7.5 minutes with tremendous range of 1,600 miles. It was a legendary deadly weapon in the dogfight and was famouse for its ability to outmaneuver American fighters at the start of the war. The Allied forces eventually caught up with the Zero, with development of better aircraft and better techniques, and towards the end of he war the Zero was mostly used fro Kamikaze attacks against Allied Naval Ships. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi with 5 other carriers and 14 other ships launched two waves of aircraft attack on the United States Naval Base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This model is a replica of the Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero, tail AI-155, piloted by LT CMDR Shigeu Itaya, overall leader of the first wave of the attack.