Carving of Zero from a Japanese Building

[Papa Nambu]

I think this came from a building in a Japanese air base, or may have been removed from a shrine doing a post-war politically-correct remodeling. It's obviously spent some time out in the weather.




Bayonet for scale







There are 2 kanji above the wings, the one on the right looks like it could be 風 or 凰 or 鳳 but I can't make out the one on the left due to the weathering.

[GHP]

Hello Papa,

That's a very interesting carving. I wonder if the left mystery-kanji can be 祭 sai/matsuri/festival? It has the same outline .... kinda-sorta. Something like "kosai" 航[空]祭 (Air [craft] Show) .. if that term was used in the day????

Hopefully the native-speakers here will be able to recognize the kanji right away.

--Guy

[Jareth]

I hope Taka will get well soon & rejoin us shortly! I miss his helpfull opinions!

[J7W22007]

Hi Papa-san,

I solved your mystery.

First this is not a Zero, they had three propeller blades.

Four propeller blade aircrafts:

IJN (Single engined fighters, mass production)

J2M 雷電 (Raiden)

N1K 紫電, 紫電改 (Shiden, Shidenkai)

IJA (Single engined fighters, mass production)

Ki-84 疾風 (Hayate) -----This is your answer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki-84

The three circular objects underneath the wings and the body are bombs/external fuel tanks. A Tokkou (special attack) type of arrangement.

So, it's from an army airbase.

Very nice, thanks for posting!

Regards,
Taka

[GHP]

Hi Papa-san,

I solved your mystery... Ki-84 疾風 (Hayate) -----This is your answer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ki-84

The three circular objects underneath the wings and the body are bombs/external fuel tanks. A Tokkou (special attack) type of arrangement.

Great work, Taka-san!!!! Thanks for solving the mystery.

It is a very nice piece, isn't it?

--Guy

[Papa Nambu]

どうもありがとう Taka-san. I posted this at GunBoards also and some people there were also saying the 4-blade propeller is not a Zero. I don't know a lot about aviation, so to me any Japanese fighter is a "Zero" until someone corrects me

So this must be a 1943 or later item. Very interesting about the possible Tokkou connection!

[Jareth]

I think it shouldn't be taken so literally. I feel it's a stylized representation