Small Piece of Japanese Zero

[Stormfighter]

I recently acquired this small aluminum pieces that was supposedly cut from a Japanese Zero. The U.S. veteran who brought it back served with the U.S. 5th Air Force and was awarded the Purple Heart, Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Barry

[beretta1934]

Can't help answer your question fully without pictures of the back side! Also look for any manufacturers symbols stamped into the back side and if they are there take enlarged photo please.
Kanji beneath 462 is "RIGHT" and I've seen this on a shroud cover for a fixed landing gear plane (like a Val). My Val piece had a Sumitomo symbol stamped in it.

[Jareth]

The Japanese navy used a green blue coating on reverse

[Stormfighter]

Attached is a photo of the reverse.

[beretta1934]

ALL navy planes have an aqua blue finish (called AOTAKE) on the inside for corrosion resistance. So yours is NOT navy and therefore NOT from a A6M (i.e. Zero).



There might be some additional insight from a translation of the kanji after the 462 .
I'll ask GHP if he can help here.

[GeorgeP]

You might want to check over at j-aircraft forums as well.

Tom

[panzerwerk]

this might be relevant as far as AOTAKE goes :

https://coles-aircraft.myshopify.com...-aotake-paints

[imperialjapan]

ALL navy planes have an aqua blue finish (called AOTAKE) on the inside for corrosion resistance. So yours is NOT navy and therefore NOT from a A6M (i.e. Zero).



There might be some additional insight from a translation of the kanji after the 462 .
I'll ask GHP if he can help here.

Translation: 462号　(Number 462) 右 (right)

[GHP]

Translation: 462号　(Number 462) 右 (right)

Thanks Rich ... I've been in bed with a cold. Saw that last night ... I even googled any combination of:

462号 / 右
戦飛行機部分
ゼロ戦

But came up with nothing.

Cheers!
--Guy

[beretta1934]

Thanks Rich and Guy! Well I think our work here is done... Yes, Japanese, NO not a Zero and the other clues don't lead anywhere.

I was fortunate enough on my Val piece to have Kanji calling out the manufacturer (Aichi) and Right. I also had a set of numbers. The number is the last three digits of the aircraft serial number. Similar to Japanese firearms using the 3 digits of the serial number was a way to track a part so if it had to be removed during service or repaired itself it could go back on the correct plane which was important since many of these curved aluminum pieces were actually hand fitted to match up with mating screw holes.

[Stormfighter]

A very interesting discussion here, which I really appreciate. The average American GI had no idea what type of Japanese plane he was cutting a piece from - anything that looked like a fighter was a Zero to them. It seems that this aircraft piece will never positively be identified. I plan to sell it, so what would you say a reasonable price for it would be?

Barry