Wing and Tail Details

6.1 Right Folding Wingtip.
  • detail from the Blayd Zero. The unpainted parts are made of steel and were painted black on the original aircraft. The release handle (A) has a wooden grip riveted to its interior side. The navigation light lead should actually enter the wing at B. The square hole at C was instead used to accommodate an L shaped bar which was slid into this aperture in order to protect the outer end of the aileron when the wingtip was raised (see Shigeru Nohara, Illustrated Zero Fighter, p. 111). D is the inspection plate cover seen in 8.8.

6.1.1 Left Wingtip Light Wire.
  • original path of the wingtip light wire.

6.2 Folding Wingtip Lock Indicator.
  • indicator remains protruding 3/4" until wingtip is locked in down position.
  • painted with exterior paint color.
6.3 Aileron
  • illustration of the inner end of the right aileron
  • lightening holes are, from back to front, 3/8", 5/8", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" in size

6.4 Wing Tiedown.
  • the steel tiedown is spring loaded and released by a round button immediately to the rear of the tiedown itself. The part is steel and painted black except for the lower face.
  • the tiedown is attached to the back of the front spar on the outer side of the 14th rib and protrudes 1 1/2" when extended.

6.5 Fuel Tank Cooling Vent.
  • operated from the cockpit, this vent was presumably opened while the aircraft was on the ground to aid in cooling the gasoline in the wing tanks. See 8.4 for location.
  • the vent is 7" x 2 1/4" in size.
6.6 Right Flap Interior Skin
  • sub-assembly data plate s/n 678, manufactured 1 August 42, was attached at A
  • the maker was Nikken , a known subcontractor to the Mitsubishi company. A flap made by Nikken with s/n 545, completed on 9 May 42, was on A6M3 No. 3032, captured at Buna in December 42. Since flap s/n 678 was completed on 1 August 42, the math would indicate that Nikken produced about 134 flaps or flap sets in four months. Flap s/n 678 probably came from A6M3 s/n 3285, since that A6M3 was completed in November 42
  • interior - aotake (overpainted by Diemert)
  • exterior - FS6350
6.7 Vertical Fin Antenna Mount
  • tail radio antenna attachment (A), hole goes through to other side. A thin bungee cord is looped through this hole with the two ends of the cord attached to an insulator at the end of the radio antenna

6.8 Cockpit Air Vent Intake.
  • intake has an interior cover operated from the cockpit.
  • the cover, shown half open, is raised or lowered from the bottom side of the intake.

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