Restored A6M3 Model 32 Zero Flies Again After 80 Years

On May 5, 2025, a fully restored Mitsubishi A6M3 Model 32 Zero took to the skies over Paine Field in Everett, Washington—the first time this rare variant has flown since WWII.

Chief Pilot Mike Spalding of the Military Aviation Museum handled the 30-minute maiden flight, testing systems, flaps, and landing gear before making a smooth landing. “The aircraft handled exceptionally well and was light on the controls,” he said.

This Zero’s journey began in 1990, when brothers John and Tom Sterling, along with Lavon Webb, recovered the wreckage of two Zeros from Taroa Island in the Marshall Islands. The forward fuselage and wings came from Zero 3148, while the rear fuselage and tail came from Zero 3145—both built at Mitsubishi’s Nagoya plant in September 1942 and flown in combat against U.S. forces.

After decades of partial work in various workshops, Legend Flyers took over in 2011 and completed most of the restoration. The Military Aviation Museum joined in 2020, overseeing final preparations for flight. The original Nakajima Sakae engine was replaced with a reliable Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial.

Museum Director Keegan Chetwynd called the flight “a major milestone,” noting the Zero’s role as the U.S. Navy’s principal adversary in the Pacific. After further testing, the fighter will be flown to Virginia Beach to join the museum’s flying collection—a living reminder of the Pacific air war and the decades-long effort to return this legendary aircraft to the sky.