History[]
Recovered on Babo Island in 1991,[2] the aircraft was one of three Zeros rebuilt in Russia between 1994-1997 for the Santa Monica Museum of Flying for approximately $300,000 USD.[3] Retaining only the landing gear from the wreck, and now powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830,[2] the aircraft was assigned the "historical identity" of A6M3 Zero 3858.
Shipped to California, the aircraft was issued an airworthy certificate on February 17, 2000 and registered as N553TT. When Santa Monica Museum of Flight closed, this aircraft was sold.
Sold or owned by LGT Aviation of Los Angeles, CA. Presently based at Mojave, CA. Last inspected by the FAA on February 17, 2000. In April 2008, an advertisement offered the Zero for sale for $1.9 million USD.
Re-registered with the FAA as N553TT on March 17, 2009 by Bob Hannah Aviation LLC, Caldwell, ID, the aircraft was listed as "sold" on the Bob Hannah Aviation LLC website as of November 2009.
N553TT is painted in a green color scheme with tail marking A1-112,[3] and subsequently passed into the hands of Zero Enterprise Inc.[4]
Shipped to Japan in September 2015, the aircraft, now owned by businessman Masahiro Ishizuka, flew on 27 January 2016, with Skip Holm at the controls.[2]