The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a light-weight carrier-based fighter aircraft employed by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945.

It is universally known as Zero from its Japanese Navy designation, Type 0 Carrier Fighter (Rei shiki Kanjo sentoki), taken from the last digit of the Imperial year 2600 (1940), when it entered service. In Japan it was unofficially referred to as both Rei-sen and Zero-sen. The official Allied code name was Zeke (Hamp for the A6M3 model 32 variant); while this was in keeping with standard practice of giving boys' names to fighters, it is not definitively known if this was chosen for its similarity to "Zero".

Pictured here is a 1:48 scale replica of an Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M2B "Zero" fighter that was piloted by Lieutenant Commander Shigeru Itaya, who was embarked upon the IJN Akagi, during December 1941. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 9-inches
Length: 7-1/4-inches

Release Date: April 2018

Historical Account: "Leading the Attack" - During his career, Shigeru Itaya served with the 15th Kokutai aboard the aircraft carrier Ryujo. He is, however, best known for his time aboard the Akagi and as the commander of the 43 fighters that flew as air cover for the 1st wave strike force at Pearl Harbor.

He was killed in the Kuriles on July 24th, 1944 - shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft gunners who mistook his plane for an enemy machine. At the time of his death, he was a Lieutenant Commander and was serving on the staff of the 51st Air Flotilla. At least one source states that Itaya had become an ace over China.