Corgi Aviation Archive Series Diecast Model

Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero - AI-I54 s/n.5289, Petty Officer 1st Class Takashi Hirano, IJN Aircraft Carrier Akagi, Pearl Harbor attack, December 7, 1941

1:72 Scale.  Length: 5”.  Wingspan: 6.5"


Limited Edition of 1200 Models Worldwide

As the Zero fighters from Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft Carrier Akagi took off on the morning of December 7, 1941 their mission instructions were clear - protect the strike aircraft from enemy fighters and destroy as many American aircraft on the ground as possible. As the Pearl Harbor attack was taking place in advance of any formal declaration of war, the U.S. fighter units based in Hawaii were not expecting an attack and many aircraft were parked in neat rows.

As Petty Officer Takashi Hirano approached Hickam Field in Mitsubishi Zero AI-154, the lines of American aircraft made for easy targets and he raked them with machine gun bullets. Appearing to become disorientated at this extremely low altitude Hirano’s Zero struck the ground ripping the belly tank from the fuselage - causing the tips of the propeller to become damaged. Struggling to gain height, his damaged aircraft began to vibrate violently.

Unable to regain control, Hirano’s Zero struck a coconut tree and cartwheeled into buildings at Fort Kamehameha, killing him instantly along with some men on the ground who were unable to escape the impact. Hirano’s aircraft was the first Japanese Mitsubishi Zero fighter to be brought down during the Pearl Harbor raid, even though it was by his own hand.

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a fighter aircraft uses by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) from 1940 until 1945. The origin of its official designation was that "A" signified a fighter and "6" for the sixth model built by Mitsubishi "M". The A6M was usually referred to by the Allies as the "Zero" – a designation that was frequently misapplied to other Japanese fighters, such as the Nakajima Ki-43, as well as other codenames and nicknames, including "Zeke", "Hamp" and "Hap". First flown in April, 1939, the A6M Zero-Sen was the Allies' main opponent in the Pacific and the most famous symbol of Japanese air power during World War II.


The Corgi Aviation Archive features a wide selection of high quality, ready-made diecast model airplanes. Each model is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using specifications of the original aircraft. Corgi models are built with diecast metal and some plastic components.

This model of an A6M2 Zero features: