Ready for Battle

A Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" fighter aircraft at the 2010 Wings Over Houston Airshow, Houston, Texas, USA. Early in the war it was considered the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world, was a legendary dogfighter and had an outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1. The original Allied reporting name was Zeke (until Zero became the more popular name) and was called "Reisen 0" by the Japanese (Zero Fighter for the last digit of the Imperial year 2600). This Japanese aircraft is operated by the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing and is used in their Tora Tora Tora Show. Tora, Tora, Tora began in 1972, when six replica Japanese aircraft used in the movie of the same name were donated to the CAF. The Gulf Coast Wing requested assignment of the aircraft and began developing an act for presentation at air shows. The act debuted at the Galveston Air Show on June 25, 1972. By 1977, Tora had gained national exposure. By 1978, Tora began to make international appearances in Canada and Mexico. In 1991 Tora participated extensively in the 50th anniversary year commemorations of Pearl Harbor and in 1992, Tora tackled the challenge of sending two replica Zeros to Alaska to participate in the 50th anniversary commemoration of the raid on Dutch Harbor. Throughout the 90s, Tora has been in demand at air shows throughout the country and as recently as the Spring of 2000, Tora aircraft and pilots participated in the filming of a new movie on the Pearl Harbor attack being filmed for release by Disney. As of the 2005 air show season, the men and women of Tora have been performing as a professional air show act for 33 years.
Read less