Inert Guns Will Be Mounted For Additional Realism

A Japanese A6M2 Zero being renovated by Aircorps Aviation for its museum is reportedly coming along nicely, according to those familiar with the restoration.  

In a post on the blog texasflyinglegends.org, Jake Peterson writes that the rear fuselage is looking good with restorers making sure that the outer skin will fit the framework before permanently affixing the skin. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers are also nearing completion, Peterson writes.

But to make the aircraft look even more realistic, two mockup Type 97 aircraft machine guns will installed just forward of the cockpit.

In a project update posted online, Aircorps Aviation wrote:

"The Model 21 mounted two of the Type 97 aircraft machine guns in the top of the fuselage, just in front of the pilot, with the receivers and all but a little of the muzzle end of the guns faired over.  Slots in the cowl ran forward for bullet clearance.  This Japanese designation signified a licence-built version of the Vickers E model machine gun. There was a type 97 light machine gun used by the ground troops, but that was a completely different machine gun.

"Naturally, since the FAA (not to mention the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) distinctly prefers that one doesn’t fly with functioning machine guns, these are inoperative replicas."

(Sources as cited. Image from file)

FMI: www.projects.aircorpsaviation.com/a6m2-zero-story/