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George Henderson
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Hasegawa 1:48 Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero (Captured Pt.2)

August 14, 2020 · in Aviation · · 15 · 1.6K

This is my third and final entry into this awesome GB (Many thanks for the invite Louis) This aircraft represents one of many in the so-called "surrender markings", white all-over with green crosses. Why were they done like this? I'll copy/paste the best answer I could find and then link the entire article from a fantastic website, that's worth bookmarking...

"With the onslaught of kamikaze attacks, suicidal charges and mass Masada-style suicides of both belligerents and civilians, the Americans had no trust in Japanese envoys who might just as easily immolate themselves as actually surrender. General Douglas MacArthur required, as proof of their peaceful intentions, that the aircraft carrying the envoys from Japan to Iejima (Ie Shima to the Americans), the small Okinawan island designated as the trysting place, be painted white all over and that their beloved, honoured, ancient, and storied hinomarus be painted over in white and then replaced by the Christian cross... a green Christian cross.
One can only imagine the emotions, the utter indignity of what this meant to the Japanese who had to mix the paint and spray it over the marks of Japanese courage and honour that were the red hinomarus. Say all you want about Japanese cruelty and behaviour during the war, there is no denying their pride, sense of duty and honour and their personal courage. There was a code, a warrior brotherhood, a history of truths, legends and myths, and it was all over-sprayed in the battle colour of failure—white. The instructions to end the war immediately were clear, and the indignity was given to the aviators... the first to strike at the Americans on December 1941."
http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/451/Green-Cross-to-Bear.aspx
The finals...







Family portrait of my GB builds

Build here...https://imodeler.com/groups/the-empire-of-japan-1919-1946/forum/topic/hasegawa-148-mitsubishi-a6m5-zero-captured-pt-2/
Reader reactions:
10  Awesome

15 responses

  1. Nice trio!

    I don't know if the mentioned reason for white and crosses is the correct or if it is an assumption. I can imagine white being the total opposite of camou green and grey, and a dark cross is also a total opposite to a red roundel. It doesn't get more visible than this that the aircraft is painted and used by an enemy who fully understood the instructions. No sneak attack by a pilot who refused to comply but an aircraft in service by a defeated power.

  2. Great job George. Very different scheme.

  3. George, @blackadder57
    Your "Surrender" Zero turned out exceptionally well, and it looks great sitting next to the others you have built for the Empire of Japan group. It has been an interesting trip back in history. I enjoyed watching your plane come to life as you added the colorful details that make it look much different from the typical A6M. I want to thank you for contributing as much as you have to our Empire of Japan group build. Guys like you have made it far more successful than I ever thought was possible. Thank you for accepting the invitation, and once again I compliment you on your Zero. It looks magnificent, and has some very good company sitting next to the other two A6M's.

    "liked"

  4. Nice to see a Zeke in unusual livery!

  5. Turned out great, George. I really like the scheme on that zero. Very clean.

  6. Hi George @blackadder57!
    This was a wonderful build and an excellent result, that I had the joy to watch from the start.
    Also, I fully echo the comments of our friend and EoJ GB administrator Louis @lgardner.
    Congratulations!

  7. Nice one George! I hadn’t thought about the meaning of those surrender markings but the explanation in the text sounds believable... anyway looking at your model photos I have a certain deja-vu feeling since they evoque the other axis power, Nazi Germany, as the green looks almost black in my eye

    • Thanks Pedro. Here's a photo of the aircraft

  8. Thank you very much gentlemen

  9. Great job ,George. Very unusual. The explanation sounds a bit wild, but It could be true.

  10. 🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
    Wonderful work on this model George. It is a very different scheme from what is the norm for this plane, and you have captured it just fine.

  11. Lovely addition to your collection!
    THink someday I gotta convince my dad to add a captured or surrender bird to our collection too.

  12. Great looking trio of surrendered Zeros George. Really appreciate all the research you put into these and especially for providing that very informative link to vintagewings.ca. I learned a lot from your terrific EoJ builds.

  13. Very unusual scheme, George.
    But it sure looks good.
    Well done.

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