ゼロ戦のニックネームで知られる旧日本軍の零式艦上戦闘機が1月27日、再び日本の空を舞った。1941年の真珠湾攻撃などで主力を務め、1945年の終戦までに約1万機が製造されたが、飛行可能な状態で残っている機体は、6機だけ。このうち、唯一の日本人オーナーが所有する機体が、鹿児島県の海上自衛隊鹿屋基地でテスト飛行に成功した。基地の外から撮影された写真が次々にネットに投稿されている。
■ゼロ戦のオーナー「日本を振り返るきっかけになれば」
この機体は、もともとパプアニューギニアで激戦地となったラバウル近郊に放置されていた零戦22型。アメリカ人が1970年代に入手し、飛べるように復元していた。これをニュージーランドを拠点に、フライトジャケットの製造・販売会社を経営する石塚政秀さん（54）が2008年ごろ、3億5000万円の私財を投じて購入。牧場や自宅、車などを売り払って資金をかき集めたという。
ニコニコ生放送によると、石塚さんはテスト飛行の成功を受けて、記者団の囲み取材に以下のように答えた。
「今日は一つのスタート。博物館に入るのではなく、全国を飛べるようになって欲しい。こうした飛行機を作り出した過去の日本人の技術力は本当にすごかったことを実感してもらい、日本を振り返るきっかけになればと思っています」【関連記事】
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世界の「零戦」画像集
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero WWII(01 of27)
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the Mitsubishi Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter (???????, rei-shiki-kanjou-sentouki?), and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the Allies as the \'Zero\', from the \'Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter\' designation. The official Allied reporting name was Zeke. (credit:KarSol via Getty Images)
Japanese Zero parked on runway(02 of27)
Japanese Zero parked on runway (credit:Scott Hirko via Getty Images)
A6M Japanesse Zero fling over California.(03 of27)
A6M Japanesse Zero fling over California. (credit:Phil Wallick/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images)
Zero - Japanese Fighter(04 of27)
Japanese Zero fighter aircraft, WWII.. (credit:kojihirano via Getty Images)
Japanese Zero, WWII fighter(05 of27)
Mitsubishi A6M Zero WWII (credit:kojihirano via Getty Images)
Zero 101(06 of27)
Zero 101 Flying over (credit:Dennys Bisogno via Getty Images)
Japanese Zero 101(07 of27)
Japanese Zero 101 flying over (credit:Dennys Bisogno via Getty Images)
Japanese Zero 101(08 of27)
Japanese Zero 101 (credit:Dennys Bisogno via Getty Images)
Zero 101(09 of27)
Zero 101 (credit:Dennys Bisogno via Getty Images)
Japanese Zero Aircraft Parked(10 of27)
Japanese Zero fighter aircraft from WW II parked with fire extinguisher at the ready (credit:Bruce Bean via Getty Images)
A6M Japaneese Zero flying over Chino, California.(11 of27)
A6M Japaneese Zero flying over Chino, California. (credit:Phil Wallick/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images)
WWII Japanies Zeros(12 of27)
The Zero was the best carrier-based fighter in the world, combining excellent maneuverability and very long range. In early combat operations, the Zero gained a legendary reputation as a \'dogfighter\', achieving the outstanding kill ratio of 12 to 1 (credit:Xacto via Getty Images)
World War II Gunner and Japanese Attack Plane(13 of27)
\'Re-enactment of attack on U.S. victory ship, the John W. Brown, by a Japanese Zero fighter plane. Lone port gunner aims at attacking aircraft. Intentional camera tilt. Copy space.\' (credit:Bonnie Schupp via Getty Images)
JAPAN WAR MUSEUM(14 of27)
**FILE**People relax at a restaurant beside a Zero Fighter model during their lunch time at Yushukan war memorial museum in Tokyo\'s Yasukuni Shrine in this June 29, 2006 file photo. The museum run by the Tokyo war shrine at the center of diplomatic row with Asia will remove references that accuse the United States of forcing Japan into World War II, but there is no plan to change exhibits critics say gloss over Japanese atrocities in Asia, a former diplomat who drafted the changes said Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2006. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara, FILE) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Zero Fighter Homecoming(15 of27)
A visitor photographs a part of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero displayed at an exhibition to public at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, north of Tokyo Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. A restored and operational Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane, which is now owned by a Japanese, returned to Japan from U.S. in last September. The Japanese Imperial Navy plane was found in Papua New Guinea more than 40 years ago and brought to US and restored originally. Masahide Ishizuka, the owner of the Zero fighter, said he hopes to fly it in Japan next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Zero Fighter Homecoming(16 of27)
A young visitor looks at the parts of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero displayed at an exhibition to public at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, north of Tokyo Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. A restored and operational Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane, which is now owned by a Japanese, returned to Japan from U.S. in last September. The Japanese Imperial Navy plane was found in Papua New Guinea more than 40 years ago and brought to US and restored originally. Masahide Ishizuka, the owner of the Zero fighter, said he hopes to fly it in Japan next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Zero Fighter Homecoming(17 of27)
Masahide Ishizuka, the owner of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero, poses for photos in the cockpit of the aircraft displayed at an exhibition to public at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, north of Tokyo Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. A restored and operational Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane, which is now owned by a Japanese, returned to Japan from U.S. in last September. The Japanese Imperial Navy plane was found in Papua New Guinea more than 40 years ago and brought to US and restored originally. Ishizuka said he hopes to fly it in Japan next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Zero Fighter Homecoming(18 of27)
Visitors look at the parts of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero displayed at an exhibition to public at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, north of Tokyo Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. A restored and operational Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane, which is now owned by a Japanese, returned to Japan from U.S. in last September. The Japanese Imperial Navy plane was found in Papua New Guinea more than 40 years ago and brought to US and restored originally. Masahide Ishizuka, the owner of the Zero fighter, said he hopes to fly it in Japan next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Zero Fighter Homecoming(19 of27)
Visitors look at the engine of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero displayed at an exhibition to public at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, north of Tokyo Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. A restored and operational Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane, which is now owned by a Japanese, returned to Japan from U.S. in last September. The Japanese Imperial Navy plane was found in Papua New Guinea more than 40 years ago and brought to US and restored originally. Masahide Ishizuka, the owner of the Zero fighter, said he hopes to fly it in Japan next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Zero Fighter Homecoming(20 of27)
Visitors look at the parts of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero displayed at an exhibition to public at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, north of Tokyo Friday, Nov. 21, 2014. A restored and operational Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane, which is now owned by a Japanese, returned to Japan from U.S. in last September. The Japanese Imperial Navy plane was found in Papua New Guinea more than 40 years ago and brought to US and restored originally. Masahide Ishizuka, the owner of the Zero fighter, said he hopes to fly it in Japan next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Two little sisters watch a salvaged zero(21 of27)
CHIRAN, JAPAN: Two little sisters watch a salvaged zero fighter displayed at the Special Attack Peace Museum in Chiran in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan\'s southern island of Kyusyu 12 August 2004. Thousands of young pilots carried out the lethal attacks from the Chiran base during the World War II and 1,036, including 11 Koreans, never came back. AFP PHOTO / Shingo ITO (Photo credit should read SHINGO ITO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:SHINGO ITO via Getty Images)
A veteran ppoints at a salvaged zero fig(22 of27)
CHIRAN, JAPAN: A veteran ppoints at a salvaged zero fighter displayed at the Special Attack Peace Museum in Chiran in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan\'s southern island of Kyusyu 12 August 2004. Thousands of young pilots carried out the lethal attacks from the Chiran base during the World War II and 1,036, including 11 Koreans, never came back. AFP PHOTO / Shingo ITO (Photo credit should read SHINGO ITO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:SHINGO ITO via Getty Images)
Zero Fighter airplane wreck, Micronesia, Pacific, Palau(23 of27)
Zero Fighter airplane wreck, Micronesia, Pacific, Palau (credit:Franco Banfi via Getty Images)
The propeller of a Japanese Zero fighter on a shallow reef in Palau.(24 of27)
The propeller of a Japanese Zero fighter, shot down during World War II in Palau, is evident on a shallow reef. (credit:Ethan Daniels/Stocktrek Images via Getty Images)
Japanese Zero(25 of27)
Underwater plane wreck. MORE DIVERS (links) (credit:Tammy616 via Getty Images)
Zero Fighter cockpit wreck(26 of27)
\'The remains of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighter in the wreck of the Fujikawa, Truk Lagoon, Micronesia. The plane was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War 2The wreck of the Fujikawa was sunk during operation Hailstorm in Feb 1944 by the US Navy.The Fujikawa was transporting many plane parts in its hold.\' (credit:Andrew Simpson via Getty Images)
WWII Japanese Zero. Yap, Micronesia(27 of27)
The ruins of a WWII Japanese Zero lays road-side on Yap in Micronesia. (credit:Richard-Butterworth via Getty Images)
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