Kawaguchiko Motor Museum

Kawaguchiko Motor Museum

河口湖自動車博物館
Established	1981
Location	Narusawa-Mura, Fujizakura Kogen Nai, Minatmitsuru-Gun, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan 401-0320
Coordinates	35°27′12″N 138°44′29″E / 35.4532°N 138.7414°ECoordinates: 35°27′12″N 138°44′29″E / 35.4532°N 138.7414°E
Founder	Nobuo Harada

Kawaguchiko Motor Museum (河口湖自動車博物館 kawaguchikojidoushahakubutsukan) is a museum located in Yamanashi prefecture, Japan. Founded in 1981^[1] by former race driver and businessman Nobuo Harada,^[2] it has a collection of antique motor vehicles. In 2001 it opened a new area to display a collection of 20th century military aircraft used by Japan, from Japanese Imperial Forces during World War II and the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the postwar period.^[3][4][5][6]

Aircraft restorations

Nobuo Harada and his team made a number of trips to former Pacific battlefields and recovered a number of wrecks of Japanese aircraft from World War II. Subsequently they restored three complete Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters, and the skeleton of another. One of the complete aircraft is now displayed in the lobby of the Yūshūkan museum adjoining Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

Harada and his team also recovered and the rear fuselage of a Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber. The forward fuselage was later built by them from scratch. As of 2016 the aviation project underway is the restoration of a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa/Oscar fighter.^[2]

Photography

The museum does not allow photography other than that done by mobile phones.^[7]

Aircraft on display

• 61-1127 Curtiss C-46 Commando (Japan Air Self-Defence Force)
• Unknown s/n Grumman S-2F Tracker (United States Navy)
• 51-5639 Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (Japan Air Self-Defence Force)
• 26-5007 Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (Japan Air Self-Defence Force)
• 91518 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero Model 21^[8] (Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service)
• 1493 Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Model 52^[9] (Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service)
• 12107 Mitsubishi G4M2 Betty^[10] (Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service)
• 02-7970 North American F-86F Sabre (Japan Air Self-Defence Force)
• 02-7960 North American F-86F Sabre (Japan Air Self-Defence Force)
• 52-0098 North American T-6G Texan (Japan Air Self-Defence Force)
• 51-5639 Sikorsky H-19C Chickasaw ((Japan Ground Self-Defence Force)
• 12045 Piper L-19B Super Cub (National Safety Force)
• Yokosuka K5Y (replica) (Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service)
• Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka (Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service)
• Wright Flyer (replica)

Gallery

• Aircraft on display
• 
  Yokosuka K5Y (replica)
• 
  Lockheed F-104DJ Starfighter (26-5007)
• 
  North American F-86F Sabre (02-7970)
• 
  Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star (51-5639)
• 
  North American T-6G Texan (52-0098)
• 
  Piper L-21 Super Cub
• 
  Grumman S-2F1 Tracker (US Navy)
• 
  Sikorsky H-19C Chickasaw (40012)
• 
  Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka
• 
  Mitsubishi G4M2 Betty (12107)
• 
  Curtiss C-46D Commando (61-1127)
• 
  Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Model 52 (1493)
• 
  Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero Model 21 (91518)

References

1. J-HangarSpace - Aviation Museums Retrieved September 1, 2016
2. Nobuo Harada To Rebuild The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa Warbirds News Retrieved August 30, 2016
3. Harada Collection (Kawaguchiko Car Museum) Pacific Wrecks Retrieved August 18, 2016
4. Kawaguchiko Motor Museum and Zero Fighter Museum Retrieved August 18, 2016
5. Feature - The red mile Metropolis Retrieved August 18, 2016
6. Nobuo Harada To Rebuild The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa October 9, 2013 Retrieved August 18, 2016
7. Kawaguchiko Motor Museum - Information Retrieved August 30, 2016
8. A6M2 Model 21 Zero Manufacture Number 91518 Pacific Wrecks Retrieved August 19, 2016
9. A6M5 Model 52 Zero Manufacture Number 1493 Pacific Wrecks Retrieved August 19, 2016
10. G4M2 Model 12 Betty Manufacture Number 12017 Tail 62-22 Pacific Wrecks Retrieved August 19, 2016

External links

• Official website