This aircraft is the Kawanishi N1K2-Ja (George Fighter), serial number 5341, belonging to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.  Many people will recall this particular airplane as the tattered George that sat abandoned at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.  After the war, this George was one of 145 Japanese airplanes brought to the United States for evaluation.

Champlin Fighter Museum was without a Japanese aircraft for their exhibit of fighters and suggested a possible solution for both the George and NASM.  Champlin offered to restore the aircraft in exchange for its use, on loan, for exhibit.  Dave Goss, now president of GossHawk Unlimited, was working for Champlin and directed the restoration.  After considerable negotiation and analysis of the restoration facilities capabilities, NASM agreed to the restoration.

Not only was this project completed to the strict restoration and preservation standards of NASM but the project was completed ahead of schedule.

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