COLONIE — Inside a hangar at Albany International Airport sits a replica aircraft whose past life included Canadian military service and Hollywood movie gigs.
Next up, the plane will be used to educate the public about Pearl Harbor and the lasting impact that attack had on World War II.
Tora 101, a Japanese Zero movie replica owned by Integra Optics CEO David Prescott, sits in a hanger at Albany International Airport where is being restored on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y.
COLONIE — Inside a hangar at Albany International Airport sits a replica aircraft whose past life included Canadian military service and Hollywood movie gigs.
Next up, the plane will be used to educate the public about Pearl Harbor and the lasting impact that attack had on World War II.
David Prescott is restoring the replica TORA 101 training aircraft, which is still in excellent condition but not yet ready to fly.
Prescott is a pilot and the CEO of Integra Optics, a fiber optic products supplier based at the airport. He bought the plane from Douglas Jackson, the owner of an independent plane brokerage firm.
Jackson was a Navy veteran and aircraft collector, and when he died earlier this year, Prescott said he wanted to ensure the plane’s history continues.
The plane made appearances in three films: “Midway,” “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and “Baa Baa Blacksheep.” It is already booked for several airshows in 2019.
