Mitsubishi J8M Shūsui
Mitsubishi · Japan · first flew 1945 · fighter
The Mitsubishi J8M Shūsui (Sword Stroke) was a Japanese rocket-powered interceptor derived from the German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, intended to defend the Japanese home islands against B-29 raids. The sole prototype crashed on its first powered flight.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × rocket, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.86 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Japanese licence copy of the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet
- Rocket-powered tailless delta-ish swept-wing interceptor
- Retractable skid undercarriage, no wheels
Virtually identical in silhouette to the Me 163 — a short, tailless swept-wing aircraft with a broad fuselage, no conventional tail surfaces, and a distinctive skid undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Mitsubishi J8M Shūsui has a length of 5.86 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 900 km/h (559 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Blueprints for the Me 163 were transported by submarine from Germany in 1944, though the submarine carrying the actual aircraft and engines was sunk. Mitsubishi and the Navy reconstructed the design from memory and documents, resulting in the J8M. The prototype's only powered flight in July 1945 ended in a fatal crash, and Japan's surrender came before any more could fly.
Variants
The J8M1 was the Navy version; the Ki-200 was the near-identical Army version. Neither entered production.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service; the programme was cancelled following Japan's surrender in August 1945.
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