J7W1 Shinden

The ***Kyushu J7W1 Shinden*** (震電, "Magnificent Lightning") is a prototype short-range, land-based interceptor developed by the Imperial Japanese Navy, designed to protect Japanese homeland from B-29 Superfortress raids. The Shinden's most notable design traits include: wings at the rear of the fuselage, a nose mounted canard, and an engine in pusher configuration.

## History

The J7W1 Shinden's initial design was oversaw by Watanabe Tekkōjo, hence the "W" in its designation.

The idea of a canard-based design originated with Lieutenant Commander Masayoshi Tsuruno, of the technical staff of the IJN in early 1943. Tsuruno believed the design could easily be retrofitted with a turbojet, when suitable engines became available. His ideas were worked out by the First Naval Air Technical Arsenal (*Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho*), which designed three gliders designated Yokosuka MXY6, featuring canards. These were built by Chigasaki Seizo K. K. and one was later fitted with a 22 hp Semi 11 (Ha-90) 4-cylinder air-cooled engine.

The feasibility of the canard design was proven by both the powered and unpowered versions of the MXY6 by the end of 1943, and the Navy were so impressed by the flight testing, they instructed the Kyushu Aircraft Company to design a canard interceptor around Tsuruno's concept. Kyushu was chosen because both its design team and production facilities were relatively unburdened and Tsuruno was chosen to lead a team from *Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsusho* to aid Kyushu's design works.

The construction of the first two prototypes started in earnest by June 1944, stress calculations were finished by January 1945, and the first prototype was completed in April 1945. The 2,130 hp Mitsubishi MK9D (Ha-43) radial engine and its supercharger were installed behind the cockpit and drove a six-bladed propeller via an extension shaft. Engine cooling was to be provided by long, narrow, obliquely mounted intakes on the side of the fuselage. It was this configuration that caused cooling problems while running the engine while it was still on the ground. This, together with the unavailability of some equipment parts postponed the first flight of the *Shinden*.

Even before the first prototype took to the air, the Navy ordered the J7W1 into production, with a quota of 30 *Shinden* a month given to Kyushu's Zasshonokuma factory and 120 from Nakajima's Handa plant. It was estimated some 1,086 *Shindens* could be produced between April 1946 and March 1947.

On 3 August 1945, the prototype first flew, with Tsuruno at the controls, from Itazuke Air Base. Two more short flights were made, a total of 45 minutes airborne, one each on the same days as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki occurred, before the war's end. Flights were successful, but showed a marked torque pull to starboard (due to the powerful engine), some flutter of the propeller blades, and vibration in the extended drive shaft.

With the end of WWII, the two prototype Shindens are the only examples ever built, one was scrapped; the other was claimed by a U.S. Navy Technical Air Intelligence Unit in late 1945, dismantled, and shipped to the United States.(Some sources claim that the USN took the first built while others state that it was the second.)

The sole surviving J7W1 was reassembled, but has never been flown in the United States; the USN transferred it to the Smithsonian Institution in 1960. Its forward fuselage is currently on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center annex (at Dulles Airport) of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. According to the NASM, 'miscellaneous parts' are stored at Building 7C at the older storage/annex facility, the Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland.

## Performance

### Advantages

The Shinden is a versatile aircraft, capable of dogfighting, ground attacking and bomber hunting. Thanks to its unique pusher configuration, the J7W1 Shinden is capable of achieving far higher speeds and superior climb rate than conventional puller configured aircraft with the same amount of power. The Shinden also possesses excellent stall recovery capabilities, something Isao put into good use. The 4 nose-mounted 30 mm cannons can easily tear even the most durable airframes to pieces with just a couple of shots, the cannons are also closely grouped together, making aiming much easier.

### Drawbacks

Flying an aircraft with the propeller on the wrong end of the fuselage could be quite confusing for a beginner pilot, the most tricky part of flying the Shinden is no doubt taking off and landing, one mistake and the pilot can destroy the Shinden's enormous propeller. Bailing out of the aircraft is also a nightmare, and it's uncertain whether the Shinden was even equipped with explosives bolts on the propeller or an ejector seat. The four 30mm cannons also have rather low muzzle velocity and limited ammo of just 60 rounds per gun, so the pilot will have to get in close with the target to maximize the weapon's efficiency. The engine of the Shinden is also prone to over heating and the absence of armor protection meant that all it takes is a few well placed bullets to knock it out of action.

## Operators

Only one Shinden is known to exist in Ijustu, and it serves as Isao's personal fighter plane. The plane is painted in a color scheme similar to Elite Industries aircrafts: red, yellow, white and black. The Shinden's fuselage is painted crimson, while the top of the fuselage and rudders, the front edge of the wings and front canards are painted black, the nose and the propeller cap tip of the plane are colored yellow. A thin white stripe runs along the fuselage and middle of the wings, the emblem of the Brotherhood of Freedom and Love/Ikeska is emblazoned on both sides the fuselage below the cockpit canopy and the tip of both wings.

After the Shinden's engine was knocked out by Kate, Isao ordered his subordinates to replace the aircraft's propeller engine with a jury-rigged turbojet engine so that he could take to the skies as soon as possible. Turning the Shinden into a pseudo J7W2 Shinden-Kai.

## Trivia

* The scene where Isao pulled off a Pugachev's Cobra maneuver to get behind Emma is likely a reference to *The Sky Crawlers*, as the Pugachev's Cobra is Teacher's signature maneuver, this maneuver is actually impossible for propeller aircrafts such as Isao's Shinden or Teacher's Skyly J2 to pull off, as the amount of powerful engine thrust required to maintain approximately constant altitude through the entire move can only be produced by advanced jet fighters such as the Su-27 Flanker.