Mitsubishi J8M

E80384

experimental aircraft rocket-powered interceptor aircraft

The Mitsubishi J8M was a Japanese World War II rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, developed as a counterpart to Germany’s Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet.

Aliases (2)

J8M1 Shusui ×2
MXY8 Akigusa ×1

Statements (47)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	experimental aircraft → rocket-powered interceptor aircraft →
airframeMaterial	primarily wood and metal mixed construction →
armyDesignation	Ki-200 →
basedOn	Messerschmitt Me 163B →
category	World War II Japanese fighter aircraft → interceptor aircraft → rocket-powered aircraft →
conflict	World War II →
countryOfOrigin	Japan →
crew	1 →
derivativeVariant	Ki-200 →
designedAsCounterpartTo	Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet →
designedBy	Mitsubishi design team under Imperial Japanese Navy direction →
designFeature	tailless configuration similar to Me 163 →
developedFor	Imperial Japanese Army Air Service → Imperial Japanese Navy →
developmentOutcome	did not reach operational service →
developmentStartYear	1943 →
firstFlightDate	1945-07-07 →
fuelType	hypergolic liquid propellants →
inspiredBy	Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet →
intendedArmament	20 mm cannon → 30 mm cannon →
intendedClimbPerformance	very high rate of climb to bomber altitude →
intendedTopSpeed	around 900 km/h class →
japaneseDesignation	J8M1 Shusui →
landingGear	retractable skid →
manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries →
meaningOfName	Shusui means "Autumn Water" or "Sharp Sword" in Japanese →
museumExhibit	a surviving airframe is preserved at the Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, California →
natoReportingName	Syusen →
navyProjectName	J8M1 Shusui →
notableAccident	first powered flight ended in crash on 1945-07-07 →
numberBuilt	a few prototypes →
operatorPlanned	Imperial Japanese Army Air Service → Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service →
powerplantModel	Toku Ro.2 (KR10) rocket engine →
primaryMission	high-speed point-defense interception of bombers →
programEndReason	Japan’s defeat in World War II and industrial disruption →
programType	license-development of German design →
propulsion	liquid-fuel rocket engine →
relatedProject	Yokosuka MXY8 Akigusa glider trainer →
role	interceptor →
status	prototype only →
trainingVersion	MXY8 Akigusa →
wingConfiguration	swept mid-wing monoplane →

Referenced by (4)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Messerschmitt Me 163 →	inspired
Mitsubishi J8M ("J8M1 Shusui") →	japaneseDesignation
Mitsubishi J8M ("J8M1 Shusui") →	navyProjectName
Mitsubishi J8M ("MXY8 Akigusa") →	trainingVersion