Experimental WW2 Japanese fighter plane, the Kyushu J7W Shinden
The Shinden was a plane first conceptualized by the Japanese military in 1943, and first flown on a test flight in 1945. Even before the test flight, the Japanese Navy had ordered production of the plane. However Japan’s surrender in 1945 stopped production, and in the end only two of the planes were produced. One was scrapped, and the other was taken to the US for study by the American government.
The Shinden was to have been used as a short ranged, land based interceptor to protect the Japanese mainland. It had high maneuverability, and was armed with four 30mm Type 5 Autocannons, and could carry up to four 130lb bombs. (I believe the bombs would have been Type 2 No.6 Model 5s, but I can not confirm.)
A replica of the plane was made for the movie Godzilla Minus One. After filming, the replica plane was donated to the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum in Chikuzen, Fukuoka, Japan.
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