Жапондық "Күзі Суы" – реактивтік ұшқыш-тұйықтар

Japanese rocket powered interceptor

The Mitsubishi J8M Shūsui (Japanese: 三菱 J8M 秋水, literally "Autumn Water", used as a poetic term meaning "Sharp Sword" deriving from the swishing sound of a sword) is a Japanese World War II rocket powered interceptor aircraft closely based on the German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet. Built as a joint project for both the Navy and the Army Air Services, it was designated J8M (Navy) and Ki 200 (Army).

On 8 January 1945, one of the two J8M1 prototypes was towed aloft, water ballast added in place of the fuel tank and rocket engine to test its aerodynamics. The test flights confirmed the design. Training courses for JAAF and JNAF pilots began on the Ku 53 glider, which shared a similar configuration to the J8M1. The 312th Naval Air Group was selected to operate the first J8M1. Mitsubishi, Fuji Hikoki, and Nissan Jidosha all had tooling for mass production well into the advanced stages, ready to produce both the J8M1 and the J8M2 variant, which differed from the J8M1 in sacrificing one of the Type 5 cannon for a small increase in fuel capacity. The first J8M1 prototype to be equipped with the Toko Ro.2 (KR10) was ready in June 1945. They were then transferred from the Nagoya plant to Yokoku for final checks before powered flight testing, after final glide tests with the engine installed. The J8M took to the air for its first powered flight on 7 July 1945, with Lieutenant Commander Toyohiko Inuzuka at the controls; after his "sharp start" rocket powered takeoff, Inuzuka successfully jettisoned the dolly upon becoming airborne and began to gain speed, climbing skywards at a 45° angle. At an altitude of , the engine stopped abruptly and the J8M1 stalled. Inuzuka managed to glide the aircraft back, but clipped a small building at the edge of the airfield while trying to land, causing the aircraft to burst into flames. Inuzuka died the next day. While Mitsubishi and naval technicians sought to find the cause of the accident, all future flights were grounded. The engine cutout had occurred because the angle of climb, coupled with the fuel tanks being half filled for this first flight, caused a shifting of the fuel, which in turn caused an auto cutout device to activate because of an air lock in the fuel line. Requests to continue flight testing were denied pending the modification of the fuel pumps in the aircraft. The sixth and seventh prototypes were to be fitted with the modified Ro.2 engine. Full scale production readiness was almost at hand, and component construction was already underway. Flight testing was to resume, despite another explosion of the fuel mixture during a ground test days after the crash, in late August 1945 and the J8M2 design was finalized. But on 15 August 1945, the war ended for the Japanese and all work on the J8M ceased. The end of the war also spelled the end of the JAAF's Ki 202 Shūsui Kai (Modified Shusui), whose design had begun in secret months before. The Ki 202 was to offer improved flight endurance over the Ki 200 and was slated to be the priority fighter for the JAAF in 1946, but no metal was cut before Japan's surrender. Germany tried to send another Komet in U 864, but the submarine was sunk near Bergen by British submarine in February 1945. As with many other Japanese fighter types combating air raids over Japan, the Ki 200 was considered for use in ramming attacks against B 29s. The envisioned mission profile was to make one or two firing passes and then, with the remaining energy, conduct a ramming attack. Any fuel left on board would most likely detonate, increasing the effectiveness of the attack, but also meaning the pilot had little chance of survival. Nevertheless, the cost was deemed to be worth it and plans were being drawn up to form a "Hagakure Tai" (Special Attack Unit), similar to the German Sonderkommando Elbe, when the war ended.

In November 1945, two aircraft were taken from Yokosuka to the United States for evaluation aboard USS Barnes. FE 300/T2 300 (USA ident) (Japanese ident 403) is now exhibited at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California. The other was at NAS Glenview in October 1946 (identity unknown), but was scrapped. In the 1960s, a nearly complete (but badly damaged) fuselage was discovered in a cave in Japan. This was on display at a Japanese Air Self Defense Force base near Gifu until 1999, when it was restored and completed by Mitsubishi for display in the company's internal Komaki Plant Museum.

Specifications J8M1 J8M2 Ki 200 Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Jukogyo K. K Type: Interceptor Crew: 1 Span: Length: Height: Wing area: Wing loading: 219.22 kg/m2 (44.9 lb/ft2) 219.70 kg/m2 (45 lb/ft2) Empty weight: Loaded: Maximum: Useful load: Fuel capacity: T Stoff = C Stoff = Armament Gun: 2x Type 5 30mm autocannon 2x Type 5 30mm autocannon 2x Ho 155 30mm autocannon or 2x Ho 5 20mm autocannon Capacity: 53 rounds per gun Performance Powerplant: One Toku Ro.2 (KR10) bi fuel rocket motor developing of thrust Liquid propellant: T Stoff = 80% Hydrogen Peroxide + 20% Oxyquinoline and Pyrophosphates C Stoff = 30% Hydrazine Hydrate + 70% Methanol, Water and Potassium Copper Cyanides Max speed: at Cruise speed: Landing speed: Range: 3 min 06 seconds of powered flight 2 min 30 seconds of powered flight Max range: 5 min 30 seconds of powered flight 7 minof powered flight Climb: in 40 seconds in 2 minutes 08 seconds in 3 minutes 08 seconds in 3 minutes 50 seconds in 3 minutes 40 seconds Rate of climb: Ceiling: