The Mitsubishi J8M1 Shusui at Kakamigahara Airforce Base

Photos & Text by Johan Myhrman

The fuselage of a Mitsubishi J8M1 Shusui rocket interceptor was found in the1960ies in a cave in the Yokosuka area south of Tokyo. The remains of the airplane have for many years rested at the Kakamigahara Airforce base outside Nagoya. It was not alone as it also has company of a Aichi E13A "Jake" floatplane in the same poor condition. However, the Shusui has been moved to Mitsubishi Industry complex at Komaki where it has been restored and is now on display at their museum. Unfortunately is the museum usually not open to the public.

The pictures are from when the Shusui was in Kakamigahara. What remains of the Shusui is the front part of the fuselage. The tail, starting from the engine compartment is missing. The cover plates for the fuselage fuel tank and the nose cone  is also gone. The same goes for all cockpit equipment. The cockpit equipment has perhaps never even been installed. No definite trace of color or application can be seen on the exterior of the fuselage.

The picture above show the rear of cockpit and the compartment behind the cockpit which is for the fuselage fuel tank. The cockpit itself is painted in a mix of red primer, aotake blue and cockpit green (possibly green aotake). The frames are painted with the blue aotake while the cover plating is green. Certain details that seems to have been installed separately are coated with red primer. But it also looks as if the red is wearing through the aotake at some places. Perhaps the aircraft first was assembled with structural members painted blue and that pre painted green cover plating was attached afterwards.

The picture bellow is taken through the missing nose cone. The green painted plating can best be seen on the sides. The green was also seen after some gentle brushing in the other more greyish areas. Note the red triangular part on the right, this is an example of what looks to be a separatly installed part.