幻の戦闘機「震電」新たな映像公開　機体の前で神事　80年前に撮影　焼却免れた貴重な図面も　大刀洗平和記念館に寄贈　福岡

The Shinden, a local fighter developed in Fukuoka toward the end of the Pacific War to intercept U.S. B-29 bombers, is known as the "phantom fighter" because it never saw combat before the end of the war. Various footage of the aircraft's runway tests was donated to the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum in 2025. A Shinto ritual in front of the "phantom fighter" filmed 80 years ago RKB Reporter Takashi Imabayashi "The Shinden is known as the phantom fighter. New footage has been discovered that differs from the footage shown in front of the model." The Shinden, a local fighter with a unique design, features a propeller at the rear of the fuselage. Developed toward the end of the war to intercept U.S. B-29 bombers, the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum in Chikuzen Town displays a model used in the filming of the movie "Godzilla 1.0." In addition to the Shinden, this special exhibition introduces the Kyushu Aircraft Company, which manufactured the aircraft, and its engineers. "Kyushu Aircraft and the Shinden - Records of the Engineers" The highlight of the exhibit is actual footage of the Shinden filmed 80 years ago. It shows a Shinto ritual being performed in front of the aircraft. Toshimi Fujigami, Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum "I've seen records of the ritual, but this is the first time I've seen it on video like this. The images were so clear, I couldn't describe how happy I was. It was also the first time I'd seen the images, so I was extremely happy to see that scene." Also, the chief designer is also featured. The footage was donated by the Japan Wind Tunnel Company in May 2025, and a special exhibition was held to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. A visitor said, "It shows how advanced Japan's technology must have been, but war is cruel, as technology improves in order to win against others, so it's very sad to watch." Naval Technical Lieutenant Commander Masaaki Tsuruno is shown in the footage. He was responsible for the design of the Shinden and served as an "engineer pilot" trained in flight techniques to incorporate test pilot sensibilities into the design. Toshimi Fujigami, Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum "Perhaps it was a technology that people wanted to use for peace, but at the time, it was a time of friendly competition for combat. I realized that this era was not an illusion, but a reality." Valuable drawings that escaped incineration Approximately 140 engineers were involved in the development of the Shinden at Kyushu Aircraft, located around Minami-Fukuoka Station in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City. The Shinden was designed to fly at higher altitudes and higher speeds in order to intercept B-29s, which dropped bombs from heights that conventional fighter planes could not fly. Test flights were conducted in August 1945, but the war ended before it could be deployed in combat. Toshimi Fujigami, Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum "I heard that an order was issued to incinerate 6,000 blueprints (at the end of the war), and they were incinerated. Even so, these blueprints have been recovered, making them extremely valuable." A special exhibition featuring blueprints that escaped incineration after the war is being held at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum until December 14th. For more details, check out NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rk...