J7W1 Shinden ()
In a war-scarred and still healing 1947 Japan, Godzilla brings his unique brand of urban renewal to Tokyo once again. Disarmed and occupied, the nation’s only hope to stop him lays with a disgraced naval aviator ready to deliver magnificent lighting to the titanic terror in the form of a fighter aircraft as strange as the king of the monsters himself.
The fighter wasn’t fictional nor entirely CGI, but a full-sized replica of a late war prototype interceptor, the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (Magnificent Lightning). It now lives in the Chikuzen-machi Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum in Fukuoka Prefecture where anyone can get up close with a fighter that never got to prove itself, at least until Godzilla needed an opponent.
The “pusher” aircraft design with a rear-mounted engine and propeller was the work of Imperial Japanese Navy Lt. Cmdr. Tsuruno Masaoki and was built by Fukuoka-based Kyushu Aircraft Co., who delivered two prototypes in early 1945. After working through technical issues and ground tests, the Shinden made its maiden flight on Aug. 3, 1945 at Mushiroda Air Base, now Fukuoka Airport. It flew twice more on Aug. 6 and 8 before the end of the war, with the surviving prototype taken to the U.S. for study. It is currently displayed in a dismembered state on the floor of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Wingless and propeller-less, it no longer provokes dreams of flight.
The movie replica is a different story. Standing high on its gangly landing gear and ready to take off, it faithfully recreates the Shinden from the core design right down to the information inscribed on the landing gear manufacturer’s plate. Sitting side by side with a battle-worn Zero, it feels just as real, as if it had its own 15 minutes of fame in the air and not just on screen. Truly, it is a “magnificent lighting.”
The replica differs from the prototype, as it depicts a production model with nose-mounted gun ports for 30mm cannons and lacks the prototype rear stabilizer wheels. There is also a small movie-specific touch in the cockpit, but you’ll have to watch the film to figure out what it is.
It’s fitting Tachiarai was able to procure the replica as preserving the memory of Kyushu Aircraft Co. is part of its mission. The other part is sharing the story of Tachiarai army airfield and remembering their war dead, even a B-29 crew who died in a crash here. To this end they maintain two last of their kind warbirds. One is the squared-off wing tip A6M3 Model 32 Zero fighter and the other is an Army Type 97 fighter. I’m happy to see this new aircraft generate more interest in it so they can continue to share their stories.
Through Mar. 20, 2024 there is also a special Godzilla -1.0 exhibit with the cockpit close up props and lots of production photos. I was surprised to see many of the cockpit instruments are real, looking at the backside they have connection points and engraved manufacturer’s plates.
Admission is 600 yen and the museum is across the street from Tachiarai Station on the Amagi Railway line.
Because Tachiarai requires a day trip from Sasebo, I suggest pairing a visit with a tour of the Kirin Brewery just down the road. After the museum we ate at the Kirin Beer Farm which provided excellent meaty meals and cold, fresh beer to cap off the day. Another day trip pairing option is the Hirazuka Kawazoe Architectural Park, which recreates ancient Yayoi-era houses.
Chikuzenmachi Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum
ADDRESS: 2561-1 Takada, Chikuzen-machi, Asakura-gun, Fukuoka prefecture 838-0814 TEL: 0946-23-1227
Kirin Brewery & Kirin Beer Farm ADDRESS: 3601 Mada, Asakura, Fukuoka 838-0058 TEL: 0946232132
Hirazuka Kawazoe Architectural Park ADDRESS: 444-4 Hirazuka, Asakura, Fukuoka 838-0059 TEL: 0946-21-7966
