Mitsubishi J8M1 "Shusui" for the Bf 109K Slot in European Air War

Original skin by Charles Gunst - April 2001

External skin repainted by Col. Gibbon, just for fun!!!  1st May.2001
Sorry theres no cockpit view for this plane.
Colour scheme is taken from a 'Finemolds' model box cover.

It is no secret that the Japanese and Germans traded technical information during the war. One item that the Japanese were most interested in was the Me-163 rocket fighter. They even obtained a manufacturing license for the aircraft and the Walter engine. Much to the dismay of the Japanese, one of the two submarines carrying technical data back to Japan for the 163 was sunk enroute. This basically left the Japanese with incomplete information.

Despite this setback, Mitsubishi was chosen to build a similar rocket fighter. The Walter engine was also modified to meet Japanese manufacturing techniques (whatever that means). Both the Army and Navy were involved in the project. The Navy's version to be the J8M1 and the Army's the Ki-200. The mockup was built and approved in September 1944. 
In order to get aerodynamic information, the MXY8 glider was built and completed in December of 1944. It not only gave data but was used to train prospective pilots. Three prototypes were built and evaluated. Successful evaluations lead to a short production run of similar but heavier Ku-13 gliders. A proposed MXY9 with a small ducted fan engine was not built.

The first two prototype J8M1s were built without engines to evaluate the handling characteristics. First powered flight of the J8M1 was on 7 July, 1945, however the engine failed during the steep climb-out and the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing its pilot. While the other prototypes were having the fuel systems modified, the war ended and no further flights were attempted. To my knowledge, there is one J8M1 still extant, and that is being held by the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California.

This J8M1 replaces the Bf 109K in EAW, and is intended for use with ECA (Enemy Coast Ahead) Control Panel (which is available from most of the websites listed below). 
Unzip all files and copy the *.TPC and *.3DZ files into your EAW directory. The Komet takes the place of the Bf109K, using ECA Control Panel v3.2 or later.

To install, just unzip the *.TPC and *.3DZ files in this zip file into your EAW directory (the one with EAW.EXE in it). To un-install, simply remove them from your EAW directory.

To achieve the proper visual effect when flying with the EAW 2D cockpit (i.e. to eliminate the propellor from the in-cockpit view), do the following. From the EAW Main Menu  go to "Configure Game", then "Graphics", and then for "Show Propellor in Cockpit" select "Off".

This was a major reconstruction job on an EAW 3D shape by Charles Gunst, to create the Me163/Mitsubishi J8M1, rocket fighter for use in EAW. It actually started life as the Pacific Air War P39 Airacobra shape, and uses as a base a P39 skin by Claudion Wilches from Alessandro's site, with the 3D cockpit and wing views from Christian "Mosi" Mosimann's Ta183. The shape is not perfect - the wings are a bit low, the undercarriage is off (EAW does not provide for jettisionable wheels), and there are some distortions in the skin, but it looks pretty right from a distance. 

I hope you enjoy the Mitsubishi J8M1 


May 2001
