Mizuno Shinryu

[Kurt_Steiner]

Looking info about the Ba 349 Natter, I've found this:

Coincidentally, in Japan during last days of the Pacific War, the Mizuno aircraft company under orders from the Imperial Japanese Navy developed an aircraft similar to the Natter. The Mizuno Shinryu suicide-interceptor rocket aircraft was the result. It would have been armed with air-to-air unguided rockets mounted under its wings used for interception of enemy aircraft like the Natter and a nose mounted warhead to be used for a suicide attack.

The Mizuno Shinryu (?? - "Divine Dragon") was a proposed rocket-powered kamikaze aircraft designed for the Imperial Japanese Navy towards the end of World War II. It never reached production.

http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/mizuno-shinryu/

Has anybody ever heard about this fighter?

[hisashi]

神龍 was a glider with rocket for taking off, intended for kamikaze attack. I don't know much of this piece.

[Kurt_Steiner]

That's the problem, that I've found almost nothing about it. A rocket plana a là Ba 349 Natter and that's all, folks...

[Andover115]

Here's some illustrations of the Mizuno Shinryu.

[fontessa]

神龍 was a glider with rocket for taking off, intended for kamikaze attack.

He (hisasjhi) is correct. Shiryu was a glider with rocket boosters for taking off. The imaginary drawings seen on overseas sites are generally not correct. Information on various prototypes (such as Shindenkai and Shinryu Model 2) seems to be mixed up. Actually, everyone will be disappointed, it was extremely plain as described below. The 1st Figure shows Shinryu's original plan by the Aviation Testing Laboratory of the Ministry of Communications 逓信省航空局航空試験所. The power source was 3 Type 4 No. 1 rockets (for takeoff) 四式一号噴進器 (離陸用) used in "Baka Bomb" 桜花. The 2nd Figure is the photo of a Shintyu. The 3rd photo shows the Shinryu during a flight test.

神龍.jpg (34.66 KiB) Viewed 6181 times

神龍 外観.jpg (24.71 KiB) Viewed 6181 times

神龍 飛行.jpg (12.78 KiB) Viewed 6181 times

fontessa

[ShindenKai]

Its my understanding that the SHINryu and JINryu were two completely different projects. As would be guessed from the names....

[fontessa]

Its my understanding that the SHINryu and JINryu were two completely different projects. As would be guessed from the names....

They were the same project. The kanji character 神龍 is usually read as Shinryu, but it is rarely read as Jinryu. It was invented at 航空局 Aviation Bureau and taken over by the Navy. The first picture of Shinryu Model Kit which I uploaded says "航空局 Junryu", but I don't know if 航空局 really called it Jinryu.

fontessa

[ShindenKai]

Oh?! Interesting, that could cause confusion. Thank you for the further insight.

[ShindenKai]

Lower rear fuselage, showing probable location of 3 rocket boosters (like those used on the Ohka & Suisei) one booster per side and one out the back, where its notched.

[fontessa]

Lower rear fuselage, showing probable location of 3 rocket boosters (like those used on the Ohka & Suisei) one booster per side and one out the back, where its notched.

Click to enlarge.

fontessa

[ShindenKai]

Excellent info Fontessa, thank you.