Rare WWII 'Shidenkai' Fighter Salvaged After 81 Years Underwater Off Japan
On the 8th, a former Imperial Japanese Navy local fighter, the “Shidenkai” (Kawanishi N1K2-J), which had made an emergency landing on the seabed off Akune City, Kagoshima Prefecture, during the final stages of the Pacific War and had been submerged for 81 years, was successfully salvaged. This marks the second existing airframe of its kind in Japan, following the one displayed in Ainan Town, Ehime Prefecture, and is drawing significant global attention as an invaluable war relic. The salvaged “Shidenkai” is believed to be the aircraft of Captain (Taii) Shigeo Hayashi, who was onboard. It has maintained an astonishingly good condition, with both wings and machine guns still intact, making it hard to believe 81 years have passed. This miraculous state prompted numerous expressions of surprise and joy on social media, with comments such as “It’s preserved more beautifully than I imagined” and “I’m deeply moved.” Some individuals, inspired by anime and manga, even recalled works like “The ...