Photo/Illutration A full-size replica of the famed Shinden fighter goes on display at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum in Chikuzen, Fukuoka Prefecture, on July 6. (Junko Watanabe)

CHIKUZEN, Fukuoka Prefecture--A full-size replica of the rarest of Japan’s World War II fighter planes, the Shinden interceptor, has gone on display at the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum here.

Developed in the prefectural capital of Fukuoka during the waning days of the conflict, the plane never saw combat.

According to town officials, the Shinden was built at Fukuoka-based Kyushu Hikoki, which had close ties with the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The fighter featured a large propeller mounted at the rear of the fuselage to enable the pilot to go into a steep climb to intercept U.S. B-29 bombers flying at altitudes of 10,000 meters or higher.

A prototype completed in June 1945 made its first test flight at Mushiroda Airfield, also in Fukuoka, in early August.

Japan surrendered on Aug. 15.

U.S. occupation forces confiscated the prototype and had it disassembled and shipped to the Smithsonian Museum.

Officials of the town government of Chikuzen, near Fukuoka, conscious of the city’s ties with the Shinden, had hoped since the museum opened 13 years ago that the aircraft would go on display one day.

The museum made do with a 1/18 scale model and explanatory panels.

It jumped at the chance to purchase a full-size model after learning that a Tokyo-based video production company had created the replica. It is 9.76 meters long and has an 11.11-meter wingspan.

The town office spent around 22 million yen ($159,000), including shipping and installation costs, on the project.

“Our aim is to promote the importance of peace and convey the evolution of aviation technology,” said Chikuzen Mayor Kikumi Tagashira.

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