Man’s Jacket (Haori) with the Flight of the Kamikaze Plane
Not on view
The flight of the Kamikaze (Divine Wind) plane from Tokyo to London in April 1937, sponsored by the newspaper Asahi Shimbun, was intended to commemorate the coronation of King George VI, but it also served as a benchmark of modernity for Japan. It became the first Japanese plane to set an international speed record (the flight was completed in just over 51 hours), and the first aircraft produced with all Japanese technology. Thanks to this performance, the Mitsubishi Company, which had developed the motor for the plane, gained the contract to build the Zero, one of the best-known fighter planes of the war years.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.