World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe J2M Raiden land-based fighters were introduced into the Japanese Navy in Dec 1942. Designed by the engineer Jiro Horikoshi of A6M Zero fame, they were developed in response to the 1939 request for a new local defense interceptor. The first examples suffered issues with the engines, and the observations led to the J2M2 Model 11 variant being delivered in Dec 1943. In Feb 1944, the J2M3 Raiden Model 21 aircraft were delivered to front line units. They did not see combat until Jun 1944 when several J2M Raiden fighters based in Guam and Saipan in the Mariana Islands defended the American invasion. In Aug 1944, the J2M4 Model 34 variant design was completed, but this variant design would see its end after only two prototypes were built. In 1945, they began to be used for the reason they were created for, which was high altitude interception; they performed relatively poorly against American B-29 Superfortress bombers, however. Toward the end of the war, some of them were relocated from various Pacific Islands to Korea (Genzan (Wonsan), Ranan (Nanam), Funei (Nuren), Rashin (Najin), and Konan Airfields); these aircraft saw combat against Soviet aircraft during the Manchurian Strategic Offensive in the final days of WW2.

ww2dbaseDuring the production life of the design, a total of 621 were built by Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K in Nagoya and Suzuka, Japan; an addtional 128 aircraft were built by the Koza Naval Air Arsenal. Most (435) of the production examples were of the J2M3 variant design.

ww2dbaseThe Allied codename for J2M fighters was "Jack".

ww2dbaseAfter the war, Indonesian nationalists operated a small number of J2M Raiden fighters against Dutch colonial forces during the revolution that lasted between 1945 and 1949. The Republic of Korea operated two captured J2M Raiden fighters until about 1950.

J2M Raiden Timeline

SPECIFICATIONS

J2M5a Model 33A

Machinery	One Mitsubishi MK4R-A Kasei 23a 14-cyl two-row radial engine rated at 1,820hp
Armament	4x20mm Type 99 Model II cannon, 2x60kg bombs or 2x200-liter drop tanks
Crew	1
Span	10.80 m
Length	9.70 m
Height	3.81 m
Wing Area	20.00 m²
Weight, Empty	2,839 kg
Weight, Loaded	3,482 kg
Speed, Maximum	612 km/h
Service Ceiling	11,250 m
Range, Normal	560 km

J2M3 Model 21

Machinery	One Mitsubishi MK4R-A Kasei 23a 14-cyl two-row radial engine rated at 1,820hp
Armament	2x20mm Type 99 Model I cannon, 2x20mm Type 99 Model II cannon
Crew	1
Span	10.80 m
Length	9.70 m
Height	3.81 m
Wing Area	20.00 m²

Photographs

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