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Subject: Mitsubishi J2M
Date: 29 Dec 2016 17:08:54 -0800
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_J2M
The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (??, "Thunderbolt") was a single-engined land-based
fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II.
The Allied reporting name was "Jack".
The J2M was designed by Jiro Horikoshi, creator of the A6M Zero, to meet the
14-Shi (14th year of the Showa reign, or 1939) official specification. It was to
be a strictly local-defense interceptor, intended to counter the threat of
high-altitude bomber raids, and thus relied on speed, climb performance, and
armament at the expense of manoeuvrability. The J2M was a sleek, but stubby
craft with its oversized Mitsubishi Kasei engine buried behind a long cowling,
cooled by an intake fan and connected to the propeller with an extension shaft.
Teething development problems stemming from the Kasei engine cooling system, and
the main undercarriage members led to a slowdown in production. A continual set
of modifications resulted in new variants being introduced with the ultimate
high-altitude variant, the J2M4 Model 34 flying for the first time in August
1944. It had a 1,420 hp Kasei 23c engine equipped with a turbo supercharger
(mounted in the side of the fuselage just behind the engine) that allowed the
rated power to be maintained up to 9,100 m (29,900 ft) Two upward-aimed,
oblique-firing (aimed at seventy degrees) 20 mm cannons, mounted in the German
retained. Unresolved difficulties with the turbo supercharger caused the project
to be terminated after only two experimental J2M4s were built.
Role
Fighter aircraft
Manufacturer
Mitsubishi
First flight
20 March 1942
Introduction
December 1942
Retired
August 1945
Primary user
Imperial Japanese Navy
Number built
671
The first few produced J2M2s were delivered to the development units in December
1942 but severe problems were encountered with the engines. Trials and
improvements took almost a year and the first batch of the serial built J2M2
Model 11 was delivered to 381st Kokutai in December 1943. Parallel with the
J2M2, production of the J2M3 Raiden Model 21 started. The first J2M3s appeared
in October 1943 but deliveries to combat units started at the beginning of
February 1944.
The Raiden made its combat debut in June 1944 during the Battle of the
Philippine Sea. Several J2Ms operated from Guam and Saipan and a small number of
aircraft were deployed to the Philippines. Later, some J2Ms were based in Chosen
airfields, Genzan (Wonsan), Ranan (Nanam), Funei (Nuren), Rashin (Najin) and
Konan under Genzan Ku, for defence of these areas and fighting against Soviet
Naval Aviation units.
Primarily designed to defend against the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the lack of
a turbocharger handicapped the aircraft at high altitude. However, its
four-cannon armament supplied effective firepower and the use of dive and zoom
tactics allowed it to score occasionally. Insufficient numbers and the American
switch to night bombing in March 1945 limited its effectiveness.
Specifications
Data from Mitsubishi J2M3-21 Raiden
General characteristics
Crew: one, pilot
Length: 9.70 m (32 ft 8 in)
Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.81 m (13 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 2,839 kg (6,259 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,211 kg (7,080 lb)
1,379 kW (1,850 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed: 655 km/h (355kn or 407 mph)
Range: 560 km (302 nmi, 348 mi)
Service ceiling: 11,430 m (37,500 ft)
Rate of climb: 1402 m/min (4,600 ft/min)
Power/mass: 0.42 kW/kg (0.26 hp/lb)
Armament
2x Type 99-2 inboard wing-mounted 20x101mmRB cannon with 190 rpg
2x Type 99-1 outboard wing-mounted 20x72mmRB cannon with 210 rpg
central drop tank
*
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