Final Test Shot Preview
J2M3 Raiden (Jack) Type 21
Manufacturer: Zoukei-mura
Scale: 1/32
Kit No: SWS #05
247 Parts in grey & clear Styrene
Available directly from Zoukei-mura or Overseas Stores
Thanks to our good friends in Kyoto, Japan, we here have an exclusive preview of the new 1/32 scale J2M3 Raiden point defence fighter kit. The pictures have been taken from a final test shot sample we have gratefully received these days from this manufacturer.
As given on Zoukei-mura´s website this kit has become available November 9th, 2013.
We have been allowed to show the contents of this final test shot release to the public during the model show “EuroModell” in Ried, Austria on October 12th and 13th, 2013; and you will have your first look here!
There are by far some better and more knowledgeable sources of this aircraft´s history than me on the Net so please understand that I just will get you some basic information here.
Designed by the creator of the famous Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, Jiro Hirokoshi, the Raiden (Thunderbolt) was planned to be used as a local defence fighter. It looked stubby due to its rather large Mitsubishi Kasei engine, cooled by an intake fan and driving a four bladed propeller by an extension shaft buried inside a sleek engine cover to minimize drag.
The J2M3 type 21 depicted by this kit was build in approx. 435 examples and according to the assembly manual was equipped with a 1,820hp Mitsubishi MK4R-A Kasei 23a 14-cylinder radial engine, two wing-mounted 20mm Type 99 Model II cannons and two wing-mounted 20mm Type 99 Model I cannons.
As written by the President of Zoukei-mura in the Old Man´s Blog #43: it “…was mainly designed for hit-and-run performance, rather than for dogfight performance”.
I found further information on this aircraft type here on TDM Software and other sites on the Net.
We now will have a look at the sprues of this kit we got. Looking at them please be aware that this is a final test shot only, there still might be changes to the fully developed kit you hopefully have in your hands soon!
Sprue A:
Comprises parts to assemble the huge engine as are the two cylinder blocks.
Finely moulded push rods.
Extension pipe of the propeller shaft
Forced cooling fan
