J2M5

This page is about the Japanese fighter J2M5. For other versions, see J2M (Family).

J2M5

J2M3

Ki-83

J2M5

J2M3

Ki-83

Japan

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.3	5.7	5.7

Class:

Fighter

Research:31 000

Purchase:200 000

Show in game

Description

The J2M5 Raiden is a rank IV Japanese fighter with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB) and 5.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.51 "Cold Steel".

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 6 580 m615 km/h

Turn time19 s

Max altitude11 500 m

EngineMitsubishi Kasei 26

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight4 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 6,580 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	590	571	11500	20.0	20.6	13.0	13.0	300
Upgraded	646	615		18.5	19.0	23.9	17.5

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	350	488	454	280	~12	~9

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 390	< 400	< 420	> 324

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,800 m	1,510 hp	1,812 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
6,800 m	1,450 hp	1,740 hp
Setting 3
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
7,200 m	1,400 hp	1,680 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear350 km/h

• 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
• 8 mm Steel - Armour plate in pilot's headrest

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 987 → 3 802

RB6 812 → 8 671

SB9 949 → 12 665

Total cost of modifications52 800

90 900

Talisman cost1 700

Crew training57 000

Experts200 000

Aces1 100

Research Aces520 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 230 / 480 %

172 / 172 / 172 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 3 500 Cost: 6 000 200 Radiator Research: 3 500 Cost: 6 000 200 Compressor Research: 4 000 Cost: 6 900 230 Wings repair Research: 4 400 Cost: 7 600 250 Engine Research: 4 400 Cost: 7 600 250 Engine injection Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 330	Airframe Research: 4 000 Cost: 6 900 230 Cover Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 330	type99mk1_belt_pack Research: 3 500 Cost: 6 000 200 type99mk2_belt_pack Research: 4 000 Cost: 6 900 230 type99mk1_new_gun Research: 4 400 Cost: 7 600 250 type99mk2_new_gun Research: 5 700 Cost: 9 800 330

Unlocking the Radiator upgrade should be the Raiden pilot's first concern, as the engine has overheating issues comparable to, though less quick than, the F8F-1B and Ki-83, where it will gradually destroy itself even at 100% throttle - this upgrade slows that down via better cooling. Next in importance are the guns, because frankly, they suck. The individual bullets are stronger than those of Hispano and ShVAK cannons, with nearly 17g TNT equivalent, but suffer from quite low rate of fire compared with all of its contemporaries, and low muzzle velocity compared with a lot of contemporaries, AND differing muzzle velocity on the two types of Type 99 cannon it bears. Once firepower is upgraded, prioritize performance unlocks. Unlike the J2M3, this one has no ordinance to unlock and the 60kg bombs are not worth using.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannon

Ammunition380 rounds

Fire rate516 shots/min

Weapon 22 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannon

Ammunition420 rounds

Fire rate490 shots/min

The J2M5 is armed with:

• 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (210 rpg = 420 total)
• 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons, wing-mounted (190 rpg = 380 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (1)

Setup 12 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 ground bomb

The J2M5 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)

Usage in battles

The J2M5 can be thought of as an Fw-190 crossed with a Yak-3. The most similar plane elsewhere in the game is the I-185 (M-82), but with an engine tuned for higher altitudes at the cost of somewhat lower climb rate. It primarily can beat opponents by vertically looping them to death, similar to a Yak or Bf-109, but the horizontal maneuverability is surprisingly good, though not A6M Zero good. Generally, you can out-loop most opponents, and what you can't out-loop, you can probably out-turn.

The J2M5 wields two 20 mm Type 99 Mk. 1 cannon and two 20 mm Type 99 Mk. 2 cannons in the wings. The stock belts are particularly lackluster, though a large ammo pool can allow you to get beyond that quickly. Stealth is the best belt despite the guns being subpar in both velocity and rate of fire compared with ALL of its opponents, because only the HEF rounds have fairly high TNT equivalent at nearly 17g per bullet. Comparatively the HEF-T and HEF-I rounds have around half that. Use Universal Belts to learn the gun lead, then swap to Stealth ASAP. Magnifying the problems is the fact that the guns have wildly different muzzle velocities. The outer pair of Type 99 Model 1s have 588m/s, which is atrociously slow. The inner pair of Type 99 Model 2s meanwhile are 750m/s. Thus the firepower is very unfocused unless firing EXACTLY at your convergence range.

Overall, the Raiden is best used as a surprise attack, high altitude, vertically looping fighter that punishes enemy carelessness. It is less maneuverable than the Zero family, but gains noticeably more speed, though like the J2M3 the guns are iffy at best due to low rate of fire, low muzzle velocity, and two different muzzle velocities that cannot be fired independently of each other. The J2M5 also has improved cockpit visibility over the J2M2 and J2M3 variants.

For ground attack, the J2M5 can equip two 60 kg bombs under the wings. These are barely enough to reliably kill Air AI Artillery, and are not advisable to take.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Controllable 3 gears	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Decent top speed
• Large ammunition pool
• Climbs very well
• Has generally good dive characteristics
• Good energy retention
• 12 mm armour plate behind the windscreen
• Good roll rate at lower speeds
• Improved cockpit visibility over J2M2/J2M3

Cons:

• Very poor high-speed performance
• Prone to engine and fuel fires
• Turning ability isn't as good as most other planes in Japanese tree, leading to "culture shock" among people used to carelessly out-turning all their foes in prior planes.
• Elevator doesn't respond well, especially at high speeds
• Lack of armour around fuel tanks or engine
• Differing muzzle velocities between the two marks of the Type 99 cannon on the J2M5 will require different leads for each to hit

History

Nearing the end of the war, the focus of the J2Ms was shifted towards even more local interceptors as requested at a faster approach. With the J2M5, Raiden Model 33's a new and last engine revision was made, the Kasei 26a engine with a mechanically driven supercharger. This allowed the Model 33 to get higher speeds at higher altitudes compared to that of the J2M4, Model 32 at the cost of total range which was a sacrifice that was required as American bombers got closer and closer to the mainland.

Within the Model 33 there has been several prototype variants and armament configurations of only one becoming a production line variant, the J2M5a, Raiden Model 33 Ko which had four 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons.

One other of these variants, the J2M5 with Type 5 30 mm's, which didn't make it to the production line, as by the time, bombers got through and bombed the Japanese logistics from December 1944 onward, which took its toll on the aircraft production overall.

A direct hit on the Mitsubishi aircraft plant caused the complete loss of airframes, machine tools, and jigs and eventually halted production. Production generally suffered less from direct hits on factories, which were rare, but from attacks on suppliers and consequent shortages of material and construction tools.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the J2M5 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #178 - Pages of History section at 04:36 discusses the J2M "Raiden".

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Mitsubishi Company (三菱商会)
Fighters	A5M4 · Hagiri's A5M4
	A6M2 mod. 11 · A6M2 · A6M3 · A6M3 mod. 22 · A6M3 mod. 22Ko · A6M5 · A6M5 Ko · A6M5 otsu · A6M5 Hei · A6M6c
	A7M1 (NK9H) · A7M2
	J2M2 · J2M3 · J2M4 Kai · J2M5 · J2M5 (30 mm)
Hydroplanes	F1M2
Interceptors	Ki-83 · Ki-109
Bombers	G4M1
	Ki-21-Ia · Ki-21-I hei · Ki-67-I Ko · Ki-67-I otsu
Jet Fighters	Ki-200
Captured	▃A6M2 · ␗A6M2
See also	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Post-War)