- Yes
- No
- New vehicle
- Modification
- No
Mitsubishi J2M3 Model 21 with an oblique Type 99 20 mm cannon
The Mitsubishi J2M3 Model 21 with an oblique Type 99 20 mm cannon is a Japanese fighter used exclusively by the 302nd Air Group. Only a small number of aircraft (1-2?) were modified in 1944-45 (?) due to the difficult operation of the angled cannon.
History
With the start of strategic bombings of Japan by the Americans using B-29 bombers in October 1944, Japanese air defense units began fierce actions to counter this threat. The Japanese started employing various tactics to counter American air raids (including ramming tactics, using phosphorus or cluster anti-aircraft bombs, and unguided anti-aircraft rockets), with the most important being the tactic developed by Colonel Yasuna Kozono involving attacks using Schräge Musik. The Japanese first began using Nakajima J1N aircraft equipped with Schräge Musik during the battles on the Solomon Islands in 1943 (See more about the Nakajima J1N1-S). When Colonel Yasuna Kozono became commander of the 302nd Air Group in March 1944 (the largest navy unit responsible for defending the capital), he began implementing the Schräge Musik system in subsequent aircraft. Colonel Kozono ordered the installation of oblique cannons on various aircraft, including bombers (P1Y1-S, D4Y2/3-S), reconnaissance planes (C6N1-S), and fighters, although in the case of fighters the oblique cannons were intended for a different purpose than combating bombers. After the fall of Iwo Jima in March 1945, in addition to bombers, American P-51 fighters also began appearing in the skies over Japan. Colonel Kozono decided that to give his pilots from the 302nd Air Group a better chance against American fighters, they needed an ace up their sleeve: a hidden additional Type 99 20mm cannon. The idea was simple: a hidden Type 99 cannon in the fuselage, angled 30 degrees to the left and 30 degrees upwards, would allow the Japanese pilot to open fire on American fighters during dogfights. It was decided to modify Mitsubishi A6M5 (more about Mitsubishi A6M5d-S) and Mitsubishi J2M3 fighters in this way. In the workshops of the 302nd Air Group, modifications of the Mitsubishi A6M5 and J2M3 fighters began in 1945. The A6M5d-S planes were modified shortly after an accident in which one of the mechanics was killed by the additional Type 99 20mm cannon. Because of this and the difficulty of firing from the angled Type 99 cannon, only a few modified Mitsubishi J2M3s were produced (probably 1 or 2), which took part in missions intercepting American fighters. No successes of these aircraft are known, but shortly afterward, hiding it from Colonel Kozono, the crews of the J2M3 aircraft removed the angled Type 99 cannon from the fuselage of their fighters. It is unknown whether any modified Mitsubishi J2M3 survived until the end of the war.
Construction description
The Mitsubishi J2M3 Model 21 with an oblique Type 99 20 mm cannon is almost identical to the standard Mitsubishi J2M3 Model 21. The only difference is the single Type 99 Model 1 Type 3 cannon mounted on the left side of the fuselage behind the pilot’s cockpit. The cannon is angled 30 degrees to the left and 30 degrees upwards.
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 9,69 m
- Wingspan: 10,79 m
- Height: 3,81 m
- Wing area: 20,05 m2
- Empty weight: 2 490 kg (?)
- Gross weight: 3 440 kg (?)
- Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi MK4R-A Kasei 23a (Ha-32-23a) air-cooled, twin-star, fourteen-cylinder engine with a starting power of 1,324 kW (1,800 hp)
- Propellers: Four-blade propeller with a constant rotational speed of 3,300 mm diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 612 km/h (?)
- Cruising speed: 432 km/h (?)
- Range: 1056 km (?)
- Maximum Range: 2520 km (?)
- Service ceiling: 11520 m
- Climb Rate: ?
- Rate of climb: 5,63 min to 6000 m (?)
Armament
- Guns:
- 2 x Type 99 Model 1 type 4 20mm cannon in wing (190 rounds per cannon)
- 2 x Type 99 Model 2 type 4 20mm cannon in wings (210 rounds per cannon)
- 1 x Type 99 Model 1 Type 3 20mm cannon mounted behind the cockpit in the lower part of the fuselage
- Bombs
- 2 x 30 kg bombs
- 2 × 60 kg bombs
Armour
- 8,5 mm thick armor plate behind the cockpit
- 70 mm additional bulletproof glass in front of the pilot
- Self-sealing fuel tanks in the hull
Summary
The Mitsubishi J2M3 Model 21 with an oblique Type 99 20 mm cannon is a very interesting aircraft for Japan in War Thunder. This fighter would be great for surprising enemies during dogfights or unexpected attacks from below. The modified J2M3 could be added to the game as a completely new aircraft or introduced as a modification to the Mitsubishi J2M3 that is already in the game. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
雷電 (航空機) - Wikipedia
Mitsubishi J2M Raiden “Jack” | Plane-Encyclopedia
Micubiši J2M3 21 Raiden [Jack] : Micubiši
Mitsubishi J2M « Raiden » (“Jack”) warianty | Forum Tajnych Projektów
Book sources
- 日本航空機辞典 1910年(明治43年)～1945年(昭和20年) 上巻 (Encyclopedia of Japanese Aircraft 1910 (Meiji 43) – 1945 (Showa 20), Volume 1) page 252-253
- 野沢正『日本航空機総集 三菱篇』出版協同社, page 206-210
- Japońskie Samoloty Marynarki 1912-45 część II (Japanese naval aircraft 1912-45 part II) page 116-121
- Lotnictwo wojskowe numer 6/2007 (Military Aviation No. 6/2007), page 64-73
- Fighters of the Dying Sun page 229, 243
Thank you for reading the suggestion, see you in the next one. Good luck pilots
