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I wasn't going to buy this kit, as I had already built the perfectly serviceable Hasegawa 1/32 J2M3 early last year and had been very pleased with how it turned out. However earlier this year I bought the Zoukei Mura Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu kit and was somewhere between very impressed and completely blown away by the contents of that kit, to the point that I decided I needed* to get the Raiden kit as well. The prices for these kits are pretty steep from the outset, about equivalent to a Wingnut Wings kit, but in fairness the quality of the mouldings, instruction manual and presentation/packaging is about equal to WNW's products. A further point regarding the prices - these do vary significantly between stockists, I got mine from Tiger Hobbies and it was over £40 cheaper than the most expensive Z-M J2M3 kit I found on the internet (I don't have any affiliation with Tiger Hobbies, nor any connection except as a customer). Anyway, here are the constituent parts: Box - very sturdy, lovely box-art: Instruction book - yes, book: This is very impressive, as well as very nicely drawn instructions it has lots of photographs of the parts and how they look when they go together. The drawings are in black and white, the photos in colour, as is the painting and decal guide. Paint callouts are all for Vallejo but if you don't know what colours from your own favourite range you should be using, Nick Millman's Aviation of Japan blog has a .pdf available of colour notes for the Raiden, advertised in the right-hand margin about halfway down - for £6.50 it is worth every penny even if you only intend to build one Raiden. Here is a page of the painting and markings guide: The decal sheet and masking set included in the kit: The masks seem to be made of a very thin vinyl, I'll see how I get on with them, though I might not need to, since as well as the usual clear parts: ... in a little side compartment of the box are these: ... an incredibly thin canopy frame set plus equally thin glazing for the frames. I will definitely give these a go, but they look so fragile I am glad to have the standard clear parts as a back-up if in case I break them. Now on to the other parts, Sprue A, mostly engine parts: Sprue B, propeller, exhausts, fuel tanks, tyres and guns: Sprue C, fuselage interior parts: Sprue D, wingspar, undercarriage parts and a few more engine bits: Sprue E, fuselage exterior, rudder and landing gear covers: Sprue F, fuselage underside, stabilisers and elevators, auxillary fuel tank, more engine parts: Sprue G, upper and lower wings: ... and finally, Sprue H, ailerons and gunbay covers: So, although comparisons are odious, in this case for me they are unavoidable, it is inferior to the Hasegawa kit in that it does not include a pilot figure (and the Hasegawa one is excellent, if you have any interest in using pilot figures in your builds) and apparently equal in respect of the markings, as both kits offer exactly the same choices, although the Z-M kit also gives a set of spare numbers so that in theory you could make any of the aircraft that flew with the 302 Naval Air Group if you have suitable references. That's a little annoying, a greater selection or at least a couple of different options would have been nice, as there is very little in the way of aftermarket decals for the Raiden, but onto every life a little rain must fall and I shall build the version flown by Lt (JG) Yoshihiro Aoki, the famous one with the lightning bolts. As for the kit parts, there are probably about twice as many as those provided for the Hasegawa kit and they are easily as beautifully moulded if not more so, if the buildability is about equal I shall be very happy indeed. The level of detail is phenomenal and perhaps ultimately pointless if you prefer the painting stage and don't actually enjoy the assembly of a kit that much - I think I do enjoy that part equally, this should prove it to me one way or the other. I'll sort out my paints and get cracking shortly... Cheers, Stew * ... and when I say 'needed' of course I mean 'wanted'

Hi folks. I've had this one sitting on the shelf with Tamiya AS-12 on it for a while so I decided to finally get some colour onto it. It's amazing how many models are ini a state where paint can be applied and then a day later end up looking almost complete. It's my first real go at trying the AK Chipping Effects fluid besides on accessories. The colours used are lacquers by Mr Color which I absolutely love. Their coverage and applications characteristics are just great. They are a tad smelly though nothing a paint mask can't sort out. In order of application of colour Tamiya AS-12 AK Chipping Effects Mr Color 122 RLM 82 Light Green Mr Color 126 Cockpit Color (Mitsubishi) Mr COlor 124 Dark Green (Mitsubishi) The cowl was masked and then got the same treatment as the main colour. Mr Color actually do a Cowl Color which is #125. The chipping was done by scrubbing and chipping away at the paint with a stump paint brush and a pottery tool. By rolling the pottery tool (kind of like a nail) on it's edge you can get some pretty good random chips over large, flat area. The gloss a Tamiya X-22 thinned with lacquer thinner. One thing I do after I've put it down is to hit it with neat Tamiya Lacquer thinner. It ends looking like glass and is super smooth, excellent for decal application. The underside grey goes on tomorrow. Thanks, Michael

On 16 February 1945 US Navy Task Force 58 launched a strike against Japanese airfields in Chiba Prefecture. It was the combat début for the Hellcats of VF-12 and VBF-12 aboard USS Randolph (CV-15). Over the Kantō Plain, Mitsubishi J2M3 of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 302nd Kōkūtai intercepted the formation and claimed eight Hellcats destroyed. 302 Kū, a veteran IJN unit, was based at Yokosuka to defend the industrial region south of Tokyo. Difficult to handle for a rookie Mitsubishi's 'Thunderbolt' was a formidable foe in the hands of an experienced pilot. Fast-climbing and heavily armed (with four to five 20 mm cannon) the J2M3 was one of the few Japanese fighters that could successfully intercept the B-29 at high altitude. Unfortunately, due to the tight casing of the engine, the 14-cylinder Mitsubishi Kasei was prone to overheating which hampered operational effectiveness. My Tamiya model is a veteran, too. I originally built it in 1977 and made an all-out restoration two years ago. It represents a squadron leader’s aircraft (yellow fuselage band) and was most likely assigned to Lt Junrō Teramura, leader of the 1st Buntai. This Raiden was lost on 19 April 1945 while flown by Lt(jg) Ei Fukuda. The victory was claimed by P-51 pilot Maj James Trapp, squadron commander of the 78th FS. Cockpit: Aires (#4538) and Eduard (#48201) Wheel covers: Quickboost (#48399) Exhausts: Quickboost (#48383) Decals: AeroMaster (#48-286) The colours are home-mixed following the excellent 'Mitsubishi J2M Raiden Colour Notes' by Nick Millman (Aviation of Japan) I hope you see why this is my favourite Japanese Navy fighter. ハッピーモデル構築 - Michael References Navy Interceptor “Raiden“, Famous Airplanes of the World No.61, Tokyo, 1996 Mitsubishi J2M Raiden, Mushroom Model Magazine Special No.6110, Sandomierz, 2004 Mitsubishi Navy Interceptor Fighter "Raiden", Mechanism of Military Aircraft No.4, Japan, 2011 Mitsubishi J2M Raiden, Model Art Profile No.11, Tokyo, 2011 J2M3 Imperial Japanese Navy Interceptor Raiden, Zoukai-mura SWS No.VI, Kyoto, 2013 J2M Raiden and N1K1/2 Shiden/Shiden-Kai Aces, Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 129, Botley, 2016

Hi Everyone. I have just finished my OOB build of 1/48 Hasegawa Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden, (Serial No. 3008), captured on the emergency airstrip at Dewey Boulevard, Manila in the Philippines. Hope you enjoy the pic`s, thanks for looking Cheers

Hello gents, I do at times wonder what guides us in the choices we make with regard to the kits that we build; I don't generally step outside the boundaries of the proper scale for model aircraft - 1/72 of course - and yet somehow I have found myself in possession of the Hasgawa 1/32 J2M3 Raiden as well as the Tamiya A6M2 Zero in the same scale. I do have a fondness for both aircraft obviously or else I shouldn't have bought them in the first place, I like the elegant lines of the Zero and the slightly stubby but powerful terrier-like look of the Raiden - in addition its Allied reporting name was 'Jack', the same as my own terrier (his name I mean, he was not involved in the Second World War and had no Allied code-name; also I like to think that if he had been involved he would at least have been on 'our' side but sometimes his behaviour does lead me to wonder...) Anyway as they say, we are where we are, and thanks to a scandalously low-price offer from Tiger Hobbies I am now the proud but perhaps a little bemused owner of this: ... and the box contains the following; instructions and transfers: ... and the following sprues: Some points of interest from my initial cursory look include several optional parts including a different set of propellers, a really nice pilot figure with three optional heads and a choice of arms, a one-piece slide-moulded forward cowling and optional open or closed canopy parts. I didn't really have anything in the way of references but fortunately Nick Millman's Aviation of Japan blog has a .pdf available of colour notes for the Raiden which is done in his usual exactingly thorough way and will, I have no doubt, prove invaluable. It's on the right-hand side of the webpage, scroll down a bit if you are interested in obtaining a copy. I'll have a peruse of that and work out what paints I need to use. Cheers, Stew

Hi guys!. Japanese Thunderbolt from the box, only seatbelts and few cables added into cockpit. Superb kit, in terms of fit as excellent as Tamiya. I forgot to add antenna wire, but 15 minutes of work will fix that.

I am trying to get out of my modeling funk here lately as I have stalled on a few builds, Mosquito, Mustang, Harrier (sheesh the list is getting long) and others. So to try to get back in the swing of things I stepped out of my box and built a couple of Revell 1/144 tiger meet jets. I normally only do WWII aircraft (yeah, I know the list above had a Harrier, contradictions are my nature), so this helped. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the Zoukei-Mura 1/32 J2M3 Raiden arrived at my office. I had pre-ordered it who knows when (got to stop late night internet shopping when I’m bored), but it had been so long ago, I had forgot I had ordered it. First impressions out of the box were “Can’t believe the level of detail and the amount of parts!” With the kit, apparently, I had ordered the photo-etch interior set and the metal gun barrels; who knew? By the time I had perused the manual (I can’t be the only one out there that must open the box, look and feel some of the plastic, gaze at the decals, and then go through the entire manual even if I have no intention of building the darn thing for years. Just have to do it when I first get a kit.), I was hooked and had to start on it right away. Now, I have purchased every one of ZMs 1/32 models to date with the exception of the Mustang. (And they are all sitting in the stash to do.) Why this one made me want to immediately start, can’t tell you. So, it was break out the Japanese paints, (where is the aotake?), nippers, glue, filing sticks and start. Now, there is a difference between the first perusal of the instructions and actually getting them out to begin building. By the way, the instruction manual so far is great. Very detailed, very informative and gives you finished examples of what you should end up with which helps me actually end up with a fair resemblance to what it should be. Anyway, I am going build this as per the manual, mainly out of the box and then see how much of the effort actually pays off as being able to be seen once built. I figure a lot of what is done will only be seen in the photos I take as it is being built. Once built, I hope a large percent still is visible, but I have my doubts. So, here goes. And, if I put too much detail and too many pictures, let me know. Going to do this step by step as per the instructions. If I should start skipping steps and just show the finished product, let me know. The first step is the engines not the cockpit. Since I am assembling with the view everything will be visible, my first step of putting the cylinders together was very disappointing. There are gaps at every end of every cylinder. Now maybe this is my fault with construction, but I doubt it since both cylinders have the gaps. So out with the filler and fun and games begin. If this is typical of the fit, then this will be a frustrating build. All the gaps are filled and now the cylinders and different engine parts are ready for painting. here are the first stages of paint laid down prior to weathering. Put the cylinders together and gave them a dark wash, Added the push rods, housing and propeller shaft. All the parts since putting the cylinders together have fit perfectly and have meshed quite well. The detail is still amazing. But, I can start to see much of the build will not be seen when completed. An example is the engine pistons and connecting rods. But, I am determined to paint and finish all that there is even though it may never see the light of day. The exhaust pipes get a base metallic coat to begin their finish. As the paint on the exhausts dry, I finished weathering the cylinders/housing/propeller shaft assembly. Next after weathering the exhausts, I attached them to the engine. I then attached the engine mount cover, various bits and pieces behind it, engine mount and carburetor vent and intake. Now is where I become a bit anal. I really want this to be a good build (I would like it to be great, but I know my limitations, good is a maybe achievable goal.) On the cowl flap assembly, there are lightening holes represented. Thought it would be a good idea to actually drill them out. It was great fun. What I am most proud of is I didn’t break the part as I was drilling it. Anyway, the left part has the drilled holes; the right part is the kit representation. Once it is put together, it probably won’t make a lick of difference. Now on to drilling out the other side. Here is the back of the engine with the last of the bits and pieces added. And the engine is finished. So far, it looks like drilling the holes has helped. Will have to see how much is visible after final assembly. Next update will be the start of the cockpit.