Strange report of postwar use of J2M3 Raidens by Indonesians and Koreans

[28ZComeback]

https://m.ww2db.com/aircraft_spec.php?aircraft_model_id=397https://m.ww2db.com/aircraft_spec.php?aircraft_model_id=397

 

Greetings,

 

In researching the Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden, I located this interesting site, with basic information, including the amazing claim that the Koreans and Indonesians used Raidens after the war. My first impression was that it’s a big joke, an April’s Fool prank maybe. The Raiden was a beautiful machine, but it posssed a temperamental engine and needed parts/daily maintenance by skilled technicians. It was not like the Ki-9’s and Ki-54’s utilized by the Koreans, or the Ki-55’s and Ki-51’s flown by the Indonesians.  On the other hand, the French flew Ki-43 for years in Indochina despite the lack of parts and skilled techs. Can anyone shed some light on the claim that Raidens flew in Korea and Indonesia by fledgling air forces?? I am very familiar with the Air Tech Raiden trials in 1945. Thank you very much for any response. 

Edited November 5, 2018 by 28ZComeback
Sp

[JWM]

I do  not know if it is supported by any photo:

cheers

J-W

 

[Graham Boak]

As Navy aircraft, why would Raidens be found in areas under Army control?    Did they even send any to the Phillipines?  Like Spitfires in 1941, they were "kept on the island". Like the latest Japanese tanks, they were retained for home defence.

[MDriskill]

I don’t know anything about use of the Raiden postwar, and the vast majority were indeed retained for home defense use, but a small number was briefly operated by the 381st Kokutai over the oil fields around Balikpapan in Indonesia. Those machines had staged through the Philippines, some being recalled there after the Allied landings. There’s a frequently-seen sequence of US intelligence photos of a J2M3 which had been abandoned in Manila.

 

Token numbers of J2M’s were also sent to China and Formosa, but never equipped a full unit.

 

This info cobbled from the recent Osprey “Aircraft of the Aces” no. 129, “J2M Raiden and N1K1/2 Shiden/Shiden-Kai Aces.”

Edited November 5, 2018 by MDriskill

[303sqn]

You will find some information here:

 

[Air Forces] Indonesian Air Force - News - War Thunder

 

https://warthunder.com/en/news/2904--en

[Toryu]

Hi,

 

In my opinion the Raiden is the least Japanese fighter that any other air force would have used. Too high-maintenance and difficult to fly. The accident rate among even Japanese rookies was very high.

 

I contacted George Eleftheriou who hosts Arawasi International, a renowned website specialised on Japanese Aviation.

(http://www.arawasi.jp/)

Here is his response:

 

"I know of no such reports and accounts.

Indonesians in particular would be extremely unlikely they actually used Raidens, in the sense that they flew them. They usually applied AURI markings to all captured Japanese a/c whether in flying condition or not. I can accept that they maybe captured a few, but in flying condition and they had pilots that flew them? The claim that "After the war, Indonesian nationalists operated a small number of J2M Raiden fighters against Dutch colonial forces during the revolution that lasted between 1945 and 1949." is extremely unlikely unless it is backed by Indonesian and Dutch reports, accounts etc. To me it is more likely to be true a claim that they flew "Hayabusa" or "Nates" after the War, even though that wouldn't be correct. Simply put, the Indonesians (and the Koreans) had no trained pilots that could fly such aircraft, and very very few, if at all, mechanics and ground crew. That's why they used Japanese trainers to start training their own pilots. Maybe Japanese pilots who stayed behind? Again, they would be known and their fascinating stories would have been told.

 

"About the Korean Raiden..somebody started a discussion a few years back on HS. I have absolutely nothing from Japanese sources. Again, the claim "The Republic of Korea operated two captured J2M Raiden fighters until about 1950." is highly unlikely for me. Who flew them? Who maintained them using what spare parts? And with all the US equipment arriving in Korea why would they still fly Japanese aircraft? Why Raiden when there were more Army planes or even Zeros in Korea?

 

"It seems that on Wiki somebody added on every Japanese plane type flown during WWII that it was also "opperated" by the Indonesians and often the Chinese, the Koreans etc. based on no actual evidence, just the thought that "well, the Indonesians captured many J. planes, so why not this type too?"

 

"To sum this up, until there is more concrete evidence, at least official reports etc, these are just wild claims.

 

"I do have concrete evidence and very detailed accounts from Japanese sources regarding the Communist Chinese operating Japanese a/c with the help of Japanese personel in Manchuria after the end of WWII. Indonesian and Korean...no."

 

[28ZComeback]

Thank you all!! Great responses!!

[Biggles81]

There is no mention of Raiders in original Indonesian archival sources. That War Thunder link is rubbish too, Indonesia never received Spitfires, F4Us or P-40s. It did take over P-51s and B-25s for the Dutch as part of the hand over sovereignty to the RIS in December 1949. I have to agree with Arawasi commentary.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Biggles81