Mitsushishi J2M Raiden

The J2M Raiden is a strike fighter used throughout various organizations in Izumo.

The A-143 Buzzard is a single seat, light, multipurpose combat aircraft able to carry a wide range of equipment and weaponry. Possessing seven hard-points, three are located under each wing with one mounted under the fuselage. Close air support armament consists of a 20mm cannon, two Mk2 unguided bombs, two GBU12 laser guided bombs, and Skalpel air-to-ground missiles.

Overview
The Raiden was a land based fighter aircraft, and so does not feature as much during the game as the Zero, however it still makes a formidable opponent. A dedicated interceptor, the Raiden's strengths are in speed and attacking power - allowing it to down heavily armoured opponents like B-17s with ease. The Raiden is also no slouch in turning battles, constant management of its airspeed is a must. True to its Japanese name of "Thunderbolt", the Raiden can be described as "heavy" - if you put a Raiden in a dive, the plane easily gains airspeed.

Offensively, the Raiden is a powerhouse; it sports four guns that are more powerful than other Japanese weapons. This additional power shows in multiplayer maps like Siege Dreadnought, where its guns are able to damage the fortresses the D4Y's guns cannot.

Both the Gekko and the Raiden are powerful ground attack aircraft; both sport the same high-powered gun (although the Raiden has more of them), the Gekko sports a pair of bombs that are far more effective against land targets than the Raiden's rockets.

Official Description: The Raiden, or "Thunderbolt", was a single engine, land-based interceptor of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Designed to counter allied bombing raids, the Raiden is equipped with four heavy 20mm cannons, which are excellent against all kinds of enemy planes. As an interceptor the Raiden relies on speed, performance and climb rate to get in and out of air combat, but its manoeuvrability was not as good as contemporary Japanese fighters.