1/32 Raiden Metal Struts: Are They Worth Upgrading?

Quick answer

Buy raiden metal struts only if your 1/32 Raiden will sit on its gear for years, carry extra weight, or you have already damaged the kit plastic legs. If your kit is mostly out-of-box, gets handled often, or you have not confirmed the strut set matches your specific Raiden release, keep the kit parts and spend the money on detail accessories instead.

Raiden metal struts solve one narrow problem: plastic landing gear that sags, bends, or breaks under a heavy 1/32 airframe. They are not a general detail upgrade, and they will not make an inaccurate build accurate.

This guide gives you decision rules for buying metal struts for Raiden, plus fit guidance so you do not order a set that fights your kit. Where a specification is not published in the product listing, treat that as a limitation to check before purchase rather than something to assume.

What metal struts actually change

Metal replaces the load-bearing leg, so the model resists slow bending at the joint where plastic gear usually fails. That matters most on large 1/32 builds that live on a shelf or display base for years, especially if you add resin detail that increases weight.

What metal does not change is shape accuracy, brake detail, or tire quality. If the kit gear is already correct for your subject, metal is a durability purchase, not a visual one.

• Check whether the strut set replaces the full leg or only part of the assembly before you buy.
• Weigh your finished model in your head first: heavier builds benefit most.

When the upgrade earns its price

Upgrade when the model will be handled during transport to shows, when it sits on a narrow display base with little support, or when you have already repaired a cracked kit leg once. In those cases the strut cost is cheaper than rebuilding a collapsed model later.

Upgrade also makes sense if you are already deep into a Raiden build with aftermarket detail and want the landing gear to match that investment in robustness.

• Plan the swap before painting the gear bay so you are not fighting cured paint.
• If you use a display base, confirm the strut length still lets the wheels touch.

When to skip it

Skip metal struts if the kit is a quick out-of-box build, if the model stays in a closed case and is rarely touched, or if you are still deciding on a scheme and may not finish the project soon. Metal adds weight and cost that a light build does not need.

Skip it too if you cannot confirm the set is made for your Raiden release. A strut that needs heavy filing or shimming can look worse than the plastic part it replaced.

• Unfinished projects rarely justify metal gear.
• If fit is unverified, buy the kit accessory first and revisit struts later.

Fit guidance before you order

Compare the strut set against your kit's landing gear parts on the sprue, not against a finished photo. Check mounting points, axle diameter, and whether the set expects the kit's existing wheel hubs or replacement ones.

If the listing does not state scale, subject variant, or included hardware, ask before buying. A missing specification is a real risk on a load-bearing part, because a strut that is slightly long or short changes the model's stance.

• Dry-fit the strut before any glue or paint.
• Keep the original plastic legs in the box in case you want to revert.

Decision rules for buying Raiden metal struts

• Rule 1: Buy if the model must stand for years: Long-term shelf display on plastic gear is where sag and joint failure show up first. Metal removes that failure point. Verdict: worth it for permanent display builds.
• Rule 2: Buy if you already repaired a leg: A second repair costs more time than the strut set costs money, and a repaired joint is never as strong as the original. Verdict: replace rather than repair twice.
• Rule 3: Skip if fit is unconfirmed: If the listing does not state the variant, scale, or included hardware for your Raiden release, do not gamble on a load-bearing part. Checkpoint: confirm fit in writing before ordering.
• Rule 4: Skip if the build is casual: Out-of-box builds that stay in a case rarely stress the gear enough to justify metal. Verdict: spend the budget on paint or detail parts instead.

Catalog items that support a Raiden build

• ZOUKEI-MURA Concept Note No. VI Raiden: The volume covers the Raiden kit, the actual plane, and the SWS concept, based on Zoukei-mura research on the aircraft at the Planes of Fame in Chino, with internal structure shown when the panels were opened during restoration. Reference material like this helps you judge whether your landing gear and stance match the real aircraft before you commit to metal struts.
• 1/32 P-51D Briefing Set: A 1/32 resin kit containing two pilot figures and a briefing set document, supplied unpainted with the note that the pictured item is a sample and included items may change. It shows how 1/32 SWS accessories are packaged and finished, which is useful context when you budget detail parts alongside a landing gear upgrade.
• ZOUKEI-MURA Concept Note No. I Shinden: The book covers the surviving Shinden aircraft, its development circumstances, previously unreleased details on producing the plastic model kit, and the SWS concept itself. If you build across Zoukei-mura 1/32 subjects, this shows the level of documentation the brand publishes, which helps you decide how much aftermarket support a build really needs.

Who should buy raiden metal struts

Best for

• Builders finishing a 1/32 Raiden for permanent display or competition
• Modelers who have already broken or bent the kit plastic landing gear
• Heavy builds with added resin or detail that increase load on the legs

Not for

• Quick out-of-box builds that stay in a closed case
• Builders who cannot confirm the strut set matches their Raiden release
• Anyone who has not yet decided on a scheme or finish for the model

Metal struts are a durability fix, not a detail upgrade. Buy them when your Raiden must stand for years or has already failed once on plastic gear, and skip them when fit is unclear or the build is casual. Confirm the set matches your release before you order, and keep the original legs as a fallback.