Pacific Profiles Volume 5

Japanese Navy Zero Fighters (land based): New Guinea and the Solomons 1942-1944

by Michael Claringbould

Series: Pacific Profiles

Imprint: Avonmore Books

112 Pages, 6.93 x 9.84 in, Fully Illustrated

Paperback
9780648926245
October 2021
In Stock

$39.95

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Description
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Praise

Volume Five of the Pacific Profiles series presents the most accurate color profiles to date of Japanese Navy land based Zero fighters in the “South Seas” theater: New Guinea, Rabaul and the Solomons.

Illustrated by unit are abundant examples of the varied markings, tail codes, leadership hallmarks and camouflage schemes which appeared on the thirteen Air Groups (Kokutai) operating in the theater from February 1942 to February 1944. Each of the 113 profiles is supported by primary source material including color photos, Japanese records, POW interrogations, technical reports, post-war wreck examinations and Allied intelligence summaries. These are accompanied by brief histories of each unit and notes on the changing nature of each unit’s markings. How the late 1942 Japanese Navy restructure impacted these units is also clarified, along with the rationale and meaning of the ensuing multifaceted markings systems.

Never before have such accurate profiles been presented. Past errors are corrected, and many new markings including hokoku (patriotic) Kanji are presented for the first time. The author is world-renown for his expertise in respect to the Japanese aerial war in the Pacific.

Raised in Port Moresby, Michael Claringbould is a globally recognized expert on the New Guinea air war and Japanese aviation in particular.

"...new volumes from Australian researcher and artist Michael Claringbould place the two widely differing fighters in sharp focus with photos and meticulous profiles, as well as equally ppealing illustrations to support the fact-filled text that create an encyclopedic look at the area war in the mid-war in the Pacific and the markings of specific aircraft in theater at the time." ~Naval Aviation News

"Mr. Claringbould is a man on a passionate mission to clarify and discover the stories of the South Pacific air war. Just like his previous profile on the F4U Corsair, the author brings us a fresh authentic and accurate look at color profiles and verifiable colors, patterns, insignias and personal markings..." ~Aeroscale

"Highly Recommended." ~AMPS Indianapolis

"Especially helpful are the close-ups of various manufacturer stencils and hokoku...." ~Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

"It all makes for a superb reference book for the modeler and enthusiast and well worth the price of admission." ~ModelingMadness.Com

"...the high point of this volume is the overall appeal of the subject matter, combined with numerous interesting facts about the campaigns in the pacific, all packaged in a smooth, attractive presentation." ~Large Scale Planes