Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War

Rating:
Summary: Small in size but long on info. You will learn!
Review: Well, if you want a coffee table book this is not it. If you want to learn about Japanese airplanes in WWII you will not be disappointed in this one. An aviation bookworm's dream. Wonder about Kate's, Betty's, Oscar's and Kawanishi flying boats. It's in the book along with all the specs, pictures and descriptions. It ain't perfect but you will get nothing better.

Rating:
Summary: Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War
Review: When I bought this book, in March 1981, it still had a stylish black-and-white cover with red text and a Hinomaru on the spine, but apart from that the book above is the same standard reference I still use for Japanese planes. Though the texts are rather short, and there are no colour paintings or photographs in the book - as with all other books in the Putnam series -, really all Japanese planes get mentioned. Combined with the two books by Donald W. Thorpe about Japanese camouflage and markings you have a good starting point for research of about literally all planes flown by the Japanse from 1937 till 1945. To really top it off you could also buy the eight Osprey/Aircams about Japanese planes, or all 16 'aircraft in profiles', which would give you more additional information about colour schenmes and markings, and also some aditional photographs, but the backbone of your Japanese library would still be the book by René J. Francillon, Ph.D.