I am not generally a big fan of foreign language books that I do not have any hope of ever being able to read, although I do own plenty of them it seems!  This is one more 100% Japanese volume to add to that stack.  Once you get past the title there is no English at all.  But if you have the slightest interest in Japanese Naval Aviation this is one 132 page volume you may not be able to pass up.

The content of this book is varied, vast and comprehensive.  Just about every page is filled with colour graphics and line drawings of just about every piece of  IJN equipment that could be worn, buckled, viewed, inflated, dialed, eaten, smoked or fired.  Flight suits to wrist watches.  Side arms to flags.  Goggles to radios and flight instruments.  It’s all here folks, and backed by many photos, without any English captions however.

Serious IJN aficionados that I have spoken to have never seen this volume before on this side of the pond even though it seems to be at least two years old.  It may have just been reprinted, I can’t say for sure.  In any event it may not be easy to find, so grab one if you see it!

If you are able to over look the Japanese only format, this book represents good value.  There is not a lot out there on this subject, and this volume makes a good companion to the Monogram Japanese Cockpits book.  When you pick up the forthcoming Tamiya 1/32 A6M2 Type 21 you won’t want this tome too far out of reach!

31 March 2006