Customer Reviews

Genda's Blade: Japan's Squadron of Aces: 343 Kokutai

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Henry Sakaida just can't write a bad book.

Unfortunately, he can't write one long paragraph in English that "flows," and this is the only minor problem with "Genda's Blade."

Sakaida and his co-author, Koji Takaki, have put together an impressive amount of research. The book is well ordered, has some good photos, contains plenty of recent interviews with surviving pilots and aircrewmen, and has very complete appendices. And Sakaida's obvious enthusiasm for his subject is infectious: once you open the book, you'll find it hard to put it down, "bad" English and all.

And what about the 343 Kokutai and their Shiden and Shiden-kai aircraft? All things considered--poor level of aircraft serviceability, poor radios, poor ground-direction, and the challenge of fighting consistently skilled and aggressive opponents--they did pretty well. They did some pretty wild overclaiming on occasion (which tends to make one a little suspicious as to the validity of published "kill" totals for the Japanese aces), but surviving U.S. records speak highly of the unit's skill and air discipline in almost every encounter. The Shiden gets high marks from most of its opponents, but it's apparent that it was inferior to most U.S. aircraft in the usual areas: ruggedness, firepower, and reliability.

And given the level of book prices today, [it] is not too much for this book. I've paid more for less. It will be a welcome addition to anyone's Pacific War library.

Classic Publications and author Henry Sakaida have teamed up to produce a long-overdue look at one of the Pacific air war's legendary units, Minoru Genda's 343rd Kokutai. This elite Imperial Japanese Navy, manned by some of Japan's top aces, flew the Kawanishi Shinden against USN and USAF strikes on the Home Islands in 1944 and 1945. Somewhat of a Japanese counterpart to Adolf Galland's JV 44, the 343rd rang up an enviable record against its opponents, impressing American fliers with their aggressiveness and skill.

The extensive research done by Sakaida and his co-author, Koji Takaki, in both Japanese and American sources is evident throughout the book. Combats are fully described utilizing comments from both sides. The text is enhanced by 300+ photos, many of them previously unpublished, and wonderful artwork done by Tom Tullis.

All in all, a fine effort well worth the price.

The book covers a subject that I never have read before and so it is worth a good read, I think it is one book that shows there were actually good men from Japan and there were a few. I think you should also read FlyBoys by James Bradley to see how horrible men from Japan actually were (It also will show you that American Men were very horrible in our past as well). Genda's Blade is not the best written book but to be honest it is a good book with a wonderful subject, as soon as you read the first few pages you can not put it down and you will not really notice the writing style anyway. The aircraft stories are wonderful as well. Buy one its worth it.

This is a somewhat expensive, but nonetheless wonderful, oversized book about Genda and the Japanese Imperial Navy Air Force of WWII. Gendo headed air operations for the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor and was one of Japan's most famous airmen. After the war he served in the Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces and then in the Japanese Diet. This is a very exciting and well documented story of Genda's service during WWII and the exploits of the 343rd Squadron.

Henry Sakaida and Koji Takaki teamed together and put together an AMAZING book on the 343 Air Group. What is truly so incredible is that they have pulled together both sides of the story teaching us about the Japanese and their American and Allied counterparts to many of the air battles. Very useful for the WWII aviation buff or serious historian. I defer to Sakaida and Takaki on all matters regarding Japanese Naval aviation.

Since 1990 I myself have personally interviewed (in their own language) 25 Japanese pilots & aviators and am preparing a book about their firsthand experiences. It won't focus on one particular unit, but will follow the aviators' experiences from the start of the war to the end. The reader will learn why they joined the Navy, their thoughts on the war, their experiences in basic training and their first combat.

If you don't have this 343 Air Group book yet, do yourself a favor and order it now!

Very good description of a desperate nation trying their best effort to use their best fighter aircraft(N1K2 "George" or Shiden Kai) and what was left of their elite pilots to defend their homeland. Didn't work too well! As a famous quote from a Japanese soldier "Japan had the best warriors, the enemy had the most warriors". Highly recommended for WW2 historians and hobbyists.

Probably the definitive work on the N1K2 Shiden Kai and the 343rd Kokutai. The major air battles were well described, the pictures excellent. Nice to see the actual score vs wild claims as well. The pilots of the 343rd were certainly fighting an up hill battle against superior nubmers of fighters and generally, superb American pilots, though they had an excellent low to medium altitude fighter in the George. Great picture of the F4U Corsair after an engagement with Georges of the 343rd...amazing it made it back!!