Customer Reviews

Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937-45 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 22)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An excellent book that covers all the Japanese Naval Aces of World War II. Most of us who have read up on this subject are familiar with names like Saburo Sakai and Nishizawa. Henry Sakaida has compiled years of research into this book and gives us insight into the other Japanese aces and the aircraft they flew.

Sadaaki Akamatsu and the J2M Raiden - whose exploits in the air and on the ground were every bit as legendary as Pappy Boyington.

Warrant Officer Muto and the N1K1 Shiden - a man whom Saburo Sakai once commented was the 'Toughest pilot in the Japanese Naval Air Force'

These two are just a few of the many pilots covered in this book. Highly recommended. You will not be disappointed!

A wonderful book. Henry Sakaida does a marvelous job of introducing, if you will, the top pilots of the JNAF as not only aces, but as people in their own rights as well. Along with his book on the JAAF, this book serves to fill a huge gap in World War II aviation history. The color plates and photographs also serve to document other JNAF fighters than the ubiquitous Zero (I was particularly glad to see the N1K-1 and -2 Shiden fighters), and are of great use as reference materials when modelling.

Sakaida fullfilled a historic gap with his book, but I don't like the "dictionary-like" style of the book. Anyway, it is the best I've ever read about Japanese fighter pilots, and the final appendixes are very instrutive.

In the same style as JAAF Aces 1937-45, Mr. Sakaida fills in the gaps that the histories written by the winning side have left wide open. For once, I have read a book that puts human quality into the Japanese people which my forbears fought against. Additionally, Sakaida does a beautiful job of debunking the myth that the Zero was the only aircraft that the Japanese pilots had available. Another excellent volume in a very fine series!

Challenging the Chinese Air Force in the mid to later 1930's, Many IJNAF pilots became aces flying the A5M 'Claude'. Then with the Pacific war, upgrading to the A6M Zero and N1K 'George'.

Ospreys biggest book I have read to date! 100, yes, 100 pages of information, pictures and color plates of both pilots and planes.
This book is a truly wounderful book. Yes, it could use some editing, but overall the book is good! Henry Sakaida does another good job of delivering a book about the IJN aces. The color plates of planes have a selection of Zeroes, 'Georges' and 'Nicks'. Even out-of-the-norm planes like the 'Claude', 'Jack', 'Rufe' and a 'Pete' floatplane.
A good book for anyone who wants to learn about the brave Japanese pilots who went up against the Hellcats, Corsairs, Lightnings, B-24s and B-29s.
Definitely a keeper in my library. 5 stars!

Good book - so little is written/recorded about the excellent and brave pilots of the IJN.

However, this book "reads" like a reference manual - lots of data, facts and chronology...but no "soul."

Oh well. The work is essential as it records the deeds of this little known group of warriors. It's factual, credible and good...just dry.

However, dry can be good - I've referred to my copy often.

wily
ww2fighters.blogspot.com

These are very short career descriptions of the best fighter pilots Japan produced. Most of them end with "failed to return from a mission on [date]". The stories of the men are rather more involving than I expected from a page or less.

But the structure of the book leaves a lot to be desired. For one thing, each Japanese aircraft has a designation, like A5M4, a type, like Type 96, a Japanese name, like Gekko, and an Allied code name, like Claude. These four different names are used interchangeably through the text, but there is no reference where they are all put together. That is sorely needed. Also needed is a list of acronyms - for instance PO1 is used throughout the book, but never defined. According to Sakai Saburo in Samurai!, this means Naval Aviation Pilot First Class (Not Pilot Officer - the PO ranks were NCOs, neither Warrant Officers nor commissioned officers). I recommend that anyone interested in this book read that one first.

This book also suffers from poor editing. There are many places where some words are left out or the wrong word is used so that a passage just doesn't make sense. Still, you can usually figure out the meaning from the context, it's just puzzling at times.

Overall, the book does what it sets out to do, which is put a name and face on these men who lived and worked in hellish conditions, with little chance of survival. And a surprising number of them were enlisted men. The highest ranking officer in the list of aces is a Commander, with five Lt. Commanders.

Ordinarily the Osprey series is readable and reliable However, this book is the exception. Imperial Aces shot down by Pigeon English! I don't know whether the author wrote in Japanese; if so, his idioms were not translated. Or perhaps the typesetter just omitted a word or two on each page.
One could wade through the gibberish to get to the meaning if only there were not factual errors as well. At one point the text tells us that both Musashi and Yamato were sunk at Leyte Gulf! I caught enough mistakes that I am forced to wonder whether there is more misinformation that I did not catch.
The book is strangely organized, with a short summation of each campaign. Then some campaigns have biographies attached, and some don't, without any clear reason for the attachment. Oddly enough, Saburo Sakai gets mentioned in most of the biographies. It seems unlikely that one enlisted pilot would be the pivotal mentor to so many aces. Either I have overlooked Sakai's importance to his own service, or the easy availability of Sakai's memoir has skewed the text so as to exaggerate his role.
The humanity if these pilots, and their pathetic fates, is moving despite all the literary problems. They deserved a better book.

This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)





This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)






This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)






This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)





This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)





This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)






This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)




This book oriented mainly from important epics rather than chrdnological orders.
I think this contents of every involved Navy pilots and their meticulous personal
records which involved case by case based on oriental philosophy.
Only one,distingushed,horrible fighter,A6M2 Zero,became best fighter ever unknown
to Wesrern Military Aviation Observers.
Now,A Review on epochs of background naval air battles during WW11 may be helpful
for the Readers of this book.
On 8,Dec,1944,unforggetable air strikes on Pearl Harbor and Phillippine,US without
declariation of War.Striking forces of Japanese Attacking Fleets include the
6-Carriers included 353 Attacking planes(Total-423, including reserve or parrol fllet)
Consisted with A6M2 Zero,B5N("kate")operate as high altitude level bomber and low level
toroedo bombers, and D3A("Val")dive bomber with fixed landing gears.(quoted from
AIRWAR, by Edward Jablonski,1971).Aims of attaking include US Pacific Fleet,Fords Island
Naval Air Force Station,the Army"s Hickam and Wheeler fields.
Midway Operation--On 4,5,June,1942,Japanese !st Strike Foece( led by VAdm Nagmo) including
6- heavy carriers,and 250+ aircrafts attacked Mdway Island for destroy American Carriers.
Zero fighter destoyed all of attacking US SBD Dauntles,torpedo-bombers.
Following this unsuccesful attack,Japanesse Navy attacked with Val dive bomber and Kate
torpedo bomber sunk US Carrier Yorktown with aid of submarine. But,later All 6- japanese
Carriers sunked with irreversible loss of many important veteran pilots, crews and entire
Squadrons.
duing these priod, Powerful P-38,P-47, P-51 and F4U and F6F ,lmproved version of US Fighters
become more suprior fighters. especially, on19,June,1944- "Battle of Philipphine"-
F6F Hellcat completely destroyed more than 300 aircrafts including veteran pilots and crew
with easy air battle so called "Mariana Turkey Shoot".then Japanese commanders designed
"kAMIKAZE"attacks . They are always ready for kamikaze attacks on Okinawa staying in Khushu.
1st bombing of Tokyo from Saipan based B-29 started from 24,Nov,1944,from ineffective hlgh
altitude bombing changed to Night bombing. later more aggresive incedenary bombing resulted
to All ashes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,Kobe and other impportant installations.
Niggt Fighters ofJ1n1-S "Gekko", using upward firing 20mm Cannon was not promissing.
Air Battles beween B-29 escorting P-51 and P-47 and Japanese Navy's Zero and Raiden,N1K2-J
Shiden-kai had many difficult air battles.16,17,Feb,1945, US Carrier based F6F and F4U claimed
330+ victories (US losted 68). but Japanese Army and Navy claimed their 275 kills against tyheir
78 fighter losses.
Japanese claimed "Ace" are more unrelyable due to their more vague definition of Ace.
Almost all "Ramming "Attacks over B-29's came from JAAF.(Quoted from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF,
by Koji TaKaKi and Henry SaKaida.2001.)