Book Review of
Pacific Adversaries Vol. 4
Imperial Japanese Navy vs the Allies
The Solomons-1943-1944
Author: Michael John Claringbould
Avonmore Books
MSRP: 9780648926221
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $39.95
MSRP: 9780648926221
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $39.95
This volume four of Pacific Adversaries conveys detailed stories of aerial warfare in the Solomon theatre. Chosen because both Japanese and Allied records can be matched for an accurate accounting. Often the actual outcomes are very different to the exaggerated claims made by both sides as outlined in most traditional histories. In some cases, this factual approach enables long-standing mysteries to be solved. Further, for each chosen story, photographs or other evidence enables accurate depictions of the aircraft involved.
Through these chosen snapshots, Pacific Adversaries portrays the South Pacific conflict as accurately as possible. The fourth volume focuses exclusively on confrontation between the Japanese Naval Air Force (JNAF) and Allied air power in the Solomon theatre between 1943 and 1944.
Following the bloody 1942 Guadalcanal campaign, the JNAF fought a largely defensive war in the Solomons against gathering Allied forces.
Perhaps surprisingly, right through to the end of 1943, the JNAF offered significant resistance to the Allies and never ceded air superiority to the vicinity of its key base of Rabaul. Only in 1944, when units were withdrawn to the Central Pacific and the Philippines, was the JNAF presence in the South Pacific finally wound down to just a token force.
Never before have detailed accounts matched up adversaries so closely and in doing so, shine light on key events in Pacific skies so many years ago.
THE BOOK:
Avonmore Books is based in Australia.
This book is soft-cover of 108 pages in 6 ¾” x 10” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Corsair on the tail of a Japanese Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete” 4-winged float plane.
The Pete is in light green, with a lighter green cowling and rudder flap, bright metal propeller and spinner. It has white code P3-12 on the sides of its rudder.
It was no. 958 Ku, with Rendova Mission , 30 June 1943, led by Lt. Ju’uni Shigeo.
The back cover shows a P-40K Kittyhawk in New Zealand Air Force markings. It has a black no. 19 and a cat and 8 victory markings on the side of its nose, with a slogan in white that says “Wairarapa Wildcat”. It has a white spinner.. It is overall olive drab with two white fuselage bands and a diagonal white band across the rudder. upper wings and elevators.
The book contains 55 black and white wartime photos.
A two-page Glossary and Abbreviations.
Eight maps.
A two-page list of Japanese aircraft types mentioned in the text.
Twenty color 5-views, thirteen 3-views and a 4-view.
Six color photos.
The color profile illustrations include:
2 side-views of the F4U-4 Wildcat
A side-view of a Kawanishi H8K4 “Emily” flying boat.
7 side-views of the Mitsubishi G4M1 “Betty” and one 3-v of it.
A 3-view of a Nakajima A6M2-N “Rufe” float plane.
Two 3-views of a Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete”.
Two 3-views of a Curtiss P-40K-1 in New Zealand AF marks.
Two side-views of a Vought F4U-1 “Corsair” and a 3-v.
A side-view of a Grumman J2F-5 float plane.
Three side-views of a Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero”
Three side-views of a Mitsubishi A6M3 “Zero”.
A 3-view of a Grumman TBF-1 “Avenger”.
A 3-view of a SBY-5 “Catalina” flying boat.
A side-view of a G3M2 “Nell”.
A side-view of a P-39K.
Two side-views of an Aichi D3A2 “Val”
A side-view of a Nakajima B5N2 “Kate”
A three-view of a F4U-2 “Corsair”.
This book will be of great interest to modelers planning on building any one of the aircraft that are featured in the book and to military historians alike.
I sincerely want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Avonmore Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Through these chosen snapshots, Pacific Adversaries portrays the South Pacific conflict as accurately as possible. The fourth volume focuses exclusively on confrontation between the Japanese Naval Air Force (JNAF) and Allied air power in the Solomon theatre between 1943 and 1944.
Following the bloody 1942 Guadalcanal campaign, the JNAF fought a largely defensive war in the Solomons against gathering Allied forces.
Perhaps surprisingly, right through to the end of 1943, the JNAF offered significant resistance to the Allies and never ceded air superiority to the vicinity of its key base of Rabaul. Only in 1944, when units were withdrawn to the Central Pacific and the Philippines, was the JNAF presence in the South Pacific finally wound down to just a token force.
Never before have detailed accounts matched up adversaries so closely and in doing so, shine light on key events in Pacific skies so many years ago.
THE BOOK:
Avonmore Books is based in Australia.
This book is soft-cover of 108 pages in 6 ¾” x 10” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Corsair on the tail of a Japanese Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete” 4-winged float plane.
The Pete is in light green, with a lighter green cowling and rudder flap, bright metal propeller and spinner. It has white code P3-12 on the sides of its rudder.
It was no. 958 Ku, with Rendova Mission , 30 June 1943, led by Lt. Ju’uni Shigeo.
The back cover shows a P-40K Kittyhawk in New Zealand Air Force markings. It has a black no. 19 and a cat and 8 victory markings on the side of its nose, with a slogan in white that says “Wairarapa Wildcat”. It has a white spinner.. It is overall olive drab with two white fuselage bands and a diagonal white band across the rudder. upper wings and elevators.
The book contains 55 black and white wartime photos.
A two-page Glossary and Abbreviations.
Eight maps.
A two-page list of Japanese aircraft types mentioned in the text.
Twenty color 5-views, thirteen 3-views and a 4-view.
Six color photos.
The color profile illustrations include:
2 side-views of the F4U-4 Wildcat
A side-view of a Kawanishi H8K4 “Emily” flying boat.
7 side-views of the Mitsubishi G4M1 “Betty” and one 3-v of it.
A 3-view of a Nakajima A6M2-N “Rufe” float plane.
Two 3-views of a Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete”.
Two 3-views of a Curtiss P-40K-1 in New Zealand AF marks.
Two side-views of a Vought F4U-1 “Corsair” and a 3-v.
A side-view of a Grumman J2F-5 float plane.
Three side-views of a Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero”
Three side-views of a Mitsubishi A6M3 “Zero”.
A 3-view of a Grumman TBF-1 “Avenger”.
A 3-view of a SBY-5 “Catalina” flying boat.
A side-view of a G3M2 “Nell”.
A side-view of a P-39K.
Two side-views of an Aichi D3A2 “Val”
A side-view of a Nakajima B5N2 “Kate”
A three-view of a F4U-2 “Corsair”.
This book will be of great interest to modelers planning on building any one of the aircraft that are featured in the book and to military historians alike.
I sincerely want to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Avonmore Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Highly recommended.