The book details the history of Imperial Japanese Army Flying Schools from 1912 to 1945, covering not only the formation of the schools, but also evolution of the training aircraft and the training of pilots, other aircrew, and ground crew maintenance personnel. Includes numerous photographs, many of which have not been seen before in any English language publication. In addition the wide variety of aircraft types used and the different markings they carried add much colour interest to inspire modellers in a completely new field and are illustrated by some 400 colour art profiles.

Never-before-told story of the 868th Bomb Squadron, the Nightstalkers, who paired cutting-edge technology with daring—launching single-aircraft night-time missions stalking the Japanese in the Pacific. In August 1943, a highly classified US Army Air Force unit, code-named the “Wright Project,” departed Langley Field for Guadalcanal in the South Pacific to join the fight against the Empire of Japan. Operating independently, under sealed orders drafted at the highest levels of Army Air Force, the Wright Project was unique, both in terms of the war-fighting capabilities provided by classified systems the ten B-24 Liberators of this small group of airmen brought to the war, and in the success these “crash-built” technologies allowed. The Wright airmen would fly only at night, usually as lone hunters of enemy ships. In so doing they would pave the way for the United States to enter and dominate a new dimension of war in the air for generations to come. This is their story, from humble beginnings at MIT’s Radiation Lab and hunting U-boats off America’s eastern shore, through to the campaigns of the war in the Pacific in their two-year march toward Tokyo. The Wright Project would prove itself to be a combat leader many times over and an outstanding technology innovator, evolving to become the 868th Bomb Squadron. Along the way the unit would be embraced by unique personalities and the dynamic leadership, from Army Air Force General Hap Arnold through combat commanders who flew the missions. In this account, the reader will meet radar warfare pioneers and squadron leaders who were never satisfied that they had pushed the men, the aircraft, and the technologies to the full limit of their possibilities. Comprehensive and highly personal, this story can now be revealed for the very first time, based on official sources, and interviews with the young men who flew into the night.

In reviewing reports of air combat from Spain, China and the early stages of the war in Europe, the US Army Air Corps called for heavier armor and armament for its bomber fleet, including the addition of a tail turret. While Japan tried to counter with their own heavy fighters, their inability to produce them in any number meant that they were forced to face the bomber threat with the nimble, but under–armed Ki-43 “Oscar”. While severely outgunned, the Japanese learned to use their greater maneuverability to exploit the small weakness in bomber defenses. This book tells the story of the clash in the skies over the Pacific, as the Japanese fought desperately against the coming tide of the American bomber offensive.

From the award-winning author of Flygirl comes this powerful WWII romance between two Japanese teens caught in the cogs of an unwinnable war, perfect for fans of Salt to the Sea, Lovely War, and Code Name Verity. Now in paperback! Japan 1945. Taro is a talented violinist and a kamikaze pilot in the days before his first and only mission. He believes he is ready to die for his country . . . until he meets Hana. Hana hasn't been the same since the day she was buried alive in a collapsed trench during a bomb raid. She wonders if it would have been better to have died that day . . . until she meets Taro. A song will bring them together. The war will tear them apart. Is it possible to live an entire lifetime in eight short days? Sherri L. Smith has been called "an author with astonishing range" and "a stellar storyteller" by E. Lockhart, the New York Times-bestselling author of We Were Liars, and "a truly talented writer" by Jacqueline Woodson, the National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming. Here, with achingly beautiful prose, Smith weaves a tale of love in the face of death, of hope in the face of tragedy, set against a backdrop of the waning days of the Pacific War.

An extensive guide to Japan’s Army Air Force Units and their ace pilots during conflicts in the 1930s and ‘40s, now in English. Commencing with a detailed study of the development, equipment, and operations flown by this force since its inception immediately after the end of World War I, until the catastrophic conclusion of World War II, the initial section deals with the wars in China and Manchuria, as well as the Pacific War of 1941-1945. The second section explores the history of each unit, listing the types of aircraft used, the bases from which they flew, and the unit and formation commanders. Notable mission details are also included. Finally, the third section offers biographical notes for notable fighter pilots and features supporting listings and a glossary of Japanese terms. Photographs of pilots and aircraft are also included, along with line drawings indicating the unit markings carried. This revised edition is a companion volume to Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces, 1932–1945.

In-depth review of Imperial Japanese Army Air Force fighter units and pilots Detailed study of equipment (e.g., the Zero fighter), operations from Pearl Harbor to kamikaze attacks, and pilots who achieved ace status Heavily illustrated with photos of pilots, aircraft, and unit insignia