Imperial Japanese Naval Aviator 1937-45

Description

The fateful attack on Pearl Harbor forced the Western world to revise its opinion of Japan's airmen. Before the war, Japanese aviators had been seen as figures of ridicule and disdain; yet the ruthless skill and efficiency of their performance in December 1941 and the months that followed won them a new reputation as a breed of oriental superman. This book explores the world of the Imperial Japanese Naval airman, from the zenith of his wartime career until the turning of the tide, when the skill and experience of the average Japanese airman declined. Cultural and social background, recruitment, training, daily life and combat experience are all covered.

The son of a former officer of the Japanese Naval Air Technical Arsenal, Osamu Tagaya has written several books on Japanese aviation including one for the Smithsonian Institution. Born in Japan and educated in the US, as well as having lived in the UK, Osamu brings unique bilingual and broad cultural perspectives to his lifelong aviation research. This is his second book for Osprey. John White is a commercial illustrator with many years' experience of working with advertising agencies, design firms, publishers and large corporate accounts. He has received awards from The Broadcast Design Association and The National Naval Aviation Museum, and his paintings have appeared in Aviation Art magazine, Aviation History magazine, and on the History Channel. John and his wife Margery live in Charlotte, North Carolina.