Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Books/Air Forces/Japan products

Yeo, Mike: Modern Japanese Air Power 26,95 €

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:00:07 +0200

A volume from the series Asia @ War. The JASDF has around 200 F-15 Eagle interceptors and more than 80 F-2 multi-role combat aircraft as its frontline combat force and is currently in the process of modernising its F-15s, re-equipping with F-35A and B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, and developing its own next-generation combat aircraft. In addition to its combat power, the JASDF also possesses modern force-multiplier types such as air surveillance aircraft, air refuelling aircraft, and unmanned aircraft for high altitudes and long flight times, making it one of the most capable air forces in the region. This book takes an in-depth look at the JASDF, examining its history, current combat posture, capabilities, organisation, training, and future plans as the country seeks to improve the regional military balance, which is increasingly shifting in favour of China, which has unresolved historical tensions and territorial disputes with Japan.

Wolf, William: Hitler's and Hirohito's "Kamikaze" Flying Boms 31,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:35:16 +0200

On 1 April 1945, US troops launched the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War on the heavily defended island of Okinawa. To support the invasion, the USS West Virginia participated in the bombardment of the entrenched Japanese defenders. That evening, a Japanese aircraft, a Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka, a rocket-powered kamikaze plane, took off. The West Virginia was hit by an Ohka, making it the first ship to be damaged by such a weapon. Twelve days later, the USS Mannert L. Able became the first ship to be sunk by an Ohka. The use of the Ohka was a desperate measure by Japan as the tide of war turned against the country. This manned flying bomb was a further development of earlier kamikaze tactics. However, the Germans had also considered similar weapons. As early as 1944, figures close to Hitler, such as Otto Skorzeny and Hanna Reitsch, advocated kamikaze missions. Hitler approved the formation of the Leonidas Squadron to prepare for these attacks, which led to the development of the Messerschmitt Me 328 and the Fieseler Fi 103R, also known as the Reichenberg. Although the Fi 103R went into production in October 1944, it was already obsolete by the time it was ready for deployment due to the changing dynamics of the war. The project was officially abandoned in March 1945. This book describes in detail the development of both the Ohka and the Reichenberg.

Sakai, Saburo: Samurai 29,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:25:24 +0200

In Japan, Saburo Sakai is considered one of the aces of modern fighter aviation. As a non-commissioned officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy, he performed a series of extraordinary feats aboard his legendary Zero. A gripping and unusually direct contemporary document, his story puts us right in the middle of the action from the first page, telling us about his family background and his years of hard training, before leading us into the skies of Manchuria, where Sakai fought against the Chinese from 1938 to 1941, and finally into the Pacific, where the last samurai duelled with American pilots until 1945, survived his war mission and became a living legend.

References for Modellers. Technical Drawings - Reference Photos - Painting Scheme. Issue 16: Kawasaki Ki - 61 Hien 13,95 €

Fri, 01 May 2026 07:40:13 +0200

Each volume in this series comprises 16-24 pages and contains selected archive photos, colour profiles or colour 3D views. Some books also contain scale drawings. You will find high-quality decals in 1:48 and 1:72 scales of a specific painting scheme. If the illustration differs in detail from the decal, the booklet presents photos that were used to develop the decal sheet. This is a series for modellers as a supplement to other publications or a compilation of previously published material.

References for Modellers. Technical Drawings - Reference Photos - Painting Scheme. Issue 14: Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa 13,95 €

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:35:05 +0200

Kessler, Christian: Les Kamikazés 1944-1945. Leur histoire, leurs ultimes écrits 27,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:25:27 +0200

In October 1944, when the war had already been lost for Japan since the previous year, the "tokubetsu-kogeki-tai" or "special attack corps" was founded: The pilots who made them up were trained to swoop down on American warships with their aeroplanes loaded with a bomb. Knowing how important correspondence was to the fighters' resistance, the Imperial Army encouraged them to write farewell letters and asked them to personalise these letters, for example by including calligraphic characters, sometimes even drawn in their own blood. After a historical overview of the creation of the letters, Christian Kessler presents almost 100 unpublished letters, poems and wills by self-sacrificing pilots, translated with the help of Emilie Champmont: extraordinary and particularly moving documents written by very young, mostly educated men shortly before they set off on their final mission. They were primarily intended for their families, after having been sorted and heavily censored by the authorities, and were sometimes accompanied by hair and fingernails as relics. For the self-sacrificers, however, the letters are also and above all a materialisation of the difficult renunciation of life that they have to make. Regardless of whether they agree with the orders from above or not, they must leave in peace with themselves and their loved ones. A unique, poignant and extraordinary collection.

Claringbould, Michael: Pacific Profiles. Volume 13: IJN Bombers, Transports, Flying Boats & Miscellaneous Types South Pacific 1942-1944 43,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:20:30 +0200

"Pacific Profiles" Volume 13 presents the most accurate wartime profiles and histories to date of Imperial Japanese Navy bombers, transports, flying boats and miscellaneous types which served in the South Pacific.
This volume depicts the markings of two dozen mainstream and rare air groups (kokutai), many of which have never been illustrated before. Aircraft types include Betty and Nell bombers (and transports), Val and Judy dive-bombers; Emily and Mavis flying boats; Irving night fighters; Claude fighters; and Babs reconnaissance aircraft. Note this volume excludes floatplanes and Zeros, which are covered separately in Volumes Five and Eight of this series.

Past markings errors are corrected, and many profiles are presented for the first time, alongside explanations of markings derivations, including the provenance of unit codes. Until now there has been a paucity of markings material about these units, especially the more esoteric ones such Nos. 31, 151, 501 and 552 Ku, and the night fighters of No. 251 Ku. Profiles are supported by photos and/or documentation, along with brief histories of each aircraft where known. Primary reference material is exclusively cited including assignment data, unit operational records, photography, diaries, factory markings, Allied intelligence wreck reports, POW interrogation reports, and Combined Fleet markings orders. A brief history of each unit and its leadership structure accompanies the text.

Young, Edward M./Hector, Garath (Illustr.)/Laurier, Jim (Illustr.): Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" and H8K "Emily" Unit 19,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:00:14 +0200

Respectively codenamed the "Mavis" and "Emily" by the Allies, Japan's H6K and H8K flying boats outstripped their RAF and US Navy counterparts. The 1941 outbreak of war in the Pacific and Southeast Asia saw these remarkable aircraft carry out offensive missions across vast tracts of ocean and employ their unique capabilities to escort convoys and serve as transports between Japan's island bases. However, while the technical details of the H6K and H8K are well known in the West, this important new study marks the first English-language account of their wartime operations.

Utilizing newly translated Japanese war diaries, as well as Allied intelligence and combat reports, Pacific War expert Edward M. Young reveals the full story behind the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force's flying boat units. Contemporary photos and 22 colour profiles bring new dimensions to this fascinating area of Japanese military history, vividly illustrating the pivotal roles of "Emily" and "Mavis" in events including the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway and the fighting in the Aleutians and the Bismarck and Solomon Islands.

Rao, Anirudh: The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu 23,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:30:10 +0200

Volume 138 of the series "Topdrawings". Colour profiles and mainly scale sketches show all details of the Japanese heavy fighter aircraft Ki-45 "Toryu" from WW2.

Picarella, Giuseppe: Mitsubishi Babs. The world's first high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Volume 2 49,95 €

Tue, 05 May 2026 06:50:07 +0200

This book completes the history of Japan's revolutionary high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft design. This second volume describes the Imperial Japanese Navy's flawed attempts to develop its own high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft and their decision to ultimately adopt the Army's magnificent Ki-15 design into Navy service as the C5M/Type-98 Reconnaissance Plane (Allied codename Babs).
Across eight chapters "Mitsubishi Babs" Volume 2 outlines the unit histories and the operational deployment of Navy C5M aircraft during the Sino-Japanese and Pacific War, and how, through Army support and training, the Navy was finally able to perform its own long-range strategic reconnaissance missions deep into mainland China and Australia.
A major portion is devoted to the first highly detailed technical description of this aircraft to be compiled since the Mitsubishi engineering department completed the final Babs airframe in August 1941. Individual coverage of the Ki-15-I, civilian Karigane-I, Ki-15-II, Karigane-II, C5M1, C5M2 and Ki-15-III provides aviation historians and modellers alike with an in-depth understanding of individual airframe systems and reconnaissance equipment, all lavishly supported with custom artwork, cutaways, original engineering drawings and detailed photographs.
A chapter is also devoted to the pilot's operating manual, which describes exactly how to fly this high performance aircraft.
The often inaccurately reported capabilities of Babs are reviewed across two chapters which outline what the Allied intelligence teams believed about the aircraft, supported by crash investigations and technical reports. And to counter these numerous technical inaccuracies and half-truths, two chapters are devoted to reassessing various technical aspects of the aircraft, with the hope of correcting the history books once and for all.

The first deals with the all important performance figures, while the second reveals the somewhat absurd manufacturing and assembly details of the Army and Navy airframes, the true production figures and decoding the Babs Construction numbers and prefix codes.
The book also contains a small chapter on the history of Babs model kits and surviving memorabilia.

Eleftheriou, George/Laurier, Jim (Illustr.)/Hector, Gareth (Illustr.): Nakajima Ki-49 "Helen" Units 19,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:30:10 +0200

A fully illustrated study of the Nakajima Ki49 "Helen", the twin-engined bomber of the Pacific War, from Japanese aviation expert George Eleftheriou.
The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu ("Dragon Eater"), codenamed "Helen" by the Allies, was a twin-engined Japanese bomber designed to undertake daylight attacks without the protection of escort fighters. Consequently, while it was officially known as the Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber, its formidable defensive armament and armour were so heavy that they restricted the Ki-49 to payloads comparable to those of smaller medium bombers.

While only five heavy bomber sentai (regiments) were equipped with the "Helen", the over 800 Ki-49s built between 1941 and 1944 saw extensive action in Burma, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, northern India and north Australia.
In an act of desperation, a small number of "Helens" were even employed, unsuccessfully, as kamikaze aircraft against US Navy warships operating off the Philippines and Okinawa.
In this fascinating book, George Eleftheriou provides a comprehensive account of the units that saw action flying the "Helen", based on original Japanese sources. Also featuring high-quality photographs never published before, specially commissioned colour profile artwork, official unit histories and veteran accounts, this title is a must-have for Japanese aircraft enthusiasts.

Rao, Anirudh: Mitsubishi J2M Raiden 21,95 €

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:55:10 +0200

Volume 133 of the Top Drawings series. 15 pages of scale sketches and some colour aircraft profiles show all the important structural details on the Japanese World War 2 Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" fighter.

Binks, Andy: Samurai Sabres. The North American F-86D, F-86F and RF-86F in Japanese service 49,95 €

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:20:07 +0200

A study of Japanese F-86D, F-86F and RF-86F "Sabres" for enthusiasts and modellers alike, containing many rare and unique previously unpublished photographs from personal collections.

JASDF Photo Book. Aggressor Archives. Band 3: 2011-2021 34,95 €

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:14:47 +0200

This volume, very richly illustrated with colour photos and other illustrations, shows the legendary F-15 "Eagle" jet fighter in service with the Japanese Air Force from the early 2011 to 2021. The visual material presented here gives an excellent impression of the paint schemes, markings and insignia used during this time period.

Claringbould, Michael: Nemoto's Travels. The illustrated saga of a Japanese floatplane pilot in the first year of the Pacific War 23,07 €

Wed, 13 May 2026 06:50:10 +0200

This is the illustrated diary of Imperial Japanese Navy floatplane pilot Warrant Officer Nemoto Kumesako, dating from the early months of the Pacific War. His recollections offer an intimate perspective into his life, along with insights into Japanese thinking of the times. Unusually, these memoirs are presented in a style consistent with the Japanese manga (illustrated cartoon) format.

The curious floatplanes of the time, some of which verge on the steampunk, come to life with the author's uncanny sense of humour. Nemoto defies every stereotype of the Samurai warrior, for his diary betrays coveted romanticism. Although an exceptional character, he was certainly a man of his times. Not particularly close to his comrades, Nemoto prided himself in his worldly credentials. For example, he read Tolstoy's "War & Peace" in German between missions.
Nemoto's writing style, cultivated and matter of fact, is tinged with insight and assurance. He never envisaged it would wind up in the wrong hands, and for this reason the reader will savour its frankness and insights.
Michael Claringbould is a globally renown Pacific War author. This is his first attempt at getting away from conventional formats, instead producing an entertaining hybrid tale, garishly illustrated yet historically accurate. Its humorous format is also guaranteed to tell readers many things about this fascinating period they did not know.

Claringbould, Michael: Pacific Profiles. Volume 8: IJN Floatplanes in the South Pacific 1942-1944 44,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:15:31 +0200

Volume Eight of the "Pacific Profiles" series presents the most accurate profiles and histories to date of Imperial Japanese Navy floatplanes which served in the South Pacific theater, throughout New Guinea and the Solomons. The markings of the six floatplane types deployed in the theater are covered: the A6M2-N Rufe, E8N2 Dave, E13A1 Jake, F1M2 Pete, E9W Slim and E7K Alf.
Floatplane operations commenced in January 1942 with the invasion of Rabaul. Later Rufes were often misidentified as Zeros with their presence in the Solomons seemingly ubiquitous. Petes often fought Allied fighters, with other types focused on reconnaissance and occasional bombing missions, sometimes at night. Most floatplane activity had ceased by late 1943, leaving a handful of stay-behinds operating from Rabaul and Kavieng.
Illustrated, unit by unit, are examples of the varied types of markings, camouflage, and tail code systems which appeared on floatplanes assigned to sea tenders, shore, ship and submarine-based units. Each of the 76 profiles cites draws on evidence from color photos, Combined Fleet orders, POW interrogations, technical reports, and post-war wreck surveys. Brief histories of every unit includes their role in the theater and defines the ever-changing markings systems as ordained by Tokyo.

Numerous maps and diagrams help the reader understand command structures such as the R-Area Air Force and the 11th Seaplane Tender Division.

Karnas, Dariusz: Scale Plans. Issue 74: Kyushu Q1W Tokai (Lorna) 8,37 €

Wed, 13 May 2026 06:50:10 +0200

Modelling plans in 1:72 and 1:48 scale of the Kyushu Q1W Tokai anti-submarine bomber of the Japanese Navy in World War 2. Featuring fife A3 size scale plans.

Picarella, Giuseppe: Mitsubishi Babs. The world's first high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Band 1 49,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:30:10 +0200

This book was written to redress this imbalance and tell the true story behind the development and operational deployment of the world's first high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft, which began 6,000 miles further east and four years prior to the momentous events in Europe, under the guidance of the Imperial Japanese Army and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co Ltd. Faced with similar preconceptions, technical arguments, and a very rigid operational doctrine, the Mitsubishi Babs was developed during a brief golden aeronautical period (between the mid 1930s and early 1940s), when the Japanese aircraft industry flourished under constant military aircraft competitions and production orders. Free from prying eyes and shrouded within a self-imposed veil of secrecy, the Japanese developed numerous designs that were equal to and in some cases ahead of contemporary Western manufacturers.
This book is the most comprehensive on the "Babs" yet published in English, with numerous photographs of the aircraft in service, several of which have never been published before, walkaround photographs of the preserved aircraft, illustrations from contemporary manuals, and color artwork.

Faced with similar prejudices, technical arguments and a very rigid operational doctrine, the Mitsubishi "Babs" was developed during a brief golden period of aviation (between the mid-1930s and early 1940s) when the Japanese aircraft industry flourished under constant competition for military aircraft and production contracts. Free from prying eyes and shrouded in a self-imposed veil of secrecy, the Japanese developed numerous designs that were on a par with, and in some cases ahead of, contemporary Western manufacturers.
This book is the most comprehensive on the "Babs" published in English to date. It contains numerous photographs of the aircraft in service, some of which have never been published before, photo tours of surviving aircraft, illustrations from contemporary manuals and colour aircraft profiles.