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by Michael Claringbould and Peter Ingman.
Softcover (6.9×9.8 inches). 220 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Wau to the Bismarck Sea: January to March 1943
When a series is excellent, I don’t mind repeating myself: The South Pacific Air War series is excellent. There was a publication gap between Volume 5 and Volume 6 because the authors did an equally excellent three-book series about the Solomons (Guadalcanal) air war.
Per usual, you get an almost airplane-by-airplane recap of air operations by both sides. The numbers will surprise you. While the Allied air forces in Europe routinely launched hundreds of bombers against Germany, here in this corner of the Pacific, a dozen planes constituted a major raid. When a 100-plane Allied raid went after a Japanese convoy from Rabaul to Papua New Guinea, that was scraping underneath the bottom of the barrel.
By the way, both Japanese reinforcement convoys would make for cracking good scenarios — maneuvering ships and their AA, escorting Japanese fighters tangling with Allied bombers, and escorting Allied fighters tangling with the Japanese fighters. You can even include both sides’ submarines for extra suspense.
Also per usual, an analysis of claimed kills versus actual losses proves interesting. First, the Japanese were still potent enough for roughly equal battles. Second, claims wildly exceeded losses. For example, in one air battle, US pilots claimed to have shot down 84 Japanese planes and claimed another 36 as probables (p79). The actual Japanese losses? 10 Oscars and six Zekes (Zeros).
Also surprising is the numbers of Allied pilots reporting they repeatedly strafed Japanese soldiers in the water after the transport sunk. You generally hear of Japanese strafing Allied soldiers and pilots, but not the other way around.
One typo: “previous four volumes” is really “five” (p214).
The book contains 39 black and white photos, two color photos, six color maps, one black and white illustration, 13 color illustrations, and 20 color aircraft profile illustrations of camouflage and markings of great interest to modelers.
I certainly look forward to more volumes to continue the series.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
