The Shiden-Kai was the ultimate development of Japanese fighter design to see combat during the Second World War. In the hands of the "Squadron of Aces" of the 343rd Naval Air Group, the airplane provided a nasty surprise to U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Air Forces pilots operating over the Japanese homeland in the Spring and Summer of 1945, since it was the equal of the F6F-5, F4U-1D, P-51D and P-47N, the best fighters the Americans had. Fortunately for the Americans, there were only a few other units who had any of this airplane, and fewer than 500 were ultimately produced before the Japanese surrender. The low-quality Japanese aviation gasoline of the period also robbed the airplane of power and performance, or it would have been an even greater threat than it was.

Anyone who has seen Aero Detail Numbers 1-25 knows what to expect in the current volume: Superb detail photography of accurately-restored examples, complete drawings of various details as well as line profiles of the airplane, and accurate profiles of operational aircraft. The Aero Detail series is expensive, but to date each of them has been definitive on its subject; this volume maintains that tradition.

There are only four N1K2-Js left in the world and fortunately the two at the Champlin Fighter Museum in Phoenix Arizona and the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola have been accurately restored to original condition. Extensive detail color photos of these airplanes provide the modeler with almost more information than can be put to use in constructing a model.

Fortunately, Hasegawa is soon to release a re-tooled kit of their N1K2-J, which was state of the art when it appeared 18 years ago. If they do to this what they did in re-tooling their A6M5 Model 52 Zero, then a kit will exist that is worthy of having the information in this book lavished on its construction. I know I am really looking forward to that kit, armed as I am now with this book.

Thanks to HobbyLink Japan for providing this review copy.