First of all, I’d like to commend the quality of the book itself. High quality paper and print not just pleasing to the eye, but also helps to read drawings and photos. Photos and drawings are of different quality – but mostly very good and also numerous, which helps to see evolution of this or that carrier’s look and technical features.
The book is bi-lingual (English and German texts), but text in different languages goes one after another and not on the same page, which simplifies the reading.
Volume 1 begins with the detailed descriptions of major technical features of IJN carriers like elevators, arresting gear, landing assistance lights and so on – useful feature, as it allows author not to repeat the same details in the descriptions of individual carrier classes. Then author describes each carrier class in detail: “Hosho”, “Ryujo”, “Akagi”, “Kaga”, “Soryu”, “Hiryu”, “Shokaku”, “Taiho” and “Shinano”. Description of each class differs from ship to ship, but in general it is not very big. Though drawings and photos help a lot.
Next comes description of carrier battles from Pearl Harbor to Midway. It also begins with the summary of carrier units’ organization and operations, then come descriptions of the individual operations, which are also differed in size: for example, Perl Harbor operation is unusually small while Port Moresby operation is described in good detail. Some notes or carrier doctrine are also provided. Almost all the text is based on Japanese-language sources, which is really helpful to those, who can’t read Japanese.
The rest of the carriers and their battles will be in the volume 2, as well as the detailed descriptions of carrier machinery, aircraft and their weapons.
There are some shortcomings in this book, though.
First, descriptions of carrier classes are small on text and data. Obviously, sometimes there is simply lack of sources for the “unpopular” ships. But, for example, there is less data for “Ryujo” in this book than in the “Warship” article on “Ryujo” by the very same author. There are no summary data tables, which forces reader to look elsewhere even for the most basic data (though they will be in volume II).
The saddest part is, the shortage of the text and data in the book is not for the lack of author’s research. Hand Lengerer did his research, yet was forced to throw out a lot of text to ensure his book will fit into 2 volumes. And, of course, more buyers will prefer photos over text – every market researcher will tell you so
Second, descriptions of combat operations are written from the Japanese point of view almost without the research from the Allied side. And there are no descriptions of carrier operations before 1941.
There are also some errors. For example, Yokosuka and Yokohama appearing on the opposite sides of the Tokyo Bay on maps. “Akagi” during the Big modernization receiving third elevator forward, not in the middle. “Kaga” during the Big modernization losing after elevator cover. In the table of the IJN air strength on December 1941 you can’t find Type 96 kanko (B4Y) even if it’s mentioned in the next table of the carrier air groups’ strength on December 1941. And after elevator covers on “Ryujo”, “Akagi”, “Kaga” are incorrectly called doble level elevators. There are some misprints as well.
To sum it up.
If you need some quick and easy reading about IJN CVs – that’s not the book for you. Too many technical details, too few combat action stories.
But if you are into serious research of Japanese aircraft carriers – IMHO, you’ll need this book. It has a lot of information, useful for the research of Japanese aircraft carriers. Only the shortage of text and data on IJN carriers prevents me from calling this book excellent.
PS. Table of contents and some ample pages can be seen here: https://www.jjfpub.mb.ca/product/aircra ... rmy-vol-1/