Michael John Claringbould

An illustrated study of the oft-overlooked engagements between the iconic F4F Wildcat and Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force's A6M2-N "Rufe" floatplane during the Solomon Islands campaign. A number of unique confrontations took place between floatplanes and land-based fighters during the fierce aerial battles fought above the Solomon Islands throughout 1942–43. Whilst the most famous Battle of Guadalcanal "slugfests" saw US...

Although New Guinea’s Thunderbolt pilots faced several different types of enemy aircraft in capricious tropical conditions, by far their most common adversary was the Nakajima Ki-43-II Hayabusa, codenamed 'Oscar' by the Allies. These two opposing fighters were the products of two radically different design philosophies. The Thunderbolt was heavy, fast and packed a massive punch thanks to its battery of...