Solomons Air War Volume 1: Guadalcanal August - September 1942

The Imperial Japanese Navy built an airfield on Guadalcanal to extend their aircraft's reach into the Allied occupied island chains. In August 1942, an American invasion of Tulagi and Guadalcanal caught the IJN off guard, leading to a fierce air battle. Japanese carriers entered the fight, and the extent of both Japanese and US involvement is outlined in detail.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2022
Publisher: Avonmore Books

The opening phase of the war in the Solomon Islands theatre, a critical period from August to September 1942, is documented in this first volume of Solomon's Air War. Following their swift occupation of the Solomon Islands capital of Tulagi in May 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy initiated the construction of an airfield on the adjacent island of Guadalcanal. This vital airfield, situated over 600 miles away from their primary base of Rabaul, held immense significance as it would enable their aircraft to reach the Allied-occupied island chains of Fiji, the New Hebrides, and New Caledonia. The stakes were high, and the Japanese military was determined to safeguard the airfield at all costs.

However, their plans were unexpectedly disrupted when a bold American invasion of both Tulagi and Guadalcanal occurred in early August 1942. Despite the initial surprise, the Japanese responded swiftly and in some cases, desperately, initiating a fierce and intense air battle. The conflict unfolded as a complex and multifaceted struggle, with an ever-increasing variety and number of Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) units being deployed to the island. Initially, US Navy carrier-based Wildcats, supported by SBD Dauntless dive-bombers and the newly introduced TBF torpedo bomber, faced off against the Japanese forces.

As the battle progressed, the United States Air Force (USAAF) also joined the fray, operating from the newly operational Henderson Field. The air battles intensified from late August onwards, as Japanese carriers entered the fray, adding a new dimension to the intense and frenzied combat. For the first time, the belligerents were closely matched, and the rationale behind the IJN's sometimes erratic response began to become clearer. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the full extent of both Japanese and US involvement in the Guadalcanal campaign, offering a level of detail that has never been previously presented.

Weight: 724g
Dimension: 249 x 178 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780645246933