Bases of the World Volume I: Kadena Air Base Book Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

Reid Air Publications has launched the first of a new series of titles focusing on Bases of the World. In this first volume, the author takes you on a tour of one of the more unique airbases on the planet - Kadena Airbase, Japan. Kadena is home to a variety of aircraft from the United States Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps as well as serving as a strategic stop-over point or forward operating location. If a picture speaks 1000 words, this title will be talking for hours as it is cover-to-cover full-color images which illustrate the diverse missions and operational flexibility this airbase serves.

Of course the photography is stunning, it wouldn't be a Jake Melampy title if it was routine. The F-15 Eagle shots are worth the price of admission, but during the author's stay, he not only saw the aircraft stationed at Kadena including the F-15C, KC-135R, E-3C, HH-60G, it also serves as a forward operating location for aircraft like the AV-8B, F/A-18D, CH-46E, AH-1W, RC-135, EP-3, P-3C, P-8, MC-130, and more. In addition, Kadena is a regular stopover point for airlift including C-130, C-17, and C-5. Not only are all of these different aircraft nicely photographed, there are still more photos of periodic visitors such as the F-22 Raptors and F-16C Arctic Aggressors out of Alaska. Nice!

Whether you want to spend some time just looking at beautiful aircraft photographs, find inspiration for your next project(s), look for unique details that will help with a project, or simply admire the hard work that the men and women in uniform perform each day for us at this unique airbase, this is one title you'll want to add to your library. If this is the quality we can expect from this new series, keep 'em coming!

Definitely recommended!

My sincere thanks to Reid Air Publications for this review sample!