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Offered by Over The Blue Horizon is an exceptionally difficult-to-obtain, slip-cased hardcover volume: “THE ZERO FIGHTER”, edited by Katsuhiro Hara.

This superb reference work is basically a technical manual for the Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter drawn from original Mitsubishi records and manuals. Text is in Japanese but as is often said, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ and in this case, if you’re looking for technical specificity, it won’t get much better! The book has some color profiles, color photographs, and black and white wartime photographs, but the main features of this book are the technical drawings – absolutely incredible.

The book also includes two English-language documents – a Technical Air Intelligence Center (TAIC) November 1944 publication on “COMBAT EVALUATION OF ZEKE 52 WITH F4U-1D, F6F-5, AND FM-2” and a TAIC “PERFORMANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS DATA” document from October 1943. This book has been available since 2001 and was actually used as a reference work used to help restore an A6M3 in Camarillo, California, and according to one of the restorers: “As an air museum volunteer on one of only three flying Zeros in the world, I find this book valuable … The book has detailed drawings, step by step operating procedures, from starting the engine to landing gears sequence to seat height adjustments. It is a must have for any serious Zero student or experts alike. We have made repairs, fabricated missing parts, tuned up, adjusted control cables ... using this reference.” We must stress again that this book is in Japanese and we are fairly confident this museum in Camarillo had someone that could read Japanese assisting in this restoration, and we have also confirmed this book is used by Japanese experts restoring ZEROs in Japan.

Note that this publication is not for the faint-hearted -- it is a TECHNICAL volume intended for the hardcore. You won't get lots of pretty pictures and color schemes -- instead you'll get blueprints and technical drawings. If you are interested in what the ZERO is like under its skin, this is the book for you!

This 494-page, 7.5 x 10.5 inch hardcover with slipcase was published in 2001. Condition is LIKE NEW -- the slipcase suffers some light shelf wear but overall, the book/slipcase is tight, bright and exceptionally clean Again, this offer is for the HARD CORE only! Note that Over The Blue Horizon ships from the USA and offers fast and secure shipping and handling to American buyers, with corresponding service/savings to our valued overseas customers. Regardless of where you are in the world, buy with absolute confidence from a well-established eBay merchant with a sterling reputation.

FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING: We offer FREE United States Postal Service (USPS) Priority shipping (4-6 days) with tracking to U.S. buyers. Hawaii residents pay 4.166% general excise tax. We wrap your purchase in bubble wrap or tissue, and then protect it with clean, sturdy cardboard to ensure that it arrives in the same condition described in the listing. We mail promptly and send you the tracking number when your purchase is mailed. Check out our feedback – we take pride in our high customer satisfaction rate.

SAVE MONEY WITH MULTIPLE PURCHASES: We invite you to look at our other items for sale or visit our eBay store. Make multiple purchases, combine shipping and save money! For each additional eBay book (or group of books) you purchase from Over the Blue Horizon and combine shipping, you’ll receive a $5 discount. For example, if you win a $25 book, and then win another book (or set of books) that cost $25, we will take $5 off the total price, bringing it down to $45! Win three, get $10 off, and the savings go on and on .....as you fill up a box. The United States Postal Service now has four sizes of flat-rate boxes which we can use to save you money on shipping. Note: some items being sold by Over The Blue Horizon, such as posters, are not eligible for these savings, but email us if you have any questions.

BIDDERS OUTSIDE THE U.S.: We have extensive experience with foreign buyers and welcome your business. You will pay discounted shipping and insurance costs and pay by PayPal. Your discount will be equal to the free shipping value for U.S. customers. Email us for discounted shipping costs for your country or for any other questions. If you are the winner, we will send you the shipping costs for your country. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up – do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. We do not mark merchandise values below value or mark items as "gifts" - US and International government regulations prohibit those actions.

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