# Anyone Know of Any Good Books on the Ki-84



## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

Hi all, 
The past week I was searching for books on the Ki-84, and it seems all the ones I found were mostly old photos and bare minimum info about the plane. I was wondering if anyone knows of any well written books on the matter in English please let me know. If these books do not exist, I plan to write my own... may come here for help in the future if this is the case. Thank you


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## Snautzer01 (Jul 27, 2020)

There are good books. Only not in english but japanese.

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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

Snautzer01 said:


> There are good books. Only not in english but japanese.


Maybe I can work with some of the authors and friends to try and either translate the works or create an entirely new book for the English market.


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## Snautzer01 (Jul 27, 2020)

Why not? Go get them.

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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

Snautzer01 said:


> Why not? Go get them.


You know I know this might sound silly, but I was reading Henry Sakaida’s book on the I-400 a while back, and in the intro when he talks about how the book came to be, I was so inspired. You know, if he could write a book with friends on the side over the years, I can too. I really just want to be able to get vital information about this plane out there to those of us in the English market who have an interest. I don’t care about making money, I just want to do this because I’ve had a passion for ww2 tech for a long time, and it just seems like something fun to do that can benefit those of us in the community with similar interests.I talk tech specs and operational history of this plane and others all the time, so why not put my enthusiasm to work you know? I will likely come to the forum a lot for advice in the future

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## Snautzer01 (Jul 27, 2020)

Nothing is silly if you believe in it. All good stories begin when someone is getting of his ass and just starts chipping away towards his/her goal. 

So good luck to you.

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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

Snautzer01 said:


> Nothing is silly if you believe in it. All good stories begin when someone is getting of his ass and just starts chipping away towards his/her goal.
> 
> So good luck to you.


Thank you


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## Baball (Jul 27, 2020)

Kagero has published two books about the Ki-84 as part of its monograph series in n°18 and n°53, both in polish and english.

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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

Baball said:


> Kagero has published two books about the Ki-84 as part of its monograph series in n°18 and n°53, both in polish and english.


Have you read these at all? The only reason I ask is that it seems that they only include pictures and do not mention much about the aircraft and its operational history. It should be noted that I have not read these books. Thanks for the reply


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## fubar57 (Jul 27, 2020)

This book has lots of info; in Japanese and English





​Lots here as well but in Japanese. Use the Google Translate app for best results

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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> This book has lots of info; in Japanese and English
> 
> View attachment 589996
> ​Lots here as well but in Japanese. Use the Google Translate app for best results
> ...


Hmm maybe I should try picking up a copy of the aero detail book and giving it a read. It’s just that I assumed it was mostly photographs and not much info on the plane and operational history


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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> This book has lots of info; in Japanese and English
> 
> View attachment 589996
> ​Lots here as well but in Japanese. Use the Google Translate app for best results
> ...


I’ve read through what little photos of the pages I could find online, it does seem to be quite detailed and kind of what I wanted to write for the English market. Seeing that this type of book does already exist, I feel I should place my efforts somewhere else. Thank you for sharing Fubar


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## nuuumannn (Jul 27, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> This book has lots of info; in Japanese and English



I'd love a copy of that, hard to get hold of these days. I have the one on the Kawanishi H8K, which focusses on the survivor at Kanoya, although when the book was written the aircraft was at the maritime museum in Tokyo.

The sole surviving Ki-84 is at the Chiran Peace Museum near Kagoshima.

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## contrails16 (Jul 27, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> I'd love a copy of that, hard to get hold of these days. I have the one on the Kawanishi H8K, which focusses on the survivor at Kanoya, although when the book was written the aircraft was at the maritime museum in Tokyo.
> 
> The sole surviving Ki-84 is at the Chiran Peace Museum near Kagoshima.


Is the aero detail on the H8K good? I know how expensive these books can get sadly, I spent $100 for a brand new copy of Genda’s blade


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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2020)

contrails16 said:


> Is the aero detail on the H8K good?



Yes it is, very detailed. Originally written in Japanese, it has translations in English but is not throughout. If you are familiar with the format of the Aero Detail books, it follows the same, and the wealth of detailed information is huge. It includes extensive interior shots as well as descriptions of aircraft systems and the effort gone into restoring it once it arrived in Japan. I bought my copy in the USA many years ago, so it didn't cost much at the time and it was still in print.

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## contrails16 (Jul 28, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Yes it is, very detailed. Originally written in Japanese, it has translations in English but is not throughout. If you are familiar with the format of the Aero Detail books, it follows the same, and the wealth of detailed information is huge. It includes extensive interior shots as well as descriptions of aircraft systems and the effort gone into restoring it once it arrived in Japan. I bought my copy in the USA many years ago, so it didn't cost much at the time and it was still in print.


Awesome!!! Thanks  I hope to go see the H8K one day, but I’m going to have to wait until after college lol. Three years until I can go hopefully. I also want to visit Kure, and many other museums


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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2020)

contrails16 said:


> I also want to visit Kure, and many other museums



Japan has lots of good aviation museums, but they are spread around the length of the country. If its WW2 aircraft you are after, there are specific places to earmark. In Tokyo you can find one of only two surviving D4Y bombers, at the Yushukan as well as the only two seat Zero in the Science Museum in Ueno Park. At Tokorozawa in the museum there is the Planes of Fame Zero and a replica Ki-27.

At Misawa in Aomori is a near complete Ki-54 transport, at Kawaguchiko Motor Museum near Mt Fuji there are three Zeores and a Ki-43 and the fuselage of a G4M bomber. There is a complete Ki-61 on display at Kakamigahara - Gifu JASDF base in the museum there in Nagoya, as well as a replica of the Zero prototype. There's also a Zero and a composite J8M Shusui in the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries museum near Aichi Airport in Nagoya.

At the Tachiarai Peace Museum south of Fukuoka there is a Ki-27 and a clipped wing Zero and at the Chiran Peace Museum near Kagoshima is the Ki-84 and a replica Ki-43. Lastly, the JNSDF base at Kanoya south of Kirishima has the H8K.

There are heaps of Zeroes across different museums around the country aside from those mentioned here.

if its naval stuff you like, go to Yokosuka to visit the Mikasa, Togo's flagship at Tsushima and the world's last pre-dreadnought battleship, and Kure, where there is the Yamato Museum and the JNSDF msueum that has a submarine. You can reach Kure by ferry from Hiroshima, so go look at the atom bomb stuff there.

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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2020)

I took these when the H8K was at the Museum of Maritime Science in Tokyo.




H8K 01 




H8K 02

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## Baball (Jul 28, 2020)

contrails16 said:


> Have you read these at all? The only reason I ask is that it seems that they only include pictures and do not mention much about the aircraft and its operational history. It should be noted that I have not read these books. Thanks for the reply



I have a copy of kagero monograph n°18 and it has quite a lot of info about the Ki-84.
A summary of the main sections in the book :

The origin and development
Other modificatons and development versions
Operational use
Camouflage and markings
Technical characteristics
Appendix
The more important IJAAF units that used the Ki-84
Tactical and technical data
Ki-84 production by Nakajima plants
Some comparison data of the engine and armament

Lots of three-view blueprints with some pages showing where modifications were made throughout the development and production

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## contrails16 (Jul 28, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> Japan has lots of good aviation museums, but they are spread around the length of the country. If its WW2 aircraft you are after, there are specific places to earmark. In Tokyo you can find one of only two surviving D4Y bombers, at the Yushukan as well as the only two seat Zero in the Science Museum in Ueno Park. At Tokorozawa in the museum there is the Planes of Fame Zero and a replica Ki-27.
> 
> At Misawa in Aomori is a near complete Ki-54 transport, at Kawaguchiko Motor Museum near Mt Fuji there are three Zeores and a Ki-43 and the fuselage of a G4M bomber. There is a complete Ki-61 on display at Kakamigahara - Gifu JASDF base in the museum there in Nagoya, as well as a replica of the Zero prototype. There's also a Zero and a composite J8M Shusui in the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries museum near Aichi Airport in Nagoya.
> 
> ...


Yep! I knew of many of those places and they are all on the list lol. Ugh! I wish I could go to all of them tomorrow 😂😂😂😂 thanks for the info I didn’t know about, the part with the ferry and ki 54 are quite interesting.


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## contrails16 (Jul 28, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> I took these when the H8K was at the Museum of Maritime Science in Tokyo.
> 
> View attachment 589998
> H8K 01
> ...


Awesome shots!!! Do you think they are taking good care of it to ensure it lasts for as long as possible in Kanoya? I only ask because I know it is on display outdoors. Do you think they treat the metal and the works to ensure it can stand up to the elements well and resist corrosion ? Thanks


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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2020)

contrails16 said:


> thanks for the info I didn’t know about, the part with the ferry and ki 54 are quite interesting.



No worries. There's lots of interesting stuff to see. When in Tokyo, go to Yoyogi Park, which is where the first ever successfull powered flights took place in Japan. There are monumental stones tucked away in the park. I want to go back there one day and get digital photos of the stuff I missed on my last trip years ago.


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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2020)

contrails16 said:


> Do you think they are taking good care of it to ensure it lasts for as long as possible in Nagoya? I only ask because I know it is on display outdoors. Do you think they treat the metal and the works to ensure it can stand up to the elements well and resist corrosion ?



I do know that they corrosion treated the interior and it is fitted with dehumidifiers inside to prevent the build up of moisture. I'm not sure about the exterior apart from layers of paint. Looking at photos on the net it looks like it has been repainted since it was in Tokyo.

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## contrails16 (Jul 28, 2020)

Baball said:


> I have a copy of kagero monograph n°18 and it has quite a lot of info about the Ki-84.
> A summary of the main sections in the book :
> 
> The origin and development
> ...


That's awesome!!! I guess those modelling books have more than just photos. Thank you


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## contrails16 (Jul 28, 2020)

nuuumannn said:


> I do know that they corrosion treated the interior and it is fitted with dehumidifiers inside to prevent the build up of moisture. I'm not sure about the exterior apart from layers of paint. Looking at photos on the net it looks like it has been repainted since it was in Tokyo.


Awesome! Thanks for the info


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## fubar57 (Jul 29, 2020)

PM sent

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## contrails16 (Jul 29, 2020)

fubar57 said:


> PM sent


Thanks you


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## J_P_C (Jul 30, 2020)

Probably the best one in a term of graphical content - unfortunately text is entirely Japanese
Maru Mechanic no.33 

Second in line will be of course... 
Bunrin Do - Famous Airplanes of the World no.19 - as well with Japanese text

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## contrails16 (Jul 30, 2020)

J_P_C said:


> Probably the best one in a term of graphical content - unfortunately text is entirely Japanese
> Maru Mechanic no.33
> 
> Second in line will be of course...
> Bunrin Do - Famous Airplanes of the World no.19 - as well with Japanese text


Thanks


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## MIflyer (Jul 30, 2020)

Kagaero has one of drawings. Available from Hamiltonbook for $10.


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## Ivan1GFP (Jul 30, 2020)

Hello Gentlemen,

I don't happen to have the Kagero Top Drawings book on the Hayate, but I know that others in the series are VERY good.
Other useful references are Volume 70 from the old Aircraft Profile series. There may be more than one FAOW book on the Hayate.
One has 1971 volume 10 No. 20 or something like that on the cover. The other is FAOW 19 as already mentioned.

There are also the Report on the Ki 84 that was examined after the war at Middletown, PA that is a pretty good read.
It isn't the easiest thing to find even for me and I was the one that uploaded it a few years back.
It can be found here:
Middletown Test Report

- Ivan.

P.S. That should be JMSDF, not JNSDF. M = Maritime. I worked for them on a contract a long time ago.

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## contrails16 (Jul 30, 2020)

Ivan1GFP said:


> Hello Gentlemen,
> 
> I don't happen to have the Kagero Top Drawings book on the Hayate, but I know that others in the series are VERY good.
> Other useful references are Volume 70 from the old Aircraft Profile series. There may be more than one FAOW book on the Hayate.
> ...


Thank you! I have finally spoken to the legendary Ivan, I've seen some of your threads and posts around, nice to finally "meet" you lol! Thank you so much for the info, and if you do not mind me asking, what job did you do for them if you are allowed to tell, sounds interesting

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## Ivan1GFP (Jul 31, 2020)

Hello Contrails16,

That "Legendary Ivan" bit sounds a bit humourous actually. I used to spend a lot more time here than I do now.
I found that I was not getting any time to work on more useful projects even though I was getting a lot of information from discussions.

Way back, I worked as a contractor for the US military on a foreign military sales contract with the JMSDF.
My job was lead software developer during this time. Lead sounds fancy but there weren't that many of us actually.
The technology involved at the time was quite interesting though it is probably pretty commonplace today.
Over a couple fairly short trips, I visited a few historical places though there wasn't that much time working a full time job while on site. A Japanese Lieutenant and I became pretty good friends he gave me a bit of an insight into "international" relations and also gave me a chance to visit a JMSDF vessel.

The Middletown Test Report is a very good read if you are curious about what a properly built and maintained Ki 84 was probably capable of without the issues of manufacturing and materials defects late in the war.

- Ivan.

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