{"product_id":"original-u-s-wwii-1943-army-air-forces-aaf-escape-evasion-map-lot-kanazawa-nj-53-sendai-nj-54-3-double-sided-charts","title":"Original U.S. WWII 1943 Army Air Forces AAF Escape \u0026 Evasion Map Lot - Kanazawa NJ 53 \/ Sendai NJ 54 - 3 Double-Sided Charts","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. Only One Lot of 3 Available. This is an excellent grouping of three WWII U.S. Army Air Forces AAF Cloth Charts from the Army Map Service's \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEastern Asia 1:1,000,000\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e series. All three are double-sided examples carrying the same Japanese Home Islands pairing: \u003cb\u003eNJ 53\u003c\/b\u003e, Kanazawa on one side and \u003cb\u003eNJ 54\u003c\/b\u003e, Sendai on the reverse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe upper margins are prominently marked \u003cb\u003eAAF CLOTH CHART\u003c\/b\u003e, along with the restriction:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFor use by\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e War and Navy Department Agencies only\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e Not for sale or distribution\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kanazawa side is marked \u003cb\u003eFIRST EDITION - AMS 2 \/ NJ 53\u003c\/b\u003e, while the Sendai side is marked \u003cb\u003eSECOND EDITION - AMS 2 \/ NJ 54\u003c\/b\u003e. The charts belong to the Army Map Service A.M.S. 5301 series and are printed at a scale of 1:1,000,000. Period cataloging identifies the Kanazawa\/Sendai combination as a 1943 Army Map Service production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach side is an extraordinarily detailed wartime cartographic representation of Japan. The Kanazawa sheet covers a broad section of Honshu and the adjoining Sea of Japan, while the Sendai sheet continues the coverage eastward across northern and northeastern Honshu to the Pacific coast. Major cities and towns, roads, railroads, and magnetic navigation data are all represented. The lower margins also retain their original legends, distance scales, glossary, indexes to adjoining sheets, and color keys.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf particular interest, this lot contains two distinctly different presentations of the same chart pairing. Two of the three examples have the additional multicolored wind and ocean-current information printed across the water areas, readily identified by the sweeping red and green directional lines, arrows, numbered indications, and boxed \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWINDS \/ CURRENTS\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e key. The third example does not carry this supplemental colored overprint, leaving the underlying topographic and aeronautical information considerably less cluttered. Having both forms together makes this an especially interesting comparative group.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany American cloth escape maps were printed on rayon-acetate, selected because it resisted tearing, tolerated moisture, folded into a very small space, and could be handled much more quietly than paper. Such qualities made cloth charts extremely useful to aircrew as both navigation and Escape \u0026amp; Evasion (E\u0026amp;E) aids should they be forced down away from friendly territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll three examples remain very presentable, with strong color and clear detail throughout. They show expected fold lines, scattered age spotting and staining, and minor edge wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApproximate Dimensions of Each: \u003cb\u003e22 ½” x 23 ½”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45686741565509,"sku":"ONJR24MG225","price":295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR24MG225__06.jpg?v=1788448553","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-wwii-1943-army-air-forces-aaf-escape-evasion-map-lot-kanazawa-nj-53-sendai-nj-54-3-double-sided-charts","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}