The LuftShop.
Your source for top-quality Japanese scale modelling books and magazines.

Grumman F-14D Tomcat
Tamiya / 1:48
Aircraft modelled by Kris Sieber; tug by Noah Krasowitz
Modelled for Super Detailing the F-14 Tomcat

Peruse top Japanese scale modelling books and magazines with publications covering every major genre in the hobby — aviation, armour, naval, figure, sci-fi, diorama, auto/moto, and reference.

News

The current order window closes October 25, 2026

Discounted Canadian shipping thru end of 2026.

Updated October 1, 2026

For the remainder of 2026, Canada Post has heavily discounted their Xpresspost postage rates for parcels delivered within Canada. Exact rates vary based on package weight and destination, however, expect them to be around 40-50% less than the economy-oriented Expedited Parcel I normally use, plus national deliveries will likely be a day or two faster.

If you’re looking to bulk up your scale modelling library and keep a some extra money in your pocket (be sure to also read Bundle and Save below), this is the perfect time to do it.

*Note: Discounted rates apply to packages <5kg, the approximate weight of 8 or 9 books

US-bound book orders are tariff-free!

Updated October 1, 2026

A quick bit of good news amidst the ongoing tariff tit-for-tat between Canada and the US. Japanese-printed books continue to remain tariff-free for American buyers.

A $1.99 clearance fee, levied by the third-party platform that manages cross-border shipments for Canada Post has been built into the cost for US-shipping options, and as always, my shipping costs reflect the rates that I pay Canada Post, plus a small fee that covers my packaging materials.

Bundle and save!

There’s no tender way to say it, shipping books isn’t cheap. However, there is a way to take some of the sting out of shipping costs and that’s through bundled orders. Whether ordering for yourself, with a group of friends, or as a club, bundled orders significantly reduce the cost of shipping per book.

Here’s why. Canada Post charges a minimum cost for a given destination — even shipping an empty box would incur this fee — which includes their regular fees, fuel surcharge, and taxes for Canadian destinations. However, as more books are added and the package weight increases, the increase in shipping cost is a fraction of that minimum amount.

To give you an idea of how significant the per book savings can be, I’ve compared the cost of shipping 1 book to that of shipping 6 and noted the overall increase in shipping cost:

Toronto, ON – $2.00 increase (to ship 5 additional books)
Edmonton, AB – $3.00 increase (to ship 5 additional books)
Victoria, BC – $6.00 increase (to ship 5 additional books)

Connecticut, USA — $16CAD increase (to ship 5 additional books)*
Texas, USA — $20CAD increase (to ship 5 additional books)*
California, USA — $22CAD increase (to ship 5 additional books)*
*Using Tracked Packet USA

International shipping sees the same effect, however, as the shipping options for specific countries and package weights vary, it’s a little harder to broadly indicate the actual increase international customers would see. That said, the difference can be observed as you add books during your check-out process.

First-time visitor?

Updated October 1, 2026

I’m a bit different from the usual online bookshop in that I keep minimal inventory. As such, you’ll see most items are listed as ‘Backordered’. When you purchase a back-ordered item through Luftshop, it is added to my next monthly order to the publisher in Japan.

Learn more about the Luftshop by reading the Ordering & Shipping FAQ via the link below for more important details on stocking, ordering, and shipping.