New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Dear fellow enthusiasts,

I am very pleased to announce the launch of a new publishing company called Air War Publications. The aim of the company is to produce high-quality books about the operations, units and personnel of the Luftwaffe and Allied air forces during the Second World War.

The first book available from Air War Publications is ‘Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily’, written by Morten Jessen and Andrew Arthy. This title covers the service of Fw 190 units in the Mediterranean theatre in the four-month period from the Axis surrender in North Africa to the invasion of the Italian mainland, with the focus on the role of the Fw 190 in the Sicilian campaign of July and August 1943. It features many first-hand accounts from personnel of both sides, along with numerous photographs, maps, and colour aircraft profiles. The book describes many eventful and successful Fw 190 anti-shipping operations and attacks on Allied landing forces. It also describes the serious problems hampering Fw 190 operations, such as the devastating Allied bombing campaign against Sicilian airfields, a severe lack of operational aircraft, and the pressure placed on senior Fw 190 unit leaders by their superiors, including the threats of court martial made against two of them. This title is a sequel to the book ‘Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in North Africa’, written by the same authors.

The book specifications are:
Size: 25 x 31,5 cm
Format: hardcover, 224 pages in colour
137 black-and-white & 3 colour photographs
11 colour aircraft profiles by Claes Sundin
16 colour maps, 4 emblems & 12 illustrations
10 appendices, including loss & victory lists, camouflage & markings information, tactics, escort fighter material, statistical tables, & aircraft profiles with information for modellers
The price is 54 euros + shipping & handling

Please visit www.airwarpublications.com for further information, a book sample, free downloads of additional book-related material, flight sim skins from profiles in the book, and more.

Future announcements will be made in the Books and Magazine section of this board.

Kind regards,
Morten Jessen

On behalf of Air War Publications

NB! Please note that the site does not function correctly in Internet Explorer 6 and 7. All other browsers function correctly.

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Morten (and Andrew)
Congratulations on both the book and the publishing company. I shall read both the new and the coming title with great interest.

Regards

Mikkel Plannthin

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Dear Morten and Andrew,

I received my copy few days ago. Impressive work, like your first one.

Congratulations.

Best Regards

Marco

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Morten and Andrew, excellent news, is your book also available at amazon?

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Whoa! Hot diggity Damn! Another book from Morton & Andrew! I am so there--well maybe for my Christmas present!

NM

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

The book looks good but the price is hefty though, 68 euros for 227 pages,
I really hope it worth every sent just as FW-190 over Africa did.
Mr Jessen the Courland book caught my imagination, any estimates as regards publication time?

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi,
Thanks for your comments and questions. Much appreciated.

To clarify various questions and comments:
- There are no publication dates as future projects are still "in the works". Instead of postponing the publication date again and again, the publication date will not be annonced until shortly before it is ready to ship. The reason for telling what we are working on, is that some people may want to help/assist/contribute with information, photos or first-hand accounts.

- The book is not available from Amazon.

- The price is 54 euros + shipping & handling - not 68 euros. Shipping varies from country to country.

- Whether the book is worth it's price is hard to answer from my very biased position, so I suggest you download the free sample from http://airwarpublications.com/articl...s/book-samples and in general keep updated on reviews and comments I hope to appear on this board in the near future.

I hope this clarifies your questions so far.

All the best
Morten

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Morten, is this book available now? and how long would take you to ship this book after I place my order?

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Mars,
Yes, the book is available. We aim to arrange shipment of the book within 48 hours of receiving your order (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays).

Kind regards
Morten

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Thanks, I will order one from your site.

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

The free sample was very interesting for me because I checked the RL 8/20 file too and found some other facts than mentioned in the Appendix I.

01.06.1943, W.Nr.0900:
the call sign mentioned there was "TJ + GL"

07.06.1943, W.Nr.0881:
instead "?" there was mentioned "TD + DS"
regarding the file RL 8/20 the place was San Pietro (09.50 am) and not Castelvetrano because it was an flight from Castelvetrano to San Pietro, reason: not extended main gear

13.06.1943, W.Nr. 0135:
footnote 4 said that in RL 8/20 was mentioned W.Nr.0136 but I had notice for me the W.Nr. 0135 like in the other documents too

14.06.1943, W.Nr. 0899:
in the appendix is mentioned the pilot Gerhard Krüger but I have found the pilot Oblt. Ernst Schneider

I'm correct here or I had misreaded some documents?

Best wishes
Rasmussen

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hello Rasmussen,

Many thanks for your comments on the sample page from Appendix I of our ‘Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily’ book.

RL 8/20 is a very interesting file, but we found a number of typos and errors in it. As a result, we felt that it was best used in conjunction with other primary sources, and if more reliable primary sources had different information, we would generally use that information rather than what was found in RL 8/20.

Please find our comments on your posting below:

--------------------------------
> 01.06.1943, W.Nr.0900:
> the call sign mentioned there was ‘TJ + GL’

We have two good primary sources that confirm the markings of this aircraft. An Allied captured aircraft report (in NA AIR 40/2159) has the following entry: “Fw 190 A-5/U8 W.Nr 900 <A + I, original markings ?? GL”. On page 203 of our book a photograph clearly shows this aircraft marked with ‘<A + I’. On the starboard side, the ‘GL’ and half of the ‘J’ had been overpainted by the ‘<A’ and III. Gruppe bar.

--------------------------------
> 07.06.1943, W.Nr.0881:
> instead "?" there was mentioned "TD + DS"
> regarding the file RL 8/20 the place was San Pietro (09.50 am) and not
> Castelvetrano because it was an flight from Castelvetrano to San Pietro, reason: not
> extended main gear

Regarding the aircraft code, I think that there might be a typo in your posting, because RL 8/20 actually says ‘TD + SS’ (which is confirmed by other sources as the correct Stammkennzeichen). ‘TD + SS’ may be the correct marking for W.Nr 0150 881, but unfortunately we could find no other source to confirm this, so instead we included a question mark in the loss list entry.

RL 8/20 says that it was indeed a transfer flight from Castelvetrano to San Pietro. Morten and I made an error in saying that the transfer flight was from San Pietro to Castelvetrano.

However, we are quite certain that the loss location was Castelvetrano, not San Pietro. In BA-MA RL 8/20, the place (ort) for the loss is given as Castelvetrano. Two other sources confirm the location. Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt. says the incident occurred at Castelvetrano. A strength return in NA HW 5/262, CX/MSS/2698/T19, says that at 14:00 on 7 June 1943 there were two III./SKG 10 aircraft crashed at Castelvetrano, but none crashed at San Pietro. We are not sure why the pilot crashed at the same airfield from which he took off.

Also, Landeklappe means landing flaps, so he crashed because the landing flaps did not work.

---------------------------------
> 13.06.1943, W.Nr. 0135:
> footnote 4 said that in RL 8/20 was mentioned W.Nr.0136 but I had notice for me the
> W.Nr. 0135 like in the other documents too”

There was a typo in our notes from RL 8/20. The original page from the RL 8/20 document does indeed say W.Nr 135, so you are correct. Thus all sources agree that the Werk Nummer for this loss was 135. However, we believe that RL 8/20 has a typo when it says that W.Nr 135 was marked ‘Black N + ’, and we follow what is said by the Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt. loss entry, ‘Black M + ’.

---------------------------------
> 14.06.1943, W.Nr. 0899:
> in the appendix is mentioned the pilot Gerhard Krüger but I have found the pilot
> Oblt. Ernst Schneider

Morten and I have page 40 of RL 8/20, which includes the following: “13.6. 1600 UHR: FW 190 A 5 / U 8, W M R 899, TAKT. ZEICHEN : WEISZ A.-
AUFTRAG: ANGRIFF AUF SCHIFFE VOR PANTELLERIA.-”

Unfortunately, for some reason we do not have page 41, on which other details (such as the pilot’s name) appear. Perhaps you would be kind enough to share this page with us?

We used other sources to fill in the gaps. The Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt. loss list stated that a III./SKG 10 aircraft with the W.Nr 0899 suffered 30 per cent damage in a crash-landing at San Pietro after an operation on 13 June 1943. The III./SKG 10 war diary (RL 10/361) reports only one such incident in mid-June, with the entry for a mission between 10:05 and 11:15 on 14 June 1943 reading: “Lt. Krüger nach Erledigung des Auftrages Bruchlandung in S. Pietro, unverletzt.” We felt that the Krüger incident was the same as the one in the entries for W.Nr 899 in the Genst.Gen.Qu.6.Abt. records and RL 8/20.

Oblt. Schneider flew missions with III./SKG 10 in April 1943, on 6 and 26 June, and then again in late-August 1943. However, there is no record that he flew any missions on 13 or 14 June 1943, when the incident involving W.Nr 899 happened.


I hope that the above answers your queries. If you like, I can email you copies of the sources that I have mentioned as evidence for these incidents.

All the best,
Andrew & Morten

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hello Andrew,

many thanks for your answers. They were very interesting. I checked the RL 8/20 file because I'm in search of informations for Erla a/c's - so other informations are "waste products" but I collect these too (not as copy).

Because I check every RL-file (uninteresting and interesting files) in BA/MA side by side I'm quite sure that I had the information regarding Schneider from RL 8/20 but like I wrote I didn't make copies. In the next year I'm in BA/MA again for 2 weeks and I check it again.

Best wishes
Rasmussen

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

It is a great launch, on my shopping list!.

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hello,

We’ve started to receive some very positive reviews and feedback for our ‘Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily’ book. A page has been created on the company website with some of the positive comments by Christopher Shores, John Beaman, Peter D. Evans, Kurt Braatz, and Robert Forsyth.

The new book also recently received a very favourable review from Adam Norenberg.

For those interested in obtaining a copy of the book, ‘Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily’ is available only via the company website, www.airwarpublications.com.

We’d also like to mention that we’ve added some new ‘book-related material’ to the company website, this being a detailed four-page document listing Allied ships sunk or damaged by Axis aircraft in the Mediterranean theatre in the period 14 May to 2 September 1943. Also available in the ‘book-related material’ section is a complete and detailed listing of all known Fw 190 missions in the period 14 May to 2 September 1943.


All the best,
Morten Jessen & Andrew Arthy

Air War Publications

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Will there be a dealer in north america stocking this title?

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hello superbee

Currently there are no plans for dealers in the US. You can obtain a copy of the book from www.airwarpublications.com (Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Diners Club and other cards are accepted).

Please let me know if you have other questions regarding purchasing a book.

All the best,
Morten Jessen

Air War Publications

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Andrew and Morten
I can't see the "add to cart" function on your site so it's impossible to checkout an empty basket!

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Morten;
We are interested in being one of your dealers here in the U.S. Is there a reason you are not planning on dealers?....Let me know,
Thanks so much,
Judy
Eagle Editions Ltd.

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Laurent and Judy,
Since you both reached me via the web site contact form, before I saw your posts here, there is no need to reply here as well.

In case others have problems purchasing the book via the web shop please contact us via the web site or on email, info@airwarpublications.com, as we may not pass by here every day.

Thanks for your interest in our book.

All the best
Morten

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hello,

I thought I'd let members know that our Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily book has received another very positive review, this time written by Neil Page.

As previously mentioned, the book is available only from the company website, http://www.airwarpublications.com.

Kind regards,
Andrew Arthy & Morten Jessen

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Very intereting project: congratulations

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

I received my book a few weeks ago.
Its worth!!!

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hello everyone,

We have some news and updates for our publishing company, Air War Publications, that we’d like to share with you.

Important news for customers in the United States is that they can now order the company’s first book, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily, via Amazon.com. The book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Focke-Wulf-Fw-...6610442&sr=1-1

Both of our upcoming book projects are progressing well. We have begun to work closely with our Russian co-author on the Air War Courland project, and continue to steadily gather more research material. Work on the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Defending Southern Italy book (covering the period 3 September 1943 – 21 January 1944) is also advancing well. We have already obtained many of the most important primary sources, but are always searching for more. If anyone has photographs or documents that they would like to contribute to either of these book projects, please contact us via the company website.

As can be seen on the reviews page of the company site, our first book continues to receive praise from various readers and reviewers. Extracts from the book will also appear in an upcoming edition of German aviation magazine Flugzeug Classic.

New bonus material related to the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily book has been added to the company website, and this should be of interest to visitors to this forum. The bonus material includes the following:

USAAF victory claims against the Fw 190
This bonus material matches USAAF aerial victory claims for Fw 190s with known data from the German perspective in the period 14 May 1943 to 2 September 1943. This has been created with the permission of Frank Olynyk, whose USAAF victory claims list provided a starting point for our research. USAAF and Luftwaffe units have been identified for almost every combat listed in the document.

Technical Notes
This bonus material covers various technical aspects of the service of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Mediterranean theatre between 14 May 1943 and 2 September 1943, including: the aircraft repair and maintenance situation; Fw 190 variants operated in Sicily, Sardinia and Italy in the summer of 1943; weaponry used by the Fw 190 units; and other Fw 190 equipment such as tyres, drop tanks and radios.


Best Regards,
Andrew Arthy & Morten Jessen
Air War Publications – www.airwarpublications.com

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

On my last visit in Freiburg I checked the telegram "Geheim Nr.40" again and on the backside of this document you find the name of the pilot and it was - like I wrote - Oblt. Ernst Schneider and not Lt. Krüger.

best greetings
Rasmussen

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Rasmussen,

Thanks for checking this for us.


Cheers,
Andrew A.

Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Bargain alert - the price for the 'Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily' at Amazon has just dropped from $55 (list price) to $35.96.

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Dear Morten and Andrew,


I am reluctant to sound like I know it all but I have been in the book publishing business (fiction) for many years. This type of communication is perfect and every book publisher should imitate it. Links, reviews, answers to questions... I have been involved in marketing books as well. In my opinion, a superb job in telling people about your work.



Best regards,

Ed West

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Ed,

Thanks! We find that between the website, Facebook, the various discussion forums and our newsletter, we reach most of the people who are interested in what we are doing.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

Re: New Fw 190 book and new publishing company
 

Hi Andrew,



You're welcome and all the best for the future.





Ed