Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Nacht...rdback/p/11633






Usual disclaimer,
Ed

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Mindful of Theo Boitens work, I puzzle as to what else a book like this could add especially as there are few night fighter aircrew left?

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Another dreadful cover :)

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Hi Chris,


I recall, long ago, getting a book with a damaged back cover. A neighbor knew about my interest in German airplanes and had passed it on to my mother who gave it to me. I remember being astonished to see a photo of an Me-163 for the first time. I had no idea.

So, in order to keep new blood flowing into a hobby for some and a serious research effort for others, general interest books are, in my view, a must. We need that casual reader to grow into that true researcher of tomorrow. And it seems new documents and photos continue to turn up, just as I see new photos from the First World War turn up from time to time.


Just my two cents,


Ed

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Ed
Agreed that new things are being revealed but for example, a contact of mine is doing a similar book having been commissioned by another publisher. His sources are not new so I doubt greatly if there will be anything new. I am also editing a book for another author-170,000 words based around a relative's 20 ops with Bomber Command. A vanity publisher said they would publish as is if he stumped up money which would leave him out of pocket & a garage full of books. 2 other respected publishers have said it is too big by 100,000 words hence my involvement. Even then there is no guarantee it will be accepted as there is no unique selling point (yet) & very few photos. Minefield so tread warily!

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

.. Bowman did publish a very large Schiffer title (450 pages) with Boiten entitled 'Battles with the Nachtjagd' - a very nice book

Battles with the Nachtjagd

I'd expect most of this 'new' work - in two parts -would be 'extracted', or more accurately, re-written, from that title..

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Dear all,

I just received a copy of Vol. 1 of Bowman's 'Nachtjagd. Defenders of the Reich 1940-1943', and am not amused for two reasons:
-In the 'Acknowledgements' of the book, I am quoted 'for information, images and invaluable reference work', whereas Bowman has only used partly outdated information that we shared for several book projects in the past; I have not helped him in the research of his new book.
-I have not granted Bowman permission to use many of the images that he used in his book, nor for literally quoting long German first-hand accounts from my earlier works on the Nachtjagd.

Again -I am not amused.

Theo

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Thanks for letting us know, Theo. It will not be on my "to buy" list now

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Theo,

I wait with great interest your work covering the Nachtjagd. Any idea when it is going to be published?

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Theo: As I suspected and I am both sorry for you and share your annoyance

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

Martin Bowman seems to write day and night.

On this site there are 188 titles by him (have not checked them to see if any doubles) and it looks like he can write about everything.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/lis...artin_W_Bowman

I would say a book needs at least one year including research to be of any use for others. There are those on this site, I know, who never would do anything after just a single year having spent perhaps their entire life doing research.

If we assume Bowman has been writing for 50 years it means he gets a new title published every three to four months a year.

I have a few titles but must admit I find them wanting. So basically no more books by Bowman for me....

Theo, my symphathies to both you and your hard work. I think most of us here eagerly awaits your new NJ volumes!! I know I do!

Cheers
Stig
Stig

Re: Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940 - 1943
 

I've had a chance to glance over the second volume of Bowman's two-volume work, and notice that some things have been selectively uplifted from the first Edition of The Nachtjagd War Diaries.

Having said that, I see, for example, that Bowman has perpetuated the myth that Arnold Döring shot down a 214 Squadron Fortress during Gisela on 3-4 March 1945, whereas if he cared to fully read the Nachtjagd War Diaries entry instead of selectively uplifting a few bits and pieces, he would have noticed a mountain of evidence presented that proves Döring did not shot down a Fortress.

I personally think the book is reasonably well written, but contains so much inaccurate information as to be laughable - the product of writing using the published research of others that, in some cases, is now dated, without putting in the really hard yards of documentary research in IMHO.

Regards

Rod

PS - although I have a vested interest, being a co-author of The Nachtjagd War Diaries, I would state that Theo and I have spent the last eight years not only expanding our original work, but also trying to correct factual errors contained in the first edition. What I see in Martin Bowman's latest work is no attempt to correct the many factual errors because, IMHO, he does not have the documentary evidence to do so.

As an example - Bowman relies heavily on books that have reproduced the discredited Nonnenmacher Nachtjagdverbände Abschüsseliste. Bowman quotes from this source throughout. Since at least 2008, it has been known publicly that this source contains completely bogus/fictitious data, so it is disappointing to see so many of the bogus Abschüsse have been presented as fact in Bowman's work. Admittedly, both Theo and I also reproduced some of this bogus data in the first Edition of The Nachtjagd War Diaries, but at least we acknowledged that there was a problem with the source.

In the Kindle Edition of Bowman's "German Nightfighters versus Bomber Command 1943-1945", there is no acknowledgement whatsoever of "The Nachtjagd War Diaries" as a source. Yet Bowman has used information from Volume Two. Two examples of Bowman taking what I'd written in Volume Two:

The Nachtjagd War Diaries, Volume Two (2008), Chapter 9 Introduction:

"The early months of 1945 saw a tremendous increase in RAF Bomber Command's operations, both in tempo and number, 40 raids being mounted in February alone."

German Nightfighters versus Bomber Command 1943-1945 (2016), Chapter 10:

"The early months of 1945 saw a tremendous increase in Bomber Command’s operations, both in tempo and number, forty raids being mounted in February alone."

The Nachtjagd War Diaries, Volume Two (2008), Chapter 9 Introduction:

"The will and fighting spirit of the Nachtjagd, however, remained unbroken until the end. Against the odds, during January and February 1945, Reichsverteidigung Nachtjagd crews flew 1,830 sorties, claiming 294 victories – 113 during January and 181 during February. Nachtjagd losses during these two months amounted to 94 aircraft and the majority of the crews flying them."

German Nightfighters versus Bomber Command 1943-1945 (2016), Chapter 9:

"During January-February Reichsverteidigung Nachtjagd crews flew 1,820 sorties, claiming 302 victories against the odds - 117 in January and 185 in February. But Nachtjagd lost 94 aircraft in the same period and the majority of the crews flying them."