German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Scheduled for November 28.

https://www.amazon.com/German-Eagles...=messerschmitt

Usual disclaimer,
Ed

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Thank you, order placed.

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

You're welcome.

Ed

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Anyone read a copy yet? If so, comments?

Mark Proulx

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Excellent. Total emphasis on the Bf 109, with many photos. Plus a copy of a four page original document listing *all* the Legion Condor victories in the SCW including locations. This was obtained from the estate of a Legion Condor veteran. It has differences from the Ring-Ries volume on the SCW.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

An enjoyable read. Recommended to anyone interested in the early Bf 109 and its service with the Legion Condor.

Mark Proulx

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Hello,

Surprisingly, the pilot on the left in the photograph on the double-page spread on pp.38-9, is referred to as, "another pilot"! Surely this is Heinrich "Hein" Bruecker".

Col.

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Just received my copy. A superb, thoroughly researched and illustrated book, with many previously unpublished photos.

A well structured work too, easy to follow. Still reading it through. so I may make some further observations at later date, but from what I have read thus far the book will be a welcome addition to library of any enthusiast interested in the Legion Condor's deployment in the Spanish Civil War.

There is one thing that caught my eye though - there appears to be no mention of, in the absence of better word, the anomaly of having Bf 109 D-1 aircraft (i.e., coded 6-95, 6-96, 6-97, and possibly even 6-98) in the batch of the Bf 109 E aircraft (6-87 to 6-130). At least one of these (i.e., 6-95) is a known exception for I believe a decade.


Regards,
Sinisa

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Excellent read! Very interesting! Very good research work based on pictures. I've really enjoyed reading about the A version.

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

It was good but this author is no Christopher Shoes, I will expect any military book about Spanish Civil war published in 2019 ought to include both side's view, just like how Christopher Shores writes his books

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Why it should include "the other side" when the book's title doesn't even suggest it?

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Because this book was about Me 109 in the air combat of Spanish civil war, a war fought more than 80 years ago, am I asking to much about a book relate to a war fought 80 years ago should include statistics from both side like Christopher Shores did in every single one of his books?

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Yes. I am no fan of Shores's books as they are more like combat chronicles than analytical histories.

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Well, I happened to love his style

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Perhaps it is important to differential between "what we would LIKE to see" and "what an author SHOULD write"?

If the author is experienced in one side of a conflict, he/she would add value in concentrating on showing that expertise. Better to spend one's efforts in what one knows, rather than add poorly in an area outside of that knowledge base. There is always someone else who can add value to the other side of that conflict.

Shores' books are joint ventures with many other authors adding great value in their areas of expert knowledge. You only have to look at the other authors listed in the by-lines of the Mediterranean Air War series.

With David Johnston's book, I find the value that it adds in clarifying (more than previously known, anyway) the situation regarding the existence of the Bf109A in Spain and the error in designation between Bf109B-1 and B-2 models. It's a good single volume on the early Bf109s in Spain - which is why I bought it. I suspect that it would require a length collaboration with a Russian-speaking author/researcher to adequately attempt to cross reference the story from the Republican/Soviet side of the story. I'd like to see that too, but I don't feel the lack of cross-reference detracts from Johnston's book.

I would draw an analogy with the criticism levelled at Anthony Cooper for his book "Darwin Spitfires" being a one-sided look at the RAAF/RAF Spitfire defence of Darwin in 1943. Yes, it was meant to be a look at the Spitfire operations. It described the Spitfire claims - as claims. It described the Spitfire losses in total but broke it down to combat losses, fuel-starvation losses, and most importantly, hydraulic propeller failure losses. It described the lack of co-ordinated interception tactics, and the poor marksmanship of many of the Spitfire pilots. What I found to be of greatest value in that book was the detail that the Spitfire Vc (even with the bulky Vokes filter) had sufficient power to outmanoeuver the A6M Zero in high-speed turning dogfights. Most of the Spitfire combat losses occurred due to being bounced by Zeros with altitude advantage. Cooper made no real attempt to draw into the Japanese side of the ledger but concentrated on the Spitfires. I believe David Johnston has done similar service to the early Bf109s in telling their story over Spain.

For what my opinion is worth (2c ?), I'd happily give it a thumbs up.
...geoff

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

Yes, Anthony Cooper was written from RAAF's POV, but he did not ignore Japanese's perspective, for each air combat, he would address Japanese units that participated the battle, they claims and their losses. Same as Bruce Gamble

Re: German Eagles in Spanish Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39
 

I readily admit that I am no Christopher Shores and would like to say that I am an admirer of his works, especially his Malta titles, however I must point out that it was not my intention to write a "campaign" book on the Spanish Civil War. I have been interested in the Legion's 109s for many years and it has long been a desire to publish something on the subject, but first I wanted to have something new to offer. After discovering the original Legion Condor files in Germany I felt that the information they contained justified going ahead. Sadly they cover but a brief period of about 7 months, but it is an interesting one covering the arrival in Spain of the three prototypes and fourteen Bf 109 A fighters. If only they were available for the entire war!
As to the Bf 109 D aircraft in the 6 - 90 serial range, I was previously unaware of their existence. I collected photos of Legion 109s for several decades and had access to two large private collections, but there were no photos of these aircraft. I have since obtained a good photo of 6 - 95 and hope to find others for a second edition.
My main aim in writing this book was to add to the available knowledge on the subject, nothing more. If I am to be criticized for not delving into the Republican side in a book subtitled "The Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Service with the Legion Condor", then so be it.