New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Hello,

Coming soon from Air Research Publications:

https://www.wingleader.co.uk/shop/heinkel-he-219

Col.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Very interesting, though I would like to know how much material there is on operations and combat missions.

The Heinkel He 219: An Illustrated History of the Third Reich’s Dedicated Home-Defence Nightfighter
(Air Research Publications - 6 July 2020)
by R Francis Ferguson
236 pages w/ 227 photos, 19 colour images, 47 diagrams and maps, 14 tables
hardback w/ dustjacket
£ 49.95

Now available for pre-order, publication date 6 July 2020
Distributed exclusively by Wing Leader.
sample pages at website

"This new book is the product of a lifetime interest in the subject - and extensive research spanning more than a decade. Writing started in 2012, shortly after the publication of the ‘He 219 Research Paper’ when a number of readers suggested that he should have written the definitive history of the type. At that time, however, Ron felt that he did not have sufficient depth of knowledge. The Research Paper was a “… first step in setting right the historical record” - a first step only.

However, publication of the Research Paper brought forth new photos, documents and information. This ultimately developed into this new work, which gives the reader a comprehensive and highly detailed study of the Heinkel He 219.

This is an academic limited edition from the specialist publisher Air Research intended for the serious Luftwaffe enthusiast and historians and will only be produced in limited numbers.

The He 219 was in many respects unique. It was the world’s first series-built aircraft to be fitted as standard with an ejection seat – and not just one seat, but two. It was also unique in that it was designed and built as a dedicated nightfighter for home-defence duties. This came at a time when the prevailing military mind-set was almost exclusively fixed on the offensive role of aircraft. And, because of this mind-set, the He 219 was plagued by uncertainties that affected production and development. The He 219 was also unique for its tricycle undercarriage which came at a time when tail-draggers were common. Sometimes likened to a praying mantis, the very look of the He 219 with its nose-mounted dipoles gave just a small hint of its fearsome reputation in the night air war over continental Europe. In May 1940 RAF Bomber Command took the decision to go over to the strategic night bombing of Germany. The later introduction of four-engined heavies, the Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster, into Bomber Command operations saw an increase in the frequency and intensity of bombing raids. The Heinkel He 219 with its heavy firepower was quickly rushed into frontline service but like so many weapons of the time it came too late, and in insufficient numbers, to change the course of the conflict."

About the author
"An Australian aviation historian, Ron has spent many years exploring aircraft of the Luftwaffe – and in particular the He219. An acknowledged expert in his subject, he has worked with many fellow historians around the world."

*https://www.wingleader.co.uk/shop/heinkel-he-219

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I could not recommend this edition any stronger. It definitely is a "must have"!

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

.....and why is that Christer?

Exactly what is new vs what has been published before (both by this author) and others?

Cheers
Stig

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Are there any first person accounts of pilots flying missions?or is it just a technical book about the aircraft itself??

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

a 'new' chapter, pages 101-180, covers combat history "The He 219 in service May 43-May 45" with BF, FF accounts. The term 'densely written' comes to mind, reflecting the amount of detail and description employed.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

In the "Competing book projects" department

Chandos has a similar publication slated for "early 2021."

Heinkel He 219 Book Confirmed for late 2020
"I am pleased to be able to announce the third book in our ‘Luftwaffe Library’ series, on the famed He 219 ‘Uhu’ Nightfighter. Drawing on the vast experience and knowledge base of three authors and many other contributors, this book looks set to be the ‘ultimate’ reference on the type. Dutch researcher Marcel Hogenhuis, British radar expert Martin Streetly and Norwegian author Kjetil Aakra will be ably assisted by our regular Chandos team of Robert Forsyth, Eddie J. Creek, Mark Nelson and Maciej Noszczak. This will be a big book with hundreds of photos and lots of colour profiles, plus top-of-the-line scale drawings. I cannot wait to give you more details but for now the authors are busy working on the book!"
https://www.chandospublications.co.u...for-late-2020/

Chandos fb page - post made on 25 June 2020
"Work continues on our new Heinkel He 219 'Uhu' book. Some amazing documents and new information coming to light as the research continues! Projected release date early 2021 (HOPEFULLY). Let's just say we are moving forward!"

So should one wait until next year before deciding whether to purchase Ferguson's book? (please don't tell me "just get both")

Like some I am more interested in an operations history of this unique night fighter with personal accounts from both sides rather than the definitive technical treatise (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Can anyone comment on the differences and similarities between these two publications?

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

unlikely to happen if Chandos are still writing theirs. Ron published his 'research paper' in 2012 and has not stopped accumulating data and photos. Subtitled an 'Illustrated history' the new work seems to me to be as complete a technical and operational history as anyone is likely to produce - especially with regard to the amount of photos - and if they don't want to make the errors seen in lots of previous publications then Chandos is almost inevitably going to have to refer to this work as well. One thing that struck me reading Ron's 'Introduction' - the amount of contributors to this project constitutes practically the entire air warfare/Luftwaffe enthusiast research fraternity including Beale, Coates, Nielinger, Creek, Boiten, Lutz, Crow et al.. The Ferguson book doesn't feature artworks or plans..

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I suspect almost exactly the same people have contributed to Marcel's research. I know I have and rather more recently than with Ron.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Likewise.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I've published a more comprehensive 'look' at the book here

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I know no worse disappointment than an aircraft history/monograph turning into an operational chronicle. Great many aircraft books seem to be written by authors who know better things like paint schemes than spinning characteristics. So a reader wanting detailed information on the latter is indeed left wanting. For example, the multi-volume Classic set on the Fw 190 had no coverage of stalling and spinning characteristics, yet for a wartime pilot these were far more important issues than whether the swastika was 99 mm or 99.87 mm wide.

Given above, I hope that at least one of the 219 books would be aimed at aircraft enthusiasts, not combat chroniclers.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

The only reason the He 219 existed was to be used in combat. It was not an aerodynamic research vehicle or a technology demonstrator like the He 178 or the Gloster E.29/39.

So? Then please explain that why there are numerous warship and tank books (and those warships and tanks were most probably designed for combat) that are very much aimed at readers who are interested in their engineering and mechanical features rather than combat chronicling? Or why suddenly jets get far more technical treatment than WW2 aircraft? Or even WW1 era aircraft monographs tend to go far deeper into tech. details than WW2 aircraft.

And one more thing: history is an analytical science. Combat chronicling is not history.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Jukka,

I think you are missing the mark. Many Luftwaffe researchers began as modellers (not me) who wanted to know the history of an aircraft type or a particular aircraft. I study the history of technology and am very interested in the engineering aspects and how early developments pre-war were improved upon or superseded by further inventions. Perhaps you should write the engineering history books.

Best,
Ed

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Jukka

I certainly respect your opinions and interests.
The problem is you don't respect other individuals interests. Your next problem is that, at least on TOCH you are a minority with your own dedicated interests.

To say that history is an analytical science is wrong. History is whatever you make of it. Mankind's past is basically a time gone buy, just like the seconds it take you to read these sentences.
History is what you make of it. It could be everything or nothing. You can basically chose any subject you want and the minute you look one second behind, it has turned into history, never to come again.
To use the word analytical is in a way correct. Everyone who look into his/our/mankind's past analyse it, whether the individual understands it or not.
If we didn't we would never understand ourselves.

To state that chronicling is not history, is a fundamental mistake. Most historians whether they are archeologists or reading historians are basically relying upon exactly that. Lacking chronology leaves the archeologist with nothing to hang up his findings upon and the historian basically with no story to tell. It makes no difference if you write a wartime history, technical history or whatever dedicated historical topic you chose.

Just try and write a technical history without a chronology. Where would that take you?

Cheers
Stig

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I have no need to explain it since I didn't make the argument that the study of technical aspects was somehow of lesser value.

And how is one to produce an analysis without first establishing, as far as possible, what actually happened? Patterns are more likely to become apparent the more one can piece together the course of events; the discovery of more evidence may also invalidate a working hypothesis derived from one's initial findings.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

the technical development of a new type is intricately bound up with its combat history (how many marks of Spitfire were there- the Montforton book only analyses the engineering of the IX and XVI..) ...and especially with a machine like the He 219. After a combat debut in early June 1943 - during which five Lancasters were claimed - six months later in December 1943 I./NJG 1 still only had three serviceable He 219s on strength..page 109 of Ron Ferguson's book looks at the work of the 'Heinkel Technical field Service Unit' at Venlo and considers the many (many, many..) problems affecting He 219 serviceability..

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I'm not going to comment on the book. There's plenty I could say about Ferguson, in fact I"m itching to, but I will refrain.

Our book is being written by Marcel Hogenhuis, Kjetil Aakra and Martin Streetly, and we have had significant help from many other people. A lot of the book will be based on hundreds of pages of primary sources that Ferguson didn't have. Our book will also examine Czech and Russian machines, will have the finest scale drawings and plans, colour profiles and over 400 photos and images from Eddie Creek's archive. Marcel is writing the operational history of NJG 1 and to some extent other units. We hope the effort will be worth it.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I'm sure there'll be a thread about your book when it appears. Seems a bit churlish of you not to acknowledge that Wingleader and their author have done an excellent job on this. I know you have a 'thing' about 'unpublished' images and there's gonna be far fewer of those now in your book, but I'm sure that won't stop enthusiasts buying it (..as it would not have that JG title...). This book will surely only make yours better..

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

So as we are talking about photos and nobody mentioned it... Photos are of awful quality! It's quite an unpleasant surprise for a book at this price.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

..I don't suppose the original print/copies in a number of instances were that great either and in a few places in the book they are reproduced too small....no artworks either! Scope for Chandos to do better..

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Nothing to do with the guys at wingleader mate, more to do with Ferguson as a person. Much more going on behind the scenes than you might be aware of, but given my comments on The ‘other thread’ Yesterday I am very wary of airing dirty laundry in public. I am sure wingleader have done a fantastic job, and I have spoken with them extensively about friend Ferguson.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Just bought a copy.Great book.I would recommend it.
The only problem is the small, poor quality pictures.
I really enjoyed chapter 5 detailing the combat history.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Combat history is a great plus. Something I also thoroughly enjoyed is the report of a tester from Erprobungsstelle Rechlin on testing the ejection seat. First-hand accounts are always great. However, they are scarce in this book.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I had a brief look inside when visiting Christian Schmidt earlier this week.

I, for one, will certainly wait for the Chando effort.
Will be very interesting so see what Marcel can do, given a reasonable free hand.... :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

There's a bit more about what the Chandos book will include over on the Falke Eins blog in an interview with Dan Sharp. After talking about his own book, "Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe", he mentions what he has contributed to Chandos's He 219 and Bf 109 T projects.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

thanks for the heads up Nick

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Few questions about He 219 books (My birthday is coming and my wife & kids want to buy me a book, and He 219 an Illustrated History is one of the candidates - other are Dan Sharp's Me 262 book or the new BC RS vol 1...)

Is the Ferguson/Wingleader book "the best" He 219 book at the moment? It doesn't seem to be that "illustrated", according to reviews posted above...

Also, what's happening with Chandos He 219 project - is there any chance of something coming out in foreseeable future or is it dead?

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

I'm afraid my opinion would be purely subjective, given that Ron Ferguson basically screwed us over by breaking contract and then went to Wing Leader. The problem with him, [moderated] , is that he insists on publishing only what he wants. I'm not enough of an expert on the He 219 to know how accurate his book is, but I would say it 80% there.

Our book isn't 'dead', it's just on hold while our expert finishes up the operational history and some other stuff - unfortunately this can't be rushed.

If you want the best book for technical details and loss lists etc, then I'll leave that advice to the experts. For model making, probably one of the Richard Franks books.

Re: New He 219 Book from Wingleader.
 

Rich, thank you for the quick and sincere answer.
I guess He219 could wait for few more years (and I'll probably go for Me 262 book this year...)