Don Bend book 1942
 

Gentlemen,

My book about the Hungarian 2nd Army's bridgehead-battles in summer, 1942 is out. It is not just the daily account of the ground battles, but contains many - partially unpublished - info about the Hungarian and German (StG 77, JG 77, KG 27 etc) air activity as well.
I used up all of the important remained materials from the Hungarian and German archives, all available worthy Hungarian, German and Russian books, reliable remembrances, etc. It contains 2 colour and 44 black and white photos as well (most of them unpublished).
The A/5 format, 172-page long book's price is 10 EUR +p&p

Language is Hungarian. You can see the front cover and the dedication (it was made by a long recce pilot) here:
http://www.netlabor.hu/roncskutatas/...?articleid=262

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Congratualtion
it is a pity that I do not speak Hungarian, :-)

PS
As a "ewange" about Hungarian titles I can add that 2 week ago I have published long sotry aboy Hungarian Falcos (CR.42 in MKHL service 1940-44) most of thext is aboyt combat on the East in 1941.
Sorry text is in Polish but the caption under phot are in English too, :-)

Regads
MirekW

PS
Wht about the next title about Slovak-Hungarian air war in III 39?

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Well, congrats to both you! :bow:

I´m going to "join the club" :piliot: very soon...

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Thx.

Well, regarding the Hungarian-Slovak border conflict, have no info regarding the expected releasing date (my armour material will be the first at the MMP, maybe in Oct?).

But my large scale Hungarian aces book will be out in Hungary in late October as well.

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Hi

Some question:
1. The armour book, how much text and how much photos will be there/ you are planing to publish?

2. Which period are you going to cover in it?

MirekW

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Mirek,

I guess, the text is average MMP size. I sent lots of unpublished photos but don't know, how many will be available in the book (have no info from the publisher) I have sent not just archive photos, but about the remained Hungarian AFV's as well (the Nimród in Budapest, the Ansaldo in Belgrade and the other captured AFV's in Kubinka)

It contains three big chapters: one is the detailed history of the 1st Field Armoured Division in 1942/43, next is the brief history of the Hungarian armoured units in combat from 1939-45 (incl the assault artillery, which was not armour, it was a part of the artillery) and the third is a short chapter about the Hungarian AFV development and manufactury.

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Hi
This Hungarian armour book is as for the last your post lacking some information about Hungarian armour units in 1939-41, like "combats" in March 1939 against Slovak, re-"capture" or liberation of Transylwania in summer 1940; in April 1941 against Yugoslavia - very short, Csabas and Toldis - and the bigger part of armour history cocnerning Fast Brigade on the East in VI-XI 1941. The last one was real, hard war.

In fact there are difficoult to say about "real panzers 1939-41" but there were some armours in these military actions involved (mostly CV-33 Ansaldo, Csaba armoured car, and many Toldi tanks in 1940-41 = very light or light armour as you compare them to T-34 or KV-1, KV-2 as on 1941 or with German Pz.III, Pz.IV.

All the best,
Mirek W

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Mirek,

I wrote in my last post, that "brief history of the Hungarian armoured units in combat from 1939-45". That material does contain info about the Hungarian armour in March, 1939, which was their baptism of fire as well and about April and summer/autumn, 1941, about the Yugoslav and first Soviet campaign of the Fast Corps (many unpublished details even for Hungarians). No info about 1940 summer, because there were not any engagements between the Hungarian and Romanian armour at this time (just few firefights and especially against the Iron Guard, but the armour units not took part in these sporadic events).

It is nice, that you are interested in that project as well, but it is a topic for the Don bend book, not for the armour material (which not contains aviation details as my other materials did, so I'll not mention here, if these book will be available and will not post more details about it). I am sure, that you can find more info about that book in the MMP site soon.

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Hi
OK if it is Don Bend that should be about this not about armour topics, :-)

Therer were capture by Hungarian troops a few Soviet Hurricane from Fighter Divison (235. IAD). I know about 4 photos of these captured Hurricanes II (one Mk IIC, other after soviet re-arming Mk II), have you any other information about this topic.

BTW Hungarian troops had capture then at least 3 damaged Hurricanes, BTW I had written about this, a little, in my book Hurricane in Foreign Service in 2001 and attached 2 photos from this battle and place.

Hurricane fighter division was destroyed mostly by German Me 109, and there were not combats if right remeber with Hungarian air deatachment.

Regards
mw

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Mirek, the Hungarian captured few Il-2's as well in 1942 (in flyable condition also) but these planes (incl LaGG and Hurricane fighters) were never used by the Hungarian units in combat. The Hungarians used only few captured liaison and trainer planes (an UT-2, for example).

And you are wrong, there were some dogfights between the Soviet Hurricanes and Hungarian planes in 1942, you can find the details of an engagement in my aces book as well.

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Hi
Good, that I am wrong about combat between Hungarian fighters and Soviet Hurricanens. I do not deeply digg out this subject (mostly Soviet side) so it is possible, why not
BTW in which period these combat did took place? 235. IAD had used Hurricanes between beginning of June 1942 to 30 VIII 42, the last unit flying on Hurricane was 436. IAP and this is most probably one, which could fight versus Hungarians. Its pilot had also claimed the most victories climed on "Hurritones" - Soviet nickname for Hurricanes.

Yes I know that Ił-2 was also captured then, if I am right I have a photo of it in my colection, but Hungrians had also captured at least one Il-2 in 1941 and this was presented in Budapest "fest"/fair/? in the summer 1941.

This Ił-2 from 1942 was transported to Hungary too?
BTW yes LaGG-3 was also captured on railway station Novyj Oskol (if I am right), but thses 3 planes (2 Hurri + 1 LaGG-3) had severe combat damages and were just transported back to workshop.

Despite these 3 figters there were at last one mre Hurricane MK IIC with 4 Brithish 20 mm cannons - there is a photo of it, what about this plane?

Regards
mw
PS
Which language will be printed your book about aces?

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Mirek,

there were not just one engagements between the Hurricanes and Hungarians (and not just against the Hungarian fighters but recces as well) BTW you can find more info about these engagements from Soviet (TSAMO) sources, than Hungarians (Hungarian sources never mentioned Hurricanes, because the crews/pilots generally wrongly identifyed the type - the same happened from Soviet side as well)

Aces book is Hungarian, of course (will be an English edition as well in the future for sure)

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Yes, that particular photo was published in my very first book, I co-authored, titled 'Horrido. Air Battles over the Eastern Front', published by OMIKK, Budapest, in 1992 (1st ed.) and 1993 (2nd ed.), respectively.
There is an interesting inscription just behind the cockpit, reading 'Empire Quill' (in Latin characters).

Ree: Hurricane MK II C
 

Hi
yes this is this case, when Hungarian is standing in the front of Hurricane II C, which is made in UK. Photo was made in these period with quite "strange" version of British Hurricane MK IIC (which in more quantity would come to Russia next year).
Soviet did begin to rearme most of their Mk IIA (8x7,7), Mk IIB (12x7,7) on his own weapons (2x12, +2x20 mm or on the begining even 4x20 mm) since begining 1942. So the 436. IAP of 235.IAD, which fought on Don bend in the summer of 1942 had come to the front armed with Soviet orygin/armed Hurricanes (2x12,7+2x20 mm). This was regiment, which fought the longest period from the whole Soviet Hurricane division which was annihilated then mostly by German fighters.

The problem with Tsamo document is that, you should came there to read them and also have infor from Hungarian side because Soviet sources written most of all had flown over there (Don Bend ) as a Messerschmitts or Fw 190, ect. so they did not correctly idetifeied enemy side.
BTW, Csaba how did you get documents form Tsamo?

Regards
Mirek W

Re: Don Bend book 1942
 

Mirek,

It is out now, the period is the entire war (but the most detailed is the 1. Field-Armoured Division in 1942/43, unpublished even in Hungary) The first chapter is the 1. Field Armoured Division in 1942/43, next is a general chapter about the armoured units in the entire war (from 1939 till 1945), then the industry and vehicles.

IIRC it contains approx 70 archive photos (most of them unpublished) and many colour ones as well regarding the survived AFV's (in Hungary, Serbia and Russia)