History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Hello

Does anyone have any information regarding volume 6?

Regards
Michel

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

My question at the Grub Street Publishing fb page.

26 June 2024
"Are there any updates available for vol. 6 of Chris Shores et al's Mediterranean Air War ?

Their response
"Not yet unfortunately, but watch this space!"

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Hello all,

We are working on it, its very big and over half completed to a first draft stage.

You can hope for some positive news soon.

Russell

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Thanks for your answer. I'm looking forward for some news!

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Update from Grub Street Publishing website!

A History of the Mediterranean Air War Volume Six update
By Anne Dolamore
13 September 2024

We are excited to announce that we have a provisional publication date of July 2025 for the next volume of our A History of the Mediterranean Air War series. Below is an update from the authors about the content for the next volume to whet your appetite.

“Volume Six will cover strategic bombing operations by the US 15th Air Force and the RAF’s 205 Group from 1 November 1943 to 30 June 1944 and the air defence operations of the Axis allies. The background to the development of the strategic bombing campaign in south-east Europe, earlier precursor operations and secretive special operations are also described.

This volume is in the same highly detailed format as earlier books in this series including exhaustive tables of claims and losses. Coverage of the bombing campaign from 1 July 1944 to the end of the Second World War will be concluded in Volume Seven. As with earlier volumes it is profusely illustrated with rare archive material relating directly to the text.”

Keep an eye on our social media as we will be revealing cover artwork for Volume Six along with further details in due course.

Image [see link]: B-24L Liberator 44-49750 ‘Dogpatch Express’, 459th Bomb Group 756th Bomb Squadron drop[s] bombs on a rail bridge at Padua c. January 1945.

https://grubstreet.co.uk/2024/09/a-h...me-six-update/

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Book is not by Anne Dolamore but Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello, Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk & Winfried Bock and others!

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

I feel certain that Mr. Dolamore is not attempting to take credit for writing volume 6, hence the inclusion of the word "update"

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Great news and at last it confirms that the strategic operations will be covered in two volumes.

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

The BIG NEWS! [via Bill Stone]

Volume 6 is scheduled for July 31st, 2025

A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945: Volume Six: The Strategic Bombing Campaign over South-East Europe 1 November 1943 to 30 June 1944
(Grub Street Publishing – 31 July 2025)
by Christopher Shores and Russell Guest with Giovanni Massimello, Andrew Thomas, Frank Olynyk and Winfried Bock
576 pages - hardback
£34.75

"Following the inter-Allied Casablanca Conference in January 1943 the outline for the Combined Bomber Offensive was agreed and resulted in early February with the 'Casablanca Directive'. This required the "progressive destruction and dislocation of the German military, industrial and economic systems and the undermining of the morale of the German people to a point where their capacity for armed resistance is fatally weakened". This directive was clarified in June when the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued the 'Pointblank Directive' that stated that the highest priority targets were the fighter aircraft factories to ensure that in the coming invasion of France the enemy would not have air superiority.

When these directives were issued it was envisaged that as well as attacks by RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth Air Force based in England, the strategic bomber forces in Italy would begin operations once suitable bases were available. After the Allied landings in Italy and resulting collapse of the Italian fascist regime a network of bomber bases was hastily developed. Thus, on 1 November 1943 the US Fifteenth Air Force was formed to conduct the daylight bombing offensive against strategic targets in southern Germany and across South-Eastern Europe. Key among which were the Rumanian oilfields and traffic along the River Danube. This new formation was joined by the smaller, but highly effective 205 Group, RAF that was trained and equipped for night bombing so mirroring their equivalent British-based formations.

The damaging attacks on the Reich's oil supplies and the hugely effective Danube mining campaign conducted at night by 205 Group delivered huge strategic effect. The latter reduced vital oil and goods traffic into the Reich to a trickle but also dislocated the supply and logistics train into the southern part of the Eastern Front so giving manifest support to the Soviets.

In this volume the early months of this hugely significant air campaign are described in minute detail, including the actions of Germany's Axis allies such as Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria that were encountered for the first time by the Western Allies. Description of the strategic bomber campaign in the Mediterranean theatre will conclude in Volume Seven."

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

TWO more volumes then!? OK. God Bless Them for their hard work and legacy!

NM

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Hi Guys

I am currently doing the USAAF name index for Vol 6. There are rather a lot of names, but we all have to do the necessary but mundane things. I try to keep it in perspective by remembering most of the bomber pilots only appear when they are shot down, so its a matter of press on and lest we forget. Russ

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

"Who will speak for these men?" is always in the back of my mind when writing.

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

It’s just the most amazing series of books about the WW2 air war. I look at mine for reference all the time and the quality of research and detail just never ceases to amaze me; I’ve preordered the next installment although I am running out of room on my shelf where I keep them. Including the Malta and Balkans books I think the total is 8 now covering the med and that will make ten with the remaining two!

Thanks for all the work you have put into remembering these aviators and RIP Chris Shores, but great to see his work continues.

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

A page for Volume Six of A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945 is now up at the Grub Street Publishing website.

"This volume focuses of the early months of the hugely significant Pointblank Directive air campaign which saw Allied forces conduct daylight bombing offensives against strategic targets in southern Germany and south-eastern Europe. It also notes action against Axis allies such as Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria, that were being encountered for the first time by Western Allies. With minute and original detail and accompanied by hundreds of unpublished photographs, this is essential reading for scholars of the Second World War Allied air campaigns."

https://grubstreet.co.uk/product/a-h...-1945-vol-six/

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

21-22 June 2025
Book signing for Volume Six at Duxford Summer Air Show

Grub Street Publishing - fb
"We are excited to announce that we will be launching the sixth volume in our 'A History of the Mediterranean Air War' series at the Imperial War Museum Duxford Summer Air Show on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June 2025.

We are equally thrilled that we will be joined by authors; Russell Guest (coming over from Australia), Giovanni Massimello (coming over from Italy) and Andrew Thomas.

You can come and meet our authors at the Aviation Bookshop marquee throughout the weekend and have the opportunity to purchase signed copies of A History of the Mediterranean Air War Volume Six."

Re: History of Mediterraanean Air War
 

Grub Street is now offering pre-orders for copies of Volume Six that will be signed by three of the authors (Russell Guest, Giovanni Massimello & Andrew Thomas) for those of us who will not be able to attend the Duxford Air Show.

https://grubstreet.co.uk/product/a-h...x-signed-copy/

Announcement for Volume 7 of A History of the Mediterranean Air War (2026)
 

A History of the Mediterranean Air War Series Volume Seven
Coming in 2026

"Volume Seven covers the strategic bombing offensive from 1 July 1944 until the end of the war in May 1945. It details the increasingly heavy USAAF daylight bombing attacks against targets in southern Germany and Austria, but also the final raids against Romanian oilfields until they fell to the advancing Soviets as the Eastern Front collapsed.

The harrowing story of the efforts to resupply the beleaguered Polish Home Army is described in full as well as continuing the story of the strategic bombing offensive. Despite many difficulties the Luftwaffe and its remaining Axis allies in Hungary and the fascist ANR in Italy fought with grim determination and courage. Losses to fighters and the highly effective flak were heavy. Later the might of heavy bomber force was also used for direct support to the Allied armies battling their way north in Italy.

As in previous volumes the authors offer a chronological narrative of this significant campaign against the industrial capacity of the Third Reich that is complimented with a matrix of claims and losses from all sides, all shown in minute and previously unpublished detail with stunning photographs.

Military Aviation Book Catalog (2025-2026) - Grub Street Publishing
https://issuu.com/grubstreetbooks/do...tary_catalogue

Re: Announcement for Volume 7 of A History of the Mediterranean Air War (2026)
 

Unsure why a new thread on MAW Volume 7 was removed and consolidated with the old thread on volume 6. I would think think that the news of vol. 7 warrants its own separate thread.

A Small correction for Volume 6 of A History of the Mediteranean Air War
 

This is a great series of books and I have drawn on them a lot for researching the men whose documents I hold. I was checking today and noticed one small error in Volume Six on page 167. The claim for a B-24 by Ofw. Martin Heinze on 23 February 1944 correctly shows him as flying with 6./ZG1 but records his aircraft as a Bf109G-6. This claim is recorded in Heinze's Flugbuch (which I have) and is remarkable for the fact that Heinze was the Bordfunker in a Bf110 (fuselage code 'D' piloted by Ofw. Alfred Gräb). Heinze records the shooting down of a Liberator with the twin MG81 machine-guns for his second claim of the war (the first was a Spitfire over Tunisia on 26 April 1943, which lines up well with British accounts). The confirmed destruction of a B-24 by a Bordfunker was surely something pretty unusual and deserves recording.

Re: Announcement for Volume 7 of A History of the Mediteranean Air War
 

Very interestnig information, Tim!

Re: Announcement for Volume 7 of A History of the Mediteranean Air War
 

I received vol. 6. Another great book, but not flawless (it cannot be, of course).