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-   -   Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943. (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=53502)

edwest2 21st March 2019 18:03

Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Expected sometime in May or June.

http://www.christian-schmidt.com/pro...ducts_id=10427

Usual disclaimer,
Ed

rickback4444 21st March 2019 21:50

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Fantastic news - I think this compendium of books is excellent and hand tout down.

Rick

Jim Oxley 21st March 2019 23:30

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
For years it's been rumoured that Christer would restart the BCRS series. Great to see Vol.4 become a reality.

Will have to pull out Vol's1,2 & 3 again, and re-read them before Vol. 4 :)

Edward 22nd March 2019 02:35

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Christer Bergström's new publisher for the Black Cross Red Star series is Vaktel Förlag of Sweden. Publication date for volume 4 has been pushed back a couple of times and I really hope to see this by May / June 2019.

https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/blac...ban-1942-1943/

They also have a fb page.

Bergström states that once Vol. 4 is out Vaktel Förlag will next publish "heavily updated" editions of volumes 1, 2 & 3.

http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/

Jukka Juutinen 22nd March 2019 18:49

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
I wonder what kind of publisher Vaktel Förlag is as there seems to be two very agenda-driven book listed on its page...

Kari Lumppio 22nd March 2019 19:20

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Hello!

Vaktel is "nevahööd" indeed.

But they have published Juri Rybin's book about Safonov!
I did know nothing about such.

I take that it has not been published in English? Not that there is something wrong with Swedish. I shoudl dust that language skill anyway.

Cheers,
Kari

Larry deZeng 22nd March 2019 22:00

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Christer B. seems to have a history of bouncing from publisher to publisher and I have never understood why. His books are well-done, full of never seen before or rare photos, cover a subject that has been almost completely neglected in languages other than Russian and based primarily on Russian and German archive documents. They are a valuable contribution to the subject and it puzzles me why his sales volume hasn't been strong enough to keep at least one publisher happy enough to keep on producing them.

L.

edwest2 22nd March 2019 22:28

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Larry,


I've been in book publishing for 37 years. Traditional advertising outlets have dried up and one of my current research jobs is to identify websites to promote the books my company produces. As far as Luftwaffe related subjects, I'll assume for the moment that this has not been done in a comprehensive way. Yes, word of mouth is the best advertising but actually announcing new titles as done here is not always consistent. And some books - not this series - have outlandish or incomprehensible titles which might be known only to a small number of enthusiasts. I recommend the publisher contact Stone & Stone http://stonebooks.com/ and announce their new, upcoming release, and alert them to the fact that the first three volumes will see substantial revisions.


Also, there are Luftwaffe sites on facebook. Perhaps FalkeEins could mention the new book also http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/

Larry deZeng 22nd March 2019 23:23

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Thanks, Ed. I am familiar with Stone & Stone - they have reviews there of my 4 books and my author profile as well as the same for my co-author, Doug Stankey. It's a great place for details on WWII books.

L.

FalkeEins 23rd March 2019 17:16

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by edwest2 (Post 266531)


Also, there are Luftwaffe sites on facebook. Perhaps FalkeEins could mention the new book also http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the suggestion Ed..I met up with Christer when he came to my town a couple of years ago - a most genial and engaging character. A propos of Larry's question in post #7, this will be his 29th book I believe. A four-volume 'Barbarossa' series (essentially BC/RS re-done) was published by Ian Allan/Classic/Midland

Edward 4th April 2019 22:40

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Why are U.S. readers being sold a "lesser" edition?

Posted at the bottom of the page on vol. IV at the Vaktel Förlag website.

"Large format, heavily illustrated, (aircraft color profiles in the British edition) !"

Note:
The British edition of Vol. 4 is hard cover and contains colour profiles. ISBN 978-91-88441-21-8.
The British edition of Vol. 4 will be published in May 2019.

The U.S. edition of Vol. 4 is paperback and entirely b&w (except for the cover). ISBN 978-91-88441-50-8.
The U.S. edition of Vol. 4 will be published in April 2019."


I will certainly be waiting until May to buy the British hardback edition.

Christer Bergström 5th April 2019 18:55

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Yes, there is a European edition which is hard cover and with color profiles of aircraft, and a U.S. edition which is soft cover without any color profiles. There is no other option. Allow me to explain:

That is entirely because in order to have a book distributor in the United States who accepts books that are sent from a printer, one must have a warehouse in the United States. That is the rule. Living in Europe, that is unfortunately not possible for me. So the only possibility for me to have the book published in the United States is to have it a print on demand book via Ingram Spark. (No U.S. book stores would order a book from Europe.) Ingram Spark does not do hardcover copies, only softcover. It goes without saying that printing a single POD book is much more expensive than the printing price for a single book in an edition of several thousand. Even a soft cover book by Ingram Spark with color profiles would cost US $ 75.00. I think that everyone will agree that rather than to buy a softcover book with color profiles, anyone would instead order a hardcover book with color profiles from Europe, particularly since that one is less expensive, even with the postage included.

So for those who would like to buy their copy via a book store in the United States, there is the U.S. softcover edition (ISBN 978-91-88441-50-8).

For those who would like to have the European hard cover and partly color edition (ISBN 978-91-88441-21-8), they can order it via Amazon or directly from me. The postage and packing is US $18.00 if they are ordered directly from me. You can do so at vaktelforlag@gmail.com

Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4 will be published in May/June 2019.

All the best,

Christer Bergström

https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/blac...ban-1942-1943/

Christer Bergström 5th April 2019 19:02

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 4 covers the air war along the entire Eastern Front during the period winter 1942/1943 through the spring of 1943, in great detail, with a balance between German and Soviet archive sources etc, and with many first-hand accounts. It will be of the same size as the other volumes, and it will also contain aircraft color profiles.

Following the publication of Volume 4, new and heavily updated editions of volumes 1, 2 and 3 will follow, and next the subsequent volumes (vols. 5 etc.) will follow.

Large format, heavily illustrated, aircraft color profiles!

Anyone interested in a sample from the manuscript can e-mail me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com

Vaktel förlag is a publishing house that I have founded. Finally, I have full control of what I publish. It took some time to get the rights reverted back to me. From now on, you will see the valoumes in this series getting regularly published - I plan for one each year, starting with Vol. 4 in May/June this year, followed by a very, very much updated edition of Vol. 1 (hard cover and color profiles in the European edition, soft cobver in the U.S. edition because there is no other option) before the end of this year.

For anyone who would like to support the publishing by a crowd funding, please contact me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com

All the best,

Christer Bergström

Edward 31st May 2019 13:41

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Black Cross Red Star – Air War Over the Eastern Front : Volume 4, Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943Christer Bergström
"Will be published in May 2019!"

Does anyone have an update on the publication of volume 4?


Eager to see this one.

edwest2 31st May 2019 18:34

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
There is no updated release date.

Ed

Col Bruggy 1st June 2019 07:54

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Christer,

I will be ordering a copy of your "British" edition of Vol.4. Be in touch shortly.

Did you investigate "Lulu" as an alternative for your Vol.4? They can handle that type of work. Cost/quality might be a factor.

http://www.lulu.com/create/books

Col.

Richard Aigner 5th June 2019 19:56

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
On 5 May 2019 Christer Bergstrom sent an e mail regarding publication date of Black Cross - Red Star Vol 4:
"Hi,
Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 4 will be even better than I had anticipated.
I had planned to release the book now in May, but I have just got access to such a large amount of absolutely terriffic new material from certain archives - material that previously has been (and in principle still are) classified) - that I had to "stop the presses" until I have inserted this material. Due to the sensitive nature of the material, I can't tell you what it is, but you will see that the material in BCRS4 is substantially better than in the previous volumes. I expect the work to insert this new material to take about three weeks from now. Then there is the photo selection and the graphic design. So the publishing will be in the summer of 2019. This time definitely. Even if I receive tons of new material.I have lots and lots of never previously published photo material for the book, but should you have any "semi-unique" photo that you think would fit in BCRS4, I would be more than happy to take a look at it.
Please have a look at these new books by me too:
https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/arnh...-paratroopers/
https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/dais...r-ii-men-flew/
They will be released now in May. If you are interested, you can get a very good pre-order price for them, and I can post them together with Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 4. (I am talking about the hard cover edition of Arnhem 1944, and Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4, you will of course receive the hard cover edition with color profiles.) Just drop me an e-mail about one or both of those other books if you are interested.
There will be several very good maps in all books. I attach one of the maps that will be in Black Cross/Red Star - in A 4 format. All of the maps in Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4, will be in the same style by the same highly professional map drawer. It is my ambition to have every place name mentioned in the book placed on the maps.
All the best,
Christer Bergström"
HTH, Richard

edwest2 5th June 2019 20:48

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Thank you for posting this Richard.


Best,
Ed

Edward 6th June 2019 00:16

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Thanks for posting this update Richard. Sounds like vol 4 will definitely be worth the wait.

Edward

Richard Aigner 12th June 2019 21:21

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
An update by Christer Bergstrom on BCRS 4:
"Hi, dear supporters of Black Cross/Red Star!
Here is a question and an update.
The question: One of you made a most kind offer to make an image for the cover of Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4. It's a disgrace, but I have lost that e-mail. Could you please contact me again if that offer is still valid?
The update on BCRS4: All chapters apart from the last, conclusions chapter, are now completed. (The last chapter will be written when I am finished proofreading the book.) I am now in the process of proofreading the manuscript and selecting photos and writing photo captions. Between July 7 and 14, I will lead a battlefield tour in Singapore, and it is my aim to have sent BCRS4 to the printer before that, so that we can have the book delivered in late July.
All the best,
Christer Bergström"

Christer Bergström 16th June 2019 00:03

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
The first part of Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 4 has now been sent to the graphic designer for layout.

Volume 4 contains about 200,000 words, which is about twice as much as any of the previous volumes. There will be several hundred photographs, many of which are from pilot veterans’ private albums and have never been published before, color profiles by Jim Laurier, and excellent maps by Samuel Svärd (it is my ambition that each place mentioned in the text shall be easily found in the maps in the book).

Anyone interested in pre-ordering a personally signed hard-cover copy - and get it before it has reached the book stores - is welcome to e-mail me at forlag[at]vaktelforlag.se (replace “[at]” with an @ )

If you pass by a military or aviation specialist bookstore, please ask them if they’d be interested in taking the book.

This time, the book is published by my own publishing house, Vaktel förlag/Vaktel Books.

After Volume 4, the next volume (5) will follow, about this time next year.

Here are the contents:

Author’s introduction

Glossary and Abbreviations

Table of equivalent ranks


PART I: THE TURN OF THE TIDE

Chapter 1: Into the Fog
Chapter 2: The Luftwaffe and the VVS by Late 1942

PART II: SEALING OFF STALINGRAD

Chapter 3: A Continued Airlift Operation
Chapter 4: "Winter Storm" and "Little Saturn"

PART III: WIDENING THE OFFENSIVE

Chapter 5: The Luftwaffe’s Decisive Contribution during the Retreat from the Caucasus
Chapter 6: Operation “Mars” and Velikiye Luki—the “Little Stalingrad”
Chapter 7: The Soviet relief of Leningrad
Chapter 8: The End in Stalingrad

PART IV: THE LUFTWAFFE STRIKES BACK

Chapter 9: Von Richthofen’s Decisive Intervention
Chapter 10: An Army Group Saved by the Luftwaffe
Chapter 11: Stukas and SS Against Kharkov

PART VI: OVEREXTENSION

Chapter 12: Air Battle over the Salients
Chapter 13: The Battle for the Leningrad Corridor
Chapter 14: Ace Duel over Demyansk

PART V: IN THE NORTHERN SKIES

Chapter 15: Over the Dark Sea

PART VI: PREPARING FOR THE GREAT AIR BATTLES

Chapter 16: Kuban Bridgehead February – March 1943: Build-Up for the Big Battle

PART VII: CONCLUSIONS

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Air Power - The Key to Victory


Appendix I: Luftwaffe 4 Order of Battle, November 19, 1942

Appendix II: VVS KA and PVO Order of Battle in the Volga – Don Area November 19, 1942

Appendix III: The aircraft on the Eastern Front in the Winter of 1942/1943

Appendix IV: The Structure of the Luftwaffe

Appendix V: The Structure of the Soviet Air Forces in Late 1942

Appendix VI: Luftwaffe Aircraft Combat Losses on the Eastern Front November 1942 – March 1943

Appendix VII: Soviet Aircraft Combat Losses January–March 1943

Appendix VIII. Aircraft color profiles by Jim Laurier


MAPS

The Eastern Front mid-November 1942
The Southern Combat Zone November 1942
The Stalingrad Cauldron
The Stalingrad Air Blockade Zones
The Don – Donets area
The Rzhev – Velikiye Luki – Demyansk area
The Leningrad area
The Southern Combat Zone February-March 1943
The Kuban Bridgehead
The Far North


SOURCES


INDEX

Larry deZeng 16th June 2019 00:16

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Count me in, as I already have all of your BC - RS and related books. Will your new offerings be available through Amazon? It has gotten very expensive for someone living on the other side of the Atlantic to buy books from shops in the EU as the mailing charge is often more than the book. :shock: :( :mad:

L.

Christer Bergström 16th June 2019 00:20

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng (Post 270606)
Count me in, as I already have all of your BC - RS and related books. Will your new offerings be available through Amazon? It has gotten very expensive for someone living on the other side of the Atlantic to buy books from shops in the EU as the mailing charge is often more than the book. :shock: :( :mad:

L.

Hi Larry, please e-mail me at forlag[at]vaktelforlag.se

edwest2 17th June 2019 17:24

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Mr. Bergström,


It was a pleasure to read your post. I hope it serves as an example for other author/publishers.


Regards,
Ed West

edwest2 17th June 2019 17:26

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng (Post 270606)
Count me in, as I already have all of your BC - RS and related books. Will your new offerings be available through Amazon? It has gotten very expensive for someone living on the other side of the Atlantic to buy books from shops in the EU as the mailing charge is often more than the book. :shock: :( :mad:

L.

Larry,

I do believe that economic warfare is occurring regarding the post. My company lost virtually all of our foreign mail order customers when the US Postal Service decided to end Surface Mail.

Regards,
Ed

Larry deZeng 17th June 2019 22:17

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
You are right on target, Ed. It has worked in the other direction, too. I reduced my book purchases from EU book dealers and bookshops by 80% as a result of the unexplained immense increase in mail/postal rates over the past 15 to 20 years. The USPS used to have a very reasonable "book rate", but no more. It's almost as if there was an international conspiracy, and some Supreme Postmaster somewhere suddenly jacked prices by 300% to 500%.

L.

Christer Bergström 23rd June 2019 05:55

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Yes, it will be available via Amazon.

Larry deZeng 23rd June 2019 14:44

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Christer Bergström (Post 270919)
Yes, it will be available via Amazon.

Thanks, Christer. I did e-mail you on 15 June at forlag@vaktelforlag.se . Being available through Amazon will make things much easier for those of us living in North America.

L.

Christer Bergström 23rd June 2019 17:01

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng (Post 270935)
Thanks, Christer. I did e-mail you on 15 June at forlag@vaktelforlag.se . Being available through Amazon will make things much easier for those of us living in North America.

L.

Hi Larry, I'm sorry; I have been working about 15-18 hours a day to get BCRS4 finished. It is at the graphic designer right now. Chapter by chapter is made. I have fixed the photos and everything to the first chapters, and have seen the first chapters in layout, and I think they look terrific.

Here's a very small excerpt straight from the manuscript, from Chapter 6:

The surrounded Soviet garrison at Belyy was in desperate need of supplies and support from the air, so the single-engine biplanes had to be used to fly in supplies. Kapitan Viktor Grubich of 615 NBAP flew six such nocturnal supply missions to Belyy with an R-5 on December 9 and 10 alone.
The Soviets now responded to the reinforcement of Luftwaffenkommando Ost with a stronger emphasis on airbase raids. On December 10, three of III./JG 51’s Bf 109 F-2s were destroyed on the ground at Dugino Airdrome. Still, it became increasingly difficult for the VVS to fulfill its tasks over the Rzhev salient in daylight. This was due both to the fighter reinforcements on the German side (not least the presence of two entire Jagdgruppen with Fw 190s—an aircraft with no peer in the Soviet air force) and a shortage of aviation fuel on the Soviet side. The available aviation fuel was used mainly to bring as many Shturmoviks into combat as possible. The ratio of Shturmovik sorties to fighter sorties during the first stage of the winter offensive was 2:1. Against fewer than twenty own combat losses, Luftwaffenkommando Ost claimed to have shot down 105 Soviet aircraft between December 1 and 11, and seventy-six of the latter were Il-2s. The situation was often different when the Il-2s were provided with fighter escort. On December 12, when Oberleutnant Hans Beisswenger’s Schwarm of 6./JG 54 attacked a group of six Il-2s with an escort of 21 GIAP La-5s and LaGG-3s in the Demyansk area, the Soviets managed to prevent the Germans from reaching the Il-2s—at a cost to themselves of three fighter planes with their pilots, including the Eskadrilya commander Mayor Viktor Goncharov, and the deputy Eskadrilya commander Kapitan Ivan Bakal. One of these LaGG-3s was filed as Beisswenger’s 112th victory.
On December 14, 169 IAP had the opportunity to pay back I./JG 51 and Hauptmann Heinrich “Gaudi” Krafft when its La-5s pounced on the German pilots in the air near Belyy. Although his identification of the Soviet aircraft leaves much to be desired, the account by I./JG 51’s Unteroffizier Gerhard Schwarz of this combat is quite interesting:
“Suddenly a Kittyhawk emerges from out of a cloud at my altitude and attacks [Leutnant Joachim 'Achim'] Brendel. He is so close that I could almost have spat on his tail. He obviously has eyes only for the dark aircraft in front of him and doesn‘t notice me. Before I can warn Achim, the voice of the Technical Officer shrills through the radio: 'Achim, watch out, Indians behind you!' I call Achim to turn left. That the Stabsrotte [Hauptmann Heinrich Krafft and the Gruppen-T.O.] is already there gives me security. I look back—the sky is empty! Then I slip in behind the Curtiss and give him a burst from a distance of only 40 meters. A sheet of flame immediately breaks out of the fuselage and the Russian disappears with lightning-speed into the clouds.
A MiG-3 attacks me from the left and below. Achim warns me. I kick the rudder pedal, placing my plane on its left wing, pull the stick into my stomach and shove the throttle fully forward. The bird moans and groans, but I'm already in firing position. I take a lead of about 3 aircraft lengths and open fire. The hits are scored in the engine area, the cabin and the left wing. The MiG shakes and shivers under my cannon hits. The canopy flies off, the pilot has collapsed in the cockpit.”
Hauptmann Heinrich Krafft, I./JG 51’s commander, failed to return from that combat. Gerhard Schwarz recounted: “When I look around, behind me there is a cloud of black smoke in the air. The commander's aircraft has been hit and blew up. Later, Hauptmann Krafft is found with a smashed skull, without clothes. Only the Knight's Cross had been left on him.“
With seventy-eight victories on his account, Knight’s Cross holder Krafft was among JG 51’s top scorers. Krafft was shot down by either Leytenant Ivan Berezutskiy or Mladshiy Leytenant Burkin from 169 IAP, or by both in cooperation. He was the only German fighter to get lost on that occasion. On the other hand, 169 IAP lost the La-5 of Serzhant Sergey Levsha, while both Leutnant Brendel and Unteroffizier Schwarz claimed one Soviet fighter each.
With a sudden thaw setting in again on December 14, thick fog kept most of the German aircraft grounded. Although the weather also hampered Soviet aviation, the VVS proved to be better suited to handling these harsh conditions. German Ninth Army complained: “The Russian Air Force has become very active in recent days, despite unfavorable weather conditions, while the German aviation is not able to dispatch more than single aircraft at a time, according to 1. Fliegerdivision. The heavy enemy air activity is increasing the threat against the vital railway Vyazma – Sychyovka – Rzhev from day to day. Interruptions of the line by bombs and artillery hits are the order of the day. It is an extraordinary achievement of the transport services that up to six trains can be passed through to the south and to the north within 24 hours!”
The commander of the Ninth Army, Generaloberst Model, met Ritter von Greim of Luftwaffenkommando Ost on December 15 in order to discuss this situation on behalf of the Army Group. "A personal reproach is not my intention,” said Model, “but I have to concentrate on the fact that our own air force must intervene more if we want to survive this winter battle." He suggested that some units could be shifted forward to airfields located closer to the front-line. Von Greim retorted that due to the constant fog, his own aircraft were unable to take off, “and a relocation of individual Staffeln to other airfields (Dugino, Olenino) is not possible because of a lack of service facilities.”
Owing in great part to the effective air support from the VVS, a Soviet relief offensive toward the troops in the Belyy pocket succeeded in extracting a large proportion of the surrounded troops. However, 200 tanks had to be abandoned. On December 15, the entire Soviet penetration in the area south of Belyy was eliminated. Soviet sources confirm the loss of 120 aircraft over the Rzhev salient (i.e. not including the Velikiye Luki region) from November 24 through December 16, 1942.

Larry deZeng 23rd June 2019 18:12

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Hi Christer,

Your sample is an example of what makes your BC/RS series a truly unique standout work. Your ability to weave the German and Russian side of the history together is quite remarkable. I just wish more were interested in this style of history instead of the endless monographs on individual aircraft and aces. Yawn. You are the only one who has covered the history of the air war over the Eastern Front comprehensively in English (or any other language for that matter). You deserve high praise and hearty congratulations!

Larry de Zeng :)

P.S. Please let us know when distribution of this latest volume takes place so we can get our orders in.

Frank Olynyk 23rd June 2019 18:23

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Christer,

For those planning on ordering from Amazon, which edition will they have? The hardcover (for presupporters and Europe), or the soft cover without color (originally intended for the North American market)?

Enjoy!

Frank.

Christer Bergström 24th June 2019 02:18

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Olynyk (Post 270945)
Christer,

For those planning on ordering from Amazon, which edition will they have? The hardcover (for presupporters and Europe), or the soft cover without color (originally intended for the North American market)?

Enjoy!

Frank.

Both editions will be there.

Christer Bergström 24th June 2019 02:21

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry deZeng (Post 270943)
Hi Christer,

Your sample is an example of what makes your BC/RS series a truly unique standout work. Your ability to weave the German and Russian side of the history together is quite remarkable. I just wish more were interested in this style of history instead of the endless monographs on individual aircraft and aces. Yawn. You are the only one who has covered the history of the air war over the Eastern Front comprehensively in English (or any other language for that matter). You deserve high praise and hearty congratulations!

Larry de Zeng :)

P.S. Please let us know when distribution of this latest volume takes place so we can get our orders in.

Wow, thank you very much for your most kind and encouraging words, Larry! That's what keeps me working - like yesterday, when I was working from 1500 hrs (pm) to 0600 hrs (am) the next morning on the selection of photos for Chapter 6 (in all +30 photos for that chapter, most of which are from German and Russian pilot veterans' private photo albums).

Christer Bergström 5th July 2019 01:21

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
I made it! On Sunday I am leaving for Singapore, and now everything has been sent to the graphic designer, who in a week has finished everything but Chapter 2 and 18, which she will do on Monday. So the book will be published in August 2019, definitely now.

There is an updated cover for Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4, with fantastic artwork by Jerry Boucher (who has the copyright of the artwork). Here is my own sketch. The final cover will be made by a professional.

https://scontent-arn2-2.xx.fbcdn.net...ad&oe=5DBBE5FB

Edward 12th August 2019 04:16

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
September is right around the corner . . .

"The British edition of Vol. 4 is hard cover and contains color profiles. ISBN 978-91-88441-21-8.
The British edition of Vol. 4 will be published in September 2019.

The U.S. edition of Vol. 4 is paperback and entirely b&w (except for the cover). ISBN 978-91-88441-50-8.
The U.S. edition of Vol. 4 will be published in August 2019."

http://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black...ban-1942-1943/

edwest2 12th August 2019 17:27

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
From the Stone & Stone Books site:


According to Vaktel Forlag, Black Cross, Red Star: Air War over the Eastern Front, vol 4: Stalingrad to Kuban, 1942-1943 by Christer Bergstrom is now planned to become available in September.

Christer Bergström 15th August 2019 00:56

Re: Black Cross - Red Star. Air War over the Eastern Front, Vol. 4: Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by edwest2 (Post 273030)
From the Stone & Stone Books site:


According to Vaktel Forlag, Black Cross, Red Star: Air War over the Eastern Front, vol 4: Stalingrad to Kuban, 1942-1943 by Christer Bergstrom is now planned to become available in September.

And so it shall be. All layout of the book is finished. We are only waiting for the index to be completed. Then off to the printer.


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