New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Gentlemen,

My new book is in printing phase now. It is actually two books under one cover, but the materials are closely connected (and publishing the first one alone would be nearly impossible, so I chosen this option) It is based on a kind of 15-year-long painstaking research, which was really problematic, since the entire fast bomber documentation was lost. I had ended once in 2003 this material, but I was not satisfied with the result, so not published it around that date, but re-started the project again and continued the research until this summer.

The first part of the book presents all phases of the pilot training of the Royal Hungarian Air Force from a young NCO's point of view and through his own experiences (primary, basic, advanced training and OTU - types, units, logged hours, accidents, long list of trainees and their future fate, comparison of the officer and NCO training and their status and comparison between the Hungarian and German and US training system as well) It contains many interesting details about the short range reconnaissance units, stationed at Hungary, about the Me 210 equipped night fighters' and daily destroyers' clashes with the 15th AAF in April, 1944 and it contains many unpublished details also about the target tug units (another important, but entirely neglected form of the military aviation).

The second part of the material is the detailed history of the Hungarian Me 210 equipped fast bomber group in 1944-45. It contains their sorties in great details (day by day account, in most days with the identified and marked exact targets as well), all of their personnel losses (ground/air), their kills, WNrs, Hungarian codes and factory numbers and so on, formerly unknown details. For the 15th AAF fans it contains details not only about the April, 1944 clashes, but the very details from both sides about the 21 August, 1944 strike against Hajdúböszörmény airfield as well, for which Herky Green earned his DSC.

The book has a detailed, rich appendix, which contains fast bomber logbook entries, biographies of notable pilots, detailed claims list, detailed personnel loss list, detailed squadron rosters, commander and airfield list, fast bomber aircraft strength returns, and a detailed rank comparison table (Royal Hungarian Air Force, Luftwaffe, USAAF, RAF)

The book contains close to 200 photos (most of them have never been published before), a map and 4 beautiful Me 210 Ca-1 colour profiles.

The photo/map/colour profile captions are bilingual and the book contains a very detailed English summary (over 17 000 words) plus the very detailed appendix also bilingual (in all, you can find a 25 000 word-long English text in this book).

Here is the front cover:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/...7f44b31425.jpg

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

As a Me 210/Me 410 enthusiast I will definitely get this one. Sounds very interesting, indeed!

I have always been interested in what the Hungarians thought of the Me 210 and I guess this one will present the best possible answer!? I am only hoping you can get it published in English in its entirety at some time.

Congratulations on your work!

Best regards,

Kjetil Åkra

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

A must have for me! Thanks for the announcement Czaba!:)
Br
Goran

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Kjetil,

Thank you. Indeed, you will find in this book the Hungarian opinion on the Me 210 Ca-1 (it was very popular among the crews). I know several veterans, who flew both the Caproni Ca.135 and the Messerschmitt Me 210 – well, if you want to hear entirely different opinions, you should ask such people about the Italian kite, since that Caproni was a very dangerous and unreliable aircraft (the most hated type of the Hungarian aviators during this period).

As for the entire English translation: the book contains a very long summary, much longer, than many English language aviation books entire text. It contains the most important parts of the Hungarian text and I made it only because several Zerstörer fans asked me from abroad. I got nothing for this extra work, of course. I said it many times: to me, the most important to publish these materials in Hungarian language. I don’t think, that I’ll have ever make a full translation of this book. I am continuously collecting and expanding everything, so even this text will change in the future. Maybe I’ll write once a comprehensive, analytical material about the Me 210 in Hungary, since I have some interesting additional info, but that will be differ from this work.

Incidentally, forgot to mention: the book is hardback, A/4 size with 180 pages. I’ll have some copies in December already, much sooner, than the several international distributors, if you are interested in.

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Hi Csaba.

Many thanks for your comments on the Me 210 (and Ca. 135!). I have always found it fascinating that the Huangarians reporedly liked this aircraft and used it well, whereas the Germans seemed to have so much trouble with it. But I guess that it also is a matter of perspective, if you are used to Capronis, flying a Me 210 will be something else!!

Seeing what you say about the English translation I must thank you for your unpaid effort which is greatly appreciated by me and other western enthusiasts. It certainly seem to be sufficent for our needs!

If you have copies for sale in December I'd like to buy one, how do we go about that?

Best regards,

Kjetil

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Hi Csaba, :)

I to would be interested in your newest "baby":) As for the englisgh text...are the photo captions in english as well? that would be perfect...if not I will manage ;)
keep us informed, pls...

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

..yes please...good luck with this !

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Kjetil,

It is better to compare the Me 210 Ca-1 to the Me 410 (with a less powerful engine, of course), than to the Me 210 A. It was not a troublesome aircraft.

The Ca.310 and Ca.135 are different (but also very interesting) stories. Maybe once there will be a large-scale Ca.310 project which will contains Norwegian, Hungarian and Italian experiences too.

PeterKa,

The book contains bilingual (English/Hungarian) photo captions (colour profile captions and map legend are also bilingual). The rich appendix is bilingual too and additionally the book contains a large English summary.

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Hi Csaba,
Don't forget to include the Swedish Ca 313 experience if and when taking on the Caproni family. The type was flown extensively by the RSwAF during 1941-45 and a lot of documentation material is available.

Regarding the Me 210 Ca-1: I'll remember it had the longer fuselage and hence better flyin characteristics - Right?

I will buy your book, also hoping to see more about the Hungarian AF in English in the future. I hope your Me 210 book one day will appear translated.

Wouldn't it be more likely that a first edition in English would be able to later finance a Hungarian edition, rather than the other way around?

Cheers
Göran

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Hi Csaba

Very interesting. But how do we get it??
Will you/the publisher use regular distribution channels in UK such as Aviation Bookshop or Midlands?
Can we order from you, and if yes how?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Other project? III 1939
 

Hi
A year or more ago you have had in your plan to edit a book in English about Slovak-Hungarian air war in III 1939. I wonder what about this project?
The title is delated from MMP plans?
Can you tell more about this case?

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Gentlemen,

The book is available now. If you are interested in to obtain a copy sooner, than via distributors (and for more reasonable price) drop me a message (no PM please)
Here is a reserve e-mail address of mine (half dead by massive spam already, but I am still checking it regularly):
aruns@freemail.hu

Mirek,

that's a long story. The publisher promised the release of that material "for sure" already in 2006.
I hope, it will be available in 2009.

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Hello everybody,

I’ve just spent part of my Christmas leave to read Csaba Becze’s ‘Az Arany Sas Nyomában’ and can highly recommend it for anyone interested in Hungarian aviation and/or the Me 210.
As Csaba has pointed out in his description of the book, it’s actually two in one.
The first one is about Gyula Szilja Varga and his way to become a pilot and his way to become a part of 102/2. Fast Bomber Squadron and the second part conclude the story of this unit after that Varga had left it. The book is written in Hungarian (a language almost impossible, at least for a Swede, to decipher) but all pictures are with Hungarian/English captions. There is also a 20-pages English summary with additional appendices with the most notable fast bomber pilots, commanders, roster, victories, losses etc.

Highly recommended about a subject not widely available in English!!

Best wishes/Håkan

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Hakan,

Thank you for your kind words.

As for the book: it was not emphasized sufficuently in the caption - the bottom photo on page 148 shows a liaison plane, a Weihe (which most probably belonged to the 102/1. Fast Bomber Squadron).

Incidentally, this material was not available in Hungarian language as well. I write about unpublished topics after extensive research.

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Just received my copy and have had only a little time to glance through it, something I intend to remedy very quickly. This really has the look of an essential book for Me210/410 enthusiasts and anyone interested in the RHAF as a whole.


Nice work Csaba! Have you let the guys over on the Luftwaffe Experten Message Board know about this publication? I think they'd love it.

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

My copy arrived today and I just want to second what Maximowitz said.

This book, an attractive hardcover with 181 pages, is clearly a labor of love. It's an important contribution because it provides a very detailed and complete account of Me 210 units and operations that were previously unknown (at least to me.) It's also a very human account -- the text and photos do a great job of conveying the spirit of the Hungarian airmen. The English content is substantial, and the quality of the translation is excellent. Nice selection of photos, and the four profiles are very well done. Highly recommended.

Ordering the book directly from Csaba was especially convenient because he accepts PayPal.

Leon Venter
(who has no ties to the author or publisher)

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

Gentlemen,

thank you for the kind words.
Leon: these details were unknown not only to you, since I do not write copy-paste books. This material is based mostly on unpublished, primary sources, after a very extensive 'no-stones-left-unturned' style reseach of mine.

Incidentally, most of the printed copies are sold now, but I have few ones again, if anyone interested in.

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

My congratulations Csaba!

Re: New book on Hungarian Me 210 (and much more)
 

please let me know if you manage to translate into English ( just a thought have you thought of asking any English publishers for example Pen & Sword or Helion