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-   -   Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=52926)

edwest2 2nd January 2019 18:51

Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Some publishers just love hyperbole. Scheduled for 1 February.

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Apaches-S.../dp/0811738019

Usual disclaimer,
Ed

John Beaman 3rd January 2019 16:47

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Hard to believe it could top Warpath Across the Pacific.

Lagarto 3rd January 2019 18:11

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by John Beaman (Post 263113)
Hard to believe it could top Warpath Across the Pacific.

I very much doubt it. I have a book Fighter Group: The 352nd "Blue-Nosed Bastards" in World War II by the same author. Of the nearly 400 pages, at least half of it is only loosely related to 352nd Fighter Group, if at all. The book is packed with truisms and general, irrelevant information. I won't make the same mistake again.

Alfred.MONZAT 3rd January 2019 21:33

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
I don't think it's the author goal to top Eagles over the Pacific works. They are more research works while Stout's books are more casual reads.


People know how much I hate casual reads... when they are not well researched and repeat faulty "facts" and other fairy tales and therefor are no more interesting than airport novels. But I would not consider Stout's book like that as I found them reliable if not complete on the topic they covers. I hope people reading his books will cross the bridge to research works and more costly books and help the authors we love survive.


And not to mention that more complete books on the 352nd FG are rare (to say the least)... thanks to some awful beings who like to collect everyone of them... and are proud of it:


http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/...42252385-n.jpg


But that's another topic.

Lagarto 4th January 2019 00:55

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Well, I didn't find the aforementioned book about the "Bluenosers" too reliable. For example, while claiming that the 352nd encountered long-nosed Focke-Wulfs long before this type entered service, the author mentions the aircraft shot down by Virgil Meroney on 8th March 1944, then he states:
“Although Meroney misidentified the aircraft as an Me-109, or an Me-209, it is nearly certain that it was an FW-190”.
Actually, it was a regular Bf 109 G-6, flown by Hptm. Klaus Mietusch, the Kommandeur of III./JG 26, which is quite a well-known fact. However, casual readers would certainly be thrilled about mysterious encounters with Fw 190Ds.
Perhaps I was wrong expecting a book similar to “The Pioneer Mustang Group” by Steve Blake or “To War with the Yoxford Boys” by Merle Olmsted but this one was a real letdown for me, I’m sorry to say.

Alfred.MONZAT 4th January 2019 14:30

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagarto (Post 263127)
Well, I didn't find the aforementioned book about the "Bluenosers" too reliable. For example, while claiming that the 352nd encountered long-nosed Focke-Wulfs long before this type entered service, the author mentions the aircraft shot down by Virgil Meroney on 8th March 1944, then he states:
“Although Meroney misidentified the aircraft as an Me-109, or an Me-209, it is nearly certain that it was an FW-190”.
Actually, it was a regular Bf 109 G-6, flown by Hptm. Klaus Mietusch, the Kommandeur of III./JG 26, which is quite a well-known fact. However, casual readers would certainly be thrilled about mysterious encounters with Fw 190Ds.


Well I have not this book, but I was more referring to the second those people want to sell at £120, no less. And for the Fw 190 D & Me 209, this is sadly somehting I see to much and that disgust me as well. And something I did not saw in Stout's books.



Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagarto (Post 263127)
Perhaps I was wrong expecting a book similar to “The Pioneer Mustang Group” by Steve Blake or “To War with the Yoxford Boys” by Merle Olmsted but this one was a real letdown for me, I’m sorry to say.


I wouldn't put Olmsted book on the same level as Blake's one. For example, only the editor make mention (as one of the rare endpage note) the claim of a Fw 190 D in late 1943/early 1944 is faulty. It's still a good book, would put it on par with Marshall's 355th FG book, but when I compare to Luftwaffe unit histories by Lorant, Mombeeck or Caldwell (which share with Stout a very pleasant writing style) I find them lacking. Some authors like Caldwell couldn't decide between something easly readable and a precise war diary and produce both (Cross even include both in the same book about the 353rd FG). And lots of author also chose a in between. Stout make his books easly readable and full of anecdote that you may found somewhat out of place in serious work but which are entertaining. Did that means Stout's books are bad (even for enlightened people) or faulty ? No. Could they be used for thorough research in day by day action ? No.



Lately I've bought "Thunderbolts Triuphant - The 362nd Fighter Group vs Germany's Wehrmacht" by Chris Bucholtz and it looks very good.

Skawinski 7th March 2019 23:15

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfred.MONZAT (Post 263142)
Lately I've bought "Thunderbolts Triuphant - The 362nd Fighter Group vs Germany's Wehrmacht" by Chris Bucholtz and it looks very good.

Does your copy also have the 'print on demand' feel to it? I've just received one from Amazon and I must say reproduction of photos is quite disappointing. They are a bit blurry and have small tonal depth. And the paper is somewhat coarse. Not sure if it's characteristic to all copies or original print is sold and now they print copies each time someone orders them.
Otherwise very good book, indeed.

Alfred.MONZAT 8th March 2019 10:08

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
I am not familiar with the difference between a normal book and a print on demand (and not familiar with this kind of practice) but I consider my copy to have good quality paper. For the photo, they are not of the best quality of reproduction... but it's not in the range of the old Osprey or Stackpole books. I ordered my copy on French Amazon, just after it was available.

Skawinski 8th March 2019 19:41

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Thank you Alfred, I'll stay with my copy in that case. Maybe Schiffer will produce one on 362nd someday, although they seem to have reduced the number of military and aviation books they publish every year.

Laurent Rizzotti 14th March 2019 20:22

Re: Air Apaches: The True Story of the 345th Bomb Group and Its Low, Fast, and Deadly Missions in World War II
 
Back to Stout's book "Air Apaches", I see in the Amazom preview page XV-XVI how he described the loss of a bomber that was shot down without survivors, including the pilots' actions and face expressions. This is OK for me in a novel, not in an history book.


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