Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Scheduled for May 19.



http://www.amazon.com/Fighter-Comman...ords=luftwaffe




Usual disclaimer,
Ed

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

What a dreadful cover.......

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Hi Chris,



Having been in the book publishing business for some time (fiction), a very good cover makes potential customers pick up the book, if not actually buy it. I realize cost-cutting is occurring everywhere but there are people who specialize in book cover design.




Best,
Ed

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

...but as a historian & published author myself, I would hope that any of my book covers would be historically accurate, not how many aircraft of varying types flying in all sorts of directions can be crammed in!

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

And post-war looking too!

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Not sure what 'post-war' means....

All I can see are Spits, Bf 109 and Blenheims.
While many of 'Dogsbodies' claims are dubious I am equally certain he did his best....under the circumstances. He was very ambitious, but on the other hand he had two very good reasons for that.....

I can also see what Chris means, but it is very difficult in my mind to portrait anything near what a combat scene would look like. A hit and run tactic is quite difficult to picture. Anyone who tried taking photos while doing it?? :)

Anyway 1941 - 1942 - 1943 are very much the forgotten years when it comes to the RAF. It took the USAAF to tip the balance. Hopefully Norman has done his homework and hopefully there are 1942 and 1943 in the pipeline as well.

I for one, look very much forward to get more details regarding these crucial years on the western front.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

The intention was a balanced view of 1941 operations but believe that this now majors purely on the RAF side. I am not sure if 1942-3 are considered as follow on volumes-it was intended to be a bigger book but co-authors could not commit, mores the pity

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Well Chris. I suppose little is better than nothing...:)

Anyway I will very much settle with the RAF side of things for now, since I have extremely little written about it as it is.

Pity not 1942-43 will show up, but who knows? :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Hi Stig,


As you know, there are unit histories out there and books about various operations during 1942-1943, so I hope some author(s) out there could build on that. (And just a hint to any publishers who might be reading.)



Ed

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

I know Ed

The problem with that (talking about me) is I would need to double the size of my flat....and the Mrs won't have any of that....:) And quite frankly, me neither.

Right now I am in the rather awful position having to get rid of books.

What I need is something comprehensive, not some 600 books about various units which still won't fit what I want/need. Some years ago I took the decision not to buy any more than those I already have. Not a funny decision to make and it still itches now and then to get a few more, especially those I think are very well written. But I don't have any more space.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Yes. By comparison, I'm sure my modest library is smaller but I still buy the occasional "must have" book, and I am also considering letting some older books go for space reasons.




Best,
Ed

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Dreadful decisions Ed

Books sort of become friends.....:cry:

Cheers
Stig

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Yes, they do. A few are outdated.





Best,
Ed

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

I have to agree with Chris & others regarding the cover art of this book, as a central London based book seller i'm seeing publishers bring back this 1970's style artwork which does nothing to draw in a potential buyer.
I look forward to viewing the book on release & yes it does fill a gap in the market regarding the RAF's period of operation. And i'm sure those that do buy it will source it from your local independent bookshop or publishers & not from a South American river!!

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

Does anyone have this book and can share his/her opinion? There's not a single customer review at Amazon, which puzzles me a little.

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

I've purchased it - each Circus gets 1, 2 or occasionally 3 pages starting from Circus no.1 (10Feb) to Circus 110 in mid-November over 233 pages (slightly bigger than A-5). An occasional personal account (from published memoirs 'Nine Lives' etc), although the only German accounts I've spotted are from Galland's memoir. Could usefully be read in conjunction with Mombeek's 'Dans le Ciel de France' (Vol II covers 1941) and Roba's various Batailles Aeriennes volumes covering the same time frame which so far are much more detailed (if you can read the French) and much better illustrated.

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

The only thing to add is that it is very 11 Group - centric. You will learn very little about 10 and 12 Groups and their Circus operations.

The quality of the entries drops towards the end, you get less detail on the squadrons taking part etc for later entries

I would still buy it

Martin

Re: Fighter Command's Air War 1941: RAF Circus Operations and Fighter Sweeps Against the Luftwaffe
 

I should say that this book was meant to be a joint effort between Norman/self/Andy Saunders and 2 volumes listing both sides of the story. However, Andy and myself could not commit at the time and Norman went ahead as is. This is the result which neither Andy nor myself have seen