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Originally Posted by FalkeEins
..you don't mention photo content or the artwork - there are 'new' pilots and 'new' images & both artwork and photos make this worth getting before you even consider the text IMHO. But yes I'd agree..the work of certain Russian historians (eg Khazanov (sp?) is dismissed out of hand, which must be a first - an author rubbishing another author writing for the same publication. Khazanov compiled two previous 'BA' titles on Kursk, so you could argue that the two accounts (at least for that battle) provide both sides...
Incidentally at least one enthusiast has contacted me to say thanks for the recommendation - the photo reproduction here is better than the Barbas books (and do I have to say it again, this is a bargain at 13 euros..)
Next 'Batailles Aériennes' titles deal with Finland and are authored by Stenman. I expect the photo content to be equally stunning..
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OK. I didn't write about the photo content and the artwork : they are good, as usual with BA.
As far as saying that, with the Kursk issues (I have both), both sides are treated equally, I cannot agree : Khazanov actually largely used German sources and had a critical eye on Soviet ones (e.g. for victory claims) in these issues. Saintes is basically disregarding Soviet sources or the works of those who use them as far as they contradict German documents and is being, IMHO, clearly disrespectful towards other authors.
Being Russian, British, French, Soviet, Belgian, or from whichever other nationality, an author must be judged by one and the same standard of criticism and thoroughness.
That being said, I'm also waiting for the next issue, and, as I said in my previous post, I consider BA as a high-quality publication, really worth its price. My criticism must be seen as a disappointment about this issue, whose text is not up the the usual standards, not as an attack against the magazine.
Nikita, I'll give you a more detailed answer by PM, just let me a little time to put it together. But, as a whole, it seems that the author mostly or only uses secondary sources (which themselves use Soviet documents) as far as the Soviet side is concerned.