Hi Larry,
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Originally Posted by Larry Hickey
...can anyone who already has a copy tell me whether this has a lot of good details on his unit and his operational career during the 1939-40 period with I./StG2, including the circumstances of his being WIA during the Battle of Britian?
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No, it doesn't contain any such detail for the early war years. It's a shortish book of about 60 single-sided pages, with the following chapter titles:
- Die fliegerische und taktische Durchführung des Einsatzes eines Sturzkampfverbandes (20 pages)
General notes about Stuka unit organization and missions, the Ju 87, radio usage, defensive practices, fighter escorts, etc. Provides examples of attacks against bridges, trains and railroad installations, ships, tanks, artillery and infantry positions, as well as fortifications and buildings.
- Die verschiedenen Verlegungsarten eines Ju87 Sturzkampfverbandes (10 pages)
Overview of the various ways in which Stuka units could be relocated, depending on circumstances. Describes airfield and accommodation requirements and preparation, and describes some of the airfields used by 1./StG 2 in the first year of the Russian campaign.
- Der Einsatz der III./StG 1 in der Zeit vom 1 April 1943 bis 30 April 1944 im Osten (11 pages)
HIgh-level descriptions of the Gruppe's activities, primarily missions to Orel and Kursk. Mentions receiving the new Ju 87D-5 in Nov 1943, and describes the conversion to Fw 190s in March 1944. Includes a map of airfields used by III./StG 1 during this period.
- Tabellarischer Lebenslauf des Verfassers (4 pages)
Detailed timeline of Lang's assignments, promotions, awards and career events up to 1973, plus a reproduction of his one-page biography from Stockert's "Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, vol.1"
- Bilder (12 pictures)
Mainly portrait photos of Lang at successive stages of the war, plus a couple of generic Ju 87 and Fw 190 pictures.
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What about photos? Some good ones from the 39-40 period? Does it include a copy of his FB entries and the like?
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No.
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Can someone who has this give me some idea of how valuable a reference source that his will likely be?
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Not particularly valuable as a reference, but a unique resource for those interested in Stuka/Schlacht operations because it provides a perspective from the Gruppe/Geschwader command level. The book is subtitled: "Geschrieben auf Wunsch des letzten Generals der ehemaligen Schlacht- und Sturzkampfflieger, Generalmajor Hubertus Hitschold", which befits its contents.
Hope that helps,
Leon Venter