[edwest2]

Update from the Stone & Stone site:


Author Chris Shores has passed along this very useful information about A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945:
"We have been able to keep to our September 2018 publication date (just). We had thought at one point to get ahead to the July Duxford Air Show date, but unexpected arrival of a lot of new information thrust us back somewhat. However the book (690 plus pages) is currently at the printers and we hope to launch it at the September air show on 22nd of the coming month—although it will be a little later before the shippers can get copies out to North America.
"In the event we did not have to 'slice' into two volumes but there has been a bit of realignment because the constraints of space meant that we could not get everything into the strict date order we would have liked. So in Vol 4 you will find the main tactical operations over Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and mainland Italy as far as 5 June 1944 (the date of the fall of Rome to the Allies). Therein also are details of such strategic operations as are effectively those of a "long-range tactical" nature. However, strategic operations generally are planned to be dealt with in Vol 6—certainly from October 1943 onwards when the formation of the US 15th Air Force occurred and targets increasingly became increasingly distant.
"What we are now having to carry forward to Vol 5 are the operations in the Balkans and Aegean area during the period May 1943-June 1944 which, of course, were occurring at the same time as those of the tactical units detailed in Vol 4 and need to be brought up in line with them. However this will allow us to incorporate into Vol 5 a considerable amount of additional information (and some corrections) related to earlier volumes in the series. Vol 5 is also planned to include the main tactical operations over Italy until the end of hostilities at the start of May 1945. This will also include the formation and activities of the Balkan Air Force and operations during the invasion of the South of France.
"Readers will note that we have now included Wg Cdr Andy Thomas in our research team. He has become our 'illustrations man', seeking for us the illustrations we are employing generally. Meanwhile Vol 5 is progressing well, but at the same time because age is creeping up on all members of the team, the work is getting harder. So if your question is "When?"—please watch this space!
"As ever, Good Reading all!"