"CAPTURED ME109s" a New Book! July 2007

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

At the end of June 2006 was edited in Poland a new book about captured Me 109 (CAPTURED ME 109s). The book is about foreign use of this well knowing fighter (since Civil War in Spain up to the period after 1945-46). Many Me 109s version were captured by the opposite side 1937-1945. Tens of such planes were implemented in flying condition into foreign service in: Spain, Poland, France, Great Britain, USA, Soviet Union, Sweden, Switzerland. The book has gathered many such short stories about these cases and was supported by many photos and many color drawing, perfectly done by Jacek (he is really master in such works).

Shortly about authors:
“Captured Me 109s” is done by two Polish authors: Jacek Jackiewicz (color drawings and illustration) and Mirosław Wawrzyński (text). Both are well know in Poland and also abroad specialist about WW II aviation and co-operate for several years in many such specific projects. Their works you may see and read in well know Polish professional modern warfare history magazines like: Militaria i Fakty and Militaria XX wieku.

Jacek Jackiewicz is professional color side artist and he also has done many black and white drawings of many planes and vehicles (tanks, armored cars ect.). His works had been printed in over hundred publications in: Poland, England, Russia, France, Czech Republic, Japan.

Mirosław Wawrzyński is an author of over 50 articles about military aviation (mostly printed in Poland, but also a few in France, Italy, USA) and 4 books about military aviation in 1936-1956 - mostly about WW II military aviation history.
He is mostly focused on small air forces history (Finland, Hungary, Romanian, Belgian, Yugoslavian ect.), Soviet military aviation (VVS RKKA) and Italian military aviation (1936-1943) and on use the specific planes in other forces (like Hawker Hurricane, Junkers Ju 87, Fiat CR.42 or Me 109. He has written following books:
1. “Regia Aeronautica 1935-1943” (co-works with Zbigniew Lalak 1998 – Polish text)
2. “Hawker Hurricnae in Foreign Service” - Belgian, Finland, Yugoslavian (VVKJ, NOVJ) Romanian, German, Italian and Soviet Union uses - printed in 2001 (Polish text with long English summary)
3. “Ju 87 in Foreign Service” (this is work done together with Jacek in 2005)
4. And his last title is “CAPTURED ME 109s” (edited in June 2007).

Some data about “CAPTURED ME 109s”:
176 pages, 399 black and white photos, 151 color side profiles and 32 three or four views painting schemes. Soft cover, text only in English.
Entire book is published in color.

See more: http://www.kecay.info/

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński, a co-author in this nice project, :-)

[Juha]

Hello Mirek
looks great, I like especially the French "Red 9", Soviet G-2 and the British "White 44"

Juha

[Boris Ciglic]

After reading it, I can warmly recommend the book.
A very interesting approach to the subject, text is easy to follow, very well covered with photos and the artwork is absolutely magnificent. Printed in high quality and in full color. There are some minor mistakes in the part dealing with 15/JG 52 and Croat defectors, but nothing serious (this is the subject I know well so I was able to spot it). My sole resentment goes on the behalf of the English translator/editor who could have done a much better job.

Boris

[John Beaman]

Thanks for the comments. Question: Does it have lists of WNrs and original markings for these machines?

[edwest]

Would you list some of the errors? I mean if it's not too much trouble.






Regards,
Ed

[Dénes Bernád]

The airplane shown on page 96 was not a captured '109. It's an erroneous information.
http://www.soundcity.pl/Kecay/Me109/13.jpg

That aircraft was flown willingly to Italy by a Rumanian officer, Cpt. rez. av. Constantin Cantacuzino, in a diplomatic mission, and he intended to return to Rumania with it. It was only an accident that prevented him to return with his mount, and used a P-51 instead - which, in turn, was not a captured bird either.

[JP Vieira]

Great Thread...thanks

[Blue-Max]

Finally I got my own copy of this book.
As already mentioned here, the book is printed in excellent graphic conditions.
The hole structure of the book is based on a dual combination of "picture/color profile" of the captured Me 109, accompanied by concise historical information. Sometimes there are more photos for one color profile, which is very good. This is the first time I see color profiles of "damaged airplanes". Very interesting! Highly recommended also for modelers.

There is no table of contents so I'm a little bit confused about the order of the presented captured airplanes. At the beginning it seems to be a chronological presentation: first the captured Bertas, then the Doras, Emils, Friedrichs, Gustavs, .... After that the presentation criteria is the nation, who has captured the airplane.
Maybe a kind of Index according to nations and captured airplanes would have been helpful ?!