"Ace of Hearts" ("Kőr Ász") History of a fighter squadron 1936-1941

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Gentlemen,

In this autumn will release my book about the Hungarian 1/3. (earlier 1/6., later 5/1.) Fighter Squadron, the "Ace of Hearts".

The book is the history of the unit from the forming till the renumbering at the end of 1941 (after it in 1942 they lost their earlier "Ace of Hearts" name as well). It contains the very detais of their combat sorties over Yugoslavia in April, 1941 and of course, over the Soviet Union too (between July and November, 1941) The materials contains the shortened combat diary of the unit too against the Soviet Union.
The book contains many unknown details not just about the 1/3. Sq, but about the Hungarian flyers in 1941 in general and about their opponents as well, including 5 air-to-air friendly fire accidents and another one ground-to-air too.

The book contains 190 photos (high number of them unpublished), 6 colour profiles and 2 maps.

Releasing date is October, 2007

I'm attaching the front cover

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Csaba,
it seems very interesting -as all Your titles, I'm eagerly waiting for "Batsim of fire" from Mushroom- .
Is it only in Hungarian language or also in English or French ?

Ludovico

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Dear Ludovico,

Thanks for your interest. The "Ace of Hearts" Squadron history is Hungarian language only (the English edition is depends on the foreign publishers, as always) However, I guess, the Hungarian version will be the sweetheart of many foreign biplane fans as well (where is Håkan?)
By the way, it contains few interesting details about Italian flyers as well (from Krivoy Rog area)

I have no info about the Baptism of Fire (that project suffered a lot of delays and some details are still hazy to me)

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Hi
sincerely congratulation for such book - pity that in Hungarian :-(.

I wonder, if you tried to match Hungarian claims in 1941 over Russian with Soviet side. There are now a few information about such combat for example of I-16s of 88. IAP against CR.42 and other Soviet fighter unist, which fought versus Fiat CR.42 in 1941?

Second I wonder if you have used some photos from Laszlo Javor collection (he supported me tens of 1/3 Squadron phoots 1937-1944, which part of course I have edited in my story)?

All the best,
Mirek Wawrzynsski
An author of following text editing in Poland including part of 1/3 "Ace of Hearts" history (in 1939 and in: 1939-42).
BTW the colors in my last text are of course colors of 1/3 Squadron's FIAT CR.42, :-)

Hungarian Falcons. Fiat CR.42 on the Eastern Front. Węgierskie Sokoły. Fiat CR.42 na froncie wschodnim, p. 11, (26 b&w photos, 2 colors of CR.42s: V-203, V2+64), [in:] Militaria XX wieku 5(14)/ 2006.
Air War over CarpathianMountain (Slowak-Hungarian Air War in III 1939). Wojna powietrzna nad Karpatami, p. 7 + 1 p. in colour (CR.32 V.108 of 1./1 Fighter Flight, Ju 86 K-2 „B.350” of 3./5 Bomber Flight, He 70 K “F.409” of 1./2. Long Reccon Flight, Avia B.534, Letov S-328), 12 b&w, [in:] Militaria i Fakty 1/2002.

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Hello Mirek,

Thanks. It is a must to publish these materials in Hungarian language first, maybe an English edition will follow as well.

Of course, it contains many details about the dogfights and every claims/losses as well (including an unpublished first hand account of a 88 IAP's pilot, who claimed an air victory against a Hungarian plane) It contains in details the story of the two pilot losses as well and their fates (including the details of the strafing mission, in which Pettendi was lost: details abut the target Soviet transport plane, and the fate of the Soviet leader, who remained in the cauldron, after the pane was strafed and destroyed, etc)
It is a very detailed and as accurate, as possible material.

Regarding the photos: I don't want to disappoint you, but I am afraid, the mentioned photos generally are not from László Jávor's collection. Most of them (all?) are repros from the genuine positives, stored at the family of Pettendi. I used these photos as from the Pettendi family collection (since I know them very well) or some of them as HTM (since the museum owns genuine photos as well).

BTW it seems to me, that some fellows bought these repros and use them as their own collection, but buying a repro's repro and using as 'own' is rather a breach of the copyrights (in one case, some of these photos were published with the credit to me - I never owned them and never stated, that these photos are mine)

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Hi

Regarding the photos: I don't want to disappoint you, but I am afraid, the mentioned photos generally are not from László Jávor's collection.

I am full aware, that photos which I had got from Laszlo was done by Pettendi, during his service in 1/3 Squadron, in fact they have been from his collection (acquired directly from pilot's family or from Museum -?).

BTW it seems to me, that some fellows bought these repros and use them as their own collection, but buying a repro's repro and using as 'own' is rather a breach of the copyrights (in one case, some of these photos were published with the credit to me - I never owned them and never stated, that these photos are mine)

I also know, that some fellows are buying and later reselling to others such photos under his "name". The case of G. Petrov from Russian or V. Kulikov is quite representative for such "nice" things or others.

I wonder, which exactly plane was destroyed then, I think it could be civil version of TB-3, or maybe a bomber version too, others palnes do not fit to such large type?

Regards,
MirekW

[Dénes Bernád]

[quote=Mirek Wawrzynski;49752]I wonder, if you tried to match Hungarian claims in 1941 over Russian with Soviet side.[/quote]

The activity of Soviet aircraft opposing the Hungarians, and various claims from both sides, is already included in the first volume of our recently published book, From Barbarossa to Odessa.

Due to the printing extent's limitation, set by the Publisher, we could not include many details. However, the basic facts are all published in it.
More to come in volume two...

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Originally Posted by Mirek Wawrzynski

I wonder, which exactly plane was destroyed then, I think it could be civil version of TB-3, or maybe a bomber version too, others palnes do not fit to such large type?

Regards,
MirekW

Mirek, the book contains everything about the plane and about the Soviet leader, which they wanted to evacuate. Additionally, I found in the BA-MA an interesting report in the German 17th Army's Air Group's materials, which refers to the fate of Pettendi (I attached his posthumous German awarding document too).

Szőnyi's story is the same detailed one (I mentioned already his defeater in my aces book, but here more details) I can present a photo about him as a Soviet paratrooper partisan as well...

It contains details not just the 1/3. Sq, but about the Héja detachment (since two of their pilots were ex-Ace of Hearts pilots), and some details about the other units of the Hungarian Aviation Group, including the details of the Ju 86 loss, with the name of the pilot, who shot it down (it happened, because the bombers chosen in the last time a different direction and did not inform the fighters, they waited them for one and a half hour with running engines in vain)

But as I mentioned above, it is not just the day-by-day account of the unit over Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, it is a pretty complete unit history (very hard to write a similar one in Hungary). At the end, it contains the details of the ex-Ace of Heart pilots, who fell later in the war (two by accident, three killed in action and one was executed)

Originally Posted by Dénes Bernád

the basic facts are all published in it

Dénes, I'm looking forward to it

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Hi
Csaba you are more secret then "KGB's + Russian archive". I can undrestand, that you want to first publish some data from your book, but in this case keeping such stricte secret (the type plane destroyed by CR.42s air attack) looks for me too much secret.

Mirek, the book contains everything about the plane and about the Soviet leader, which they wanted to evacuate. Additionally, I found in the BA-MA an interesting report in the German 17th Army's Air Group's materials, which refers to the fate of Pettendi (I attached his posthumous German awarding document too).

Szőnyi's story is the same detailed one (I mentioned already his defeater in my aces book, but here more details) I present a photo about him as a Soviet paratrooper partisan as well...

I have asked abut the plane type, I assue it was TB-3 (bomber or civil version -?). And, what is you opinion about this case (maybe other transport)?

Regards
MirekW

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Originally Posted by Mirek Wawrzynski

Hi
Csaba you are more secret then "KGB's + Russian archive". I can undrestand, that you want to first publish some data from your book, but in this case keeping such stricte secret (the type plane destroyed by CR.42s air attack) looks for me too much secret.




I have asked abut the plane type, I assue it was TB-3 (bomber or civil version -?). And, what is you opinion about this case (maybe other transport)?

Regards
MirekW

Mirek,

It was not a TB-3 (check the book and you will find the answer)
BTW from Soviet point of view, the person, which they wanted to evacuate was much more important, than the plane and from Hungarian point of view, Pettendi's loss evidently was far more important as well - it was a really serious blow, since he was an excellent pilot. So in this case, not the type of the plane is the most significant part of the story (altough it is known by me). If you are too curious, you will be older sooner You need to wait only till October (and tomorrow already September)