Market research - 'Most Wanted' Luftwaffe books

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Siko54

The illustrated study Classic publications from 2008 - only available secondhand at exorbitant prices. Looks fantastic btw

Ah yes. That was the other one that came out from Ian Allan. I spent a half day with the publisher who bought the Ian Allan military titles. He wanted a reprint to cover the 'F' and 'G' series also. I told him that I did not have sufficient information and photos to do justice to those two variants. I wasn't going to sign up to something that I could potentially not do, or do justice to. He insisted that he wanted a reprint to go through the whole series of Bf 110 variants. I told him that wasn't going to come from me. And that was where it was left. I had no responsibility, nor contractual obligation, to this new company.

They bought the rights to my books that came out via Ian Allan (which I was not told about by either party), that were printed by methods that were no longer used (i.e. they had the useless plates but none of the text or photographs), and the boss of the new company expected me to dance to their tune. No mate, I decide the content of my books, you've been 'sold a pup' (in terms of the material passed to you by Ian Allan), and I ain't playing your game.

The above might sound harsh, but it's simply the way I operate. I have dealt with others since then, most satisfactorily.

And the thing is: I have the complete work, both text and photographs, on my PC's hard drive. Had he simply gone for a reprint, we could have moved forward with it. Instead, I moved on and did other things.

Apologies for the long post, but that is a small insight as to what goes on behind the scenes sometimes that the general public usually never get to know about.

[Siko54]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Ah yes. That was the other one that came out from Ian Allan. I spent a half day with the publisher who bought the Ian Allan military titles. He wanted a reprint to cover the 'F' and 'G' series also. I told him that I did not have sufficient information and photos to do justice to those two variants. I wasn't going to sign up to something that I could potentially not do, or do justice to. He insisted that he wanted a reprint to go through the whole series of Bf 110 variants. I told him that wasn't going to come from me. And that was where it was left. I had no responsibility, nor contractual obligation, to this new company.

They bought the rights to my books that came out via Ian Allan (which I was not told about by either party), that were printed by methods that were no longer used (i.e. they had the useless plates but none of the text or photographs), and the boss of the new company expected me to dance to their tune. No mate, I decide the content of my books, you've been 'sold a pup' (in terms of the material passed to you by Ian Allan), and I ain't playing your game.

The above might sound harsh, but it's simply the way I operate. I have dealt with others since then, most satisfactorily.

And the thing is: I have the complete work, both text and photographs, on my PC's hard drive. Had he simply gone for a reprint, we could have moved forward with it. Instead, I moved on and did other things.

Apologies for the long post, but that is a small insight as to what goes on behind the scenes sometimes that the general public usually never get to know about.

Thanks John - very interesting and sorry to hear about your experience with that publisher.

[Dénes Bernád]

Is there any measurable interest in non-German European Axis allies aircraft and aviation (Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia)?

[richdlc]

Originally Posted by Dénes Bernád

Is there any measurable interest in non-German European Axis allies aircraft and aviation (Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia)?

yes! That's something I am actively looking to publish books on Denes, perhaps drop me a line about it.

[Jukka Juutinen]

Originally Posted by Dénes Bernád

Is there any measurable interest in non-German European Axis allies aircraft and aviation (Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia)?

Yes, as long as the style is not just a combat chronicle ("On date xxxx y number of fighters engaged z number of enemies claiming n victories").

[Peter Kassak]

Originally Posted by Jukka Juutinen

Yes, as long as the style is not just a combat chronicle ("On date xxxx y number of fighters engaged z number of enemies claiming n victories").

aaand what else should be included? marriage status of pilots, their kids grades at school? or the mechanics obvious undiscipline habbit giving 0,5 bar higher pressure in the tyres (LOL)?

Are you aware that 99.9%of men involved in the WWII combats are not with us anymore? Also for those units that histories were NOT published yet, there is most probably a reason of it in a lacking archival materials and primary sources. So it is extremely hard to find some bits and pieces to put together even combat history, not speaking of something (not specified yet) what interests you to spice up the text... can you be more specific and help us "authors" to correct the "lines of the pen"?

[Jukka Juutinen]

Originally Posted by Peter Kassak

aaand what else should be included? marriage status of pilots, their kids grades at school? or the mechanics obvious undiscipline habbit giving 0,5 bar higher pressure in the tyres (LOL)?

Are you aware that 99.9%of men involved in the WWII combats are not with us anymore? Also for those units that histories were NOT published yet, there is most probably a reason of it in a lacking archival materials and primary sources. So it is extremely hard to find some bits and pieces to put together even combat history, not speaking of something (not specified yet) what interests you to spice up the text... can you be more specific and help us "authors" to correct the "lines of the pen"?

Well, you have probably read Axel Urbanke's "Green Hearts"? That's an example of a superb unit history.

Second, as "Rabe Anton" wrote here ages ago, there is s difference between a chronicler and a historian. Chronicler catalogues events, historian analyzes them. For example, in naval combat history it is very common to analyze and comment on the actions of the participants from a tactical, or an art of war, point of view. For example, the actions of Bismarck's captain are analyzed in depth. How about applying the same idea to air combat?

[Peter Kassak]

Originally Posted by Jukka Juutinen

Well, you have probably read Axel Urbanke's "Green Hearts"? That's an example of a superb unit history.

Unfortunatelly NOT. It is a combat area and unit that is in my field of interest...

Originally Posted by Jukka Juutinen

For example, in naval combat history it is very common to analyze and comment on the actions of the participants from a tactical, or an art of war, point of view. For example, the actions of Bismarck's captain are analyzed in depth. How about applying the same idea to air combat?

Are you aware that Naval actions takes days, and air actions takes seconds? also to analize movement of few ships is something different than analyze movements of hundreds of bombers and their cover fighters and opposition. Unless we are speaking about dogfight, but there you do not know who made what move its not recorded.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Dénes Bernád

Is there any measurable interest in non-German European Axis allies aircraft and aviation (Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia)?

The 30th Anniversary edition of your book "Horrido"?

[Dénes Bernád]

Hi Nick, indeed, this year is the 30th anniversary of my first book, called Horrido. However, if it were reissued, it must have a separate volume for every air force that I tried to cover in that slim book. Luckily, time that has passed since then brought - back then unimaginable - wealth of information and photomatériel, so everything is now available in my workroom. The 50th anniversary edition, perhaps (if I still will be alive)?