Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

[FalkeEins]

[quote=Nick Beale;344928]

P.S. If you’re going to make interviewing veterans your entry criterion then Second World War research is over, or very soon will be.[ /QUOTE]

Max Hastings told me a few years ago when I met him that he thought it was. As he put it, '..imagining new revelations and insights from WW II is a disease...' I don't suppose for one minute that Taylor's book will be any different. The publisher's 'hype' is ridiculous.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

NICK BEALE,

Thanks for the new information about her sources, which, at least, as you said, do give her a lot of credit indeed. What she did with the information as you wrote, is another point.

And JOHN VASCO pointed out something that can not be changed. Historically, there seems to be an error as to the date she inform about the introduction or first JABO sorties, which Mr. VASCO informed and, do prove onto his book, that it was much earlier, since July....So, that's a negative point, in my view....it seems she neglected Historical data here, or wrote a piece of information that is not, Historically true (I mean the correct date).

Anyway, we can only judge, as Nick put in fair and honest words, just after reading it and pointing the errors, vis-a-vis what has been already published, officially (RAF, LW Documents) and non-officially (other reference books, like Zerstörer, the Battle of Britain then and Now, etc.)...and sincerely, as Human Beings, we all are suscetible to make mistakes, even a Miss with a PhD in History, or acknowleadgeable and published Historians.

[Peter Kassak]

Info about this book and author came to my eyes somewhat sooner this week. Therefor I started to read this discussion about sources, academic background etc. My basic question is: Does she speak German? Which is for me the basics, if I want to claim to present some unpublished, superb new materials etc.... or all the primary sources she claims to use, and as the info by some of you already mentioned, is mostly from UK and US sources (so already translated).... does this count?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Peter Kassak

My basic question is: Does she speak German? Which is for me the basics

My clear impression from the interview I listened to is that yes, she does. She certainly knows how to pronounce it.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

Max Hastings told me a few years ago when I met him that he thought it was. As he put it, '..imagining new revelations and insights from WW II is a disease...' I don't suppose for one minute that Taylor's book will be any different. The publisher's 'hype' is ridiculous.

I see what he means but equally he seems to have relied on Hinsley et al's Official History where ULTRA is concerned, which is not the same as actually reading the messages. After all, where else would you find this crucial insight from July 1940?

CX/JQ/119, para. 38.

On 6/7 Intendant of Luftflotte 3 gave out that on Sunday 7/7 the first load of early potatoes would arrive at Granville. (A)

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

Yes, she's 'acclaimed' in her publisher's blurb. You have to wonder by whom, other than them

From her website: "In recognition of her PhD research, she was awarded the 2020 Royal Air Force Museum Doctoral Academic Prize in 2021"

[FalkeEins]

.. Okay, so she can write well, has done some reading around the subject, has dug out some obscure sources, knows German, can download a BA file and has no doubt produced a decent and interesting account..

[edwest2]

I would caution about pessimism now that the veterans have passed. There is a thriving American Civil War community of researchers in the United States. New books appear on a regular basis.
New material that is drawn from obscure sources or that includes previously unexamined material among them. Two print magazines are on the stands. I have no interest in this subject, but I point this out to say that
even though this was a much earlier event, research has not waned.

[John Vasco]

Chapter 1 read.

Covers the Luftwaffe in the 1930s, including the Spanish Civil War (not in great detail, just that they went there, and several raids are mentioned).

For anyone who has done a reasonable amount of reading on 1930s Luftwaffe, there is nothing new.

There will be some who think that I'm out to pour criticism on the work. I am not. I'm merely pointing out what I have read. I have made errors in my works, which I readily admit.

[Edward]

Originally Posted by edwest2

I would caution about pessimism now that the veterans have passed. There is a thriving American Civil War community of researchers in the United States. New books appear on a regular basis.
New material that is obscure or that includes previously unexamined material among them. Two print magazines are on the stands. I have no interest in this subject, but I point this out to say that even though this was a much earlier event, research has not waned.

I concur.

I would say the same thing about the history of aviation during the Great War.

There are two very professional quarterly magazines continuing into 2025 with new articles being researched, written, produced, printed and distributed.
Cross & Cockade International and Over the Front.

(While several periodicals that have been mainstays of WW2 aviation history have recently been cratering or disappearing entirely)

Many aspects of WWII aviation history had been well established from 1914-1918. (cult of the ace, claims vs actual losses, fuel tank protection, pilot neuroses, bombing civilians, engine development etc).
I wish I could be more eloquent about this.

Cross & Cockade International
https://greatwaraviation.org/

Over the Front
https://www.overthefront.com/