New Book: Project Me 262 - Tagesbuch des Testpiloten

[Ruy Horta]

Kurt Braatz, the man behind NeunundzwanzigSechs, has been able to publish a number of high profile biographies in a very short time, setting such a high standard that it will be a real challenge to maintain this level.

His latest is a little different from the usual offering, but it looks like he found another winner with test pilot Wolfgang Czaia and Project Me 262.

Having read the first chapters I can share that Wolfgang has a nice style which makes for enjoyable reading. All aeronautical terms are explained through captions, so you never feel out of your depth. His text is accompanied by numerous color photographs, most of them high quality, some of them beautifull aerials.

Also included is a 45min DVD following the actual test flying of the first two new Me 262 built - White One and Tango Tango. The film has been narrated by Czaia himself.

Since I haven't followed every step of the building program most of the footage was new to me and almost worth the price of admission by itself.

At € 75,- direct from the publisher it isn't a cheap book, but combined with the DVD it makes a very strong package that will please most aviation enthusiasts, both beginners and specialists.

Project 262
Tagesbuch des Testpiloten
Wolfgang Czaia
NeunundzwanzigSechs
ISBN 3-9807935-7-5

€ 75,-
Available through: http://projekt262.de/

The first has been signed by the author.

Other classics also published by NeunundzwanzigSechs are:

Feindberuhrung
by Julius Meimberg

Falkenjahre
by Wolfgang Falck

Mein Flugbuch
by Günther Rall

Gott oder ein Flugzeug
by Kurt Braatz

Minor note, my copy feels "dusty".

Every page as a slight layer of dust or some other grainy substance, perhaps even a layer of ink particles. This is easily removed, but still....

[Pawel Burchard]

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

Minor note, my copy feels "dusty".

Every page as a slight layer of dust or some other grainy substance, perhaps even a layer of ink particles. This is easily removed, but still....

I think that is kind of 'powder' used in printing shops when they're in a hurry, binding books when printing ink is not 100% dry.

all the best,
Pawel

[edwest]

This is my experience with printing. This press dust ensures the pages do not stick together, and the same for the covers as they are printed. This for speed or to compensate for natural high humidity.



Regards,
Ed

[Ruy Horta]

Thanks for the info.

And indeed I rather have these grains than ink pressing through to other pages, something I have seen in quite a number of quality publications.

btw

Project Me 262 is a large format book with dustwrapper, unlike the other NeunundzwanzigSechs books. There is a nice balance between text and photos.

A must for any Me 262 fan

[Franek Grabowski]

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

Feindberuhrung by Julius Meimberg

By the way, anybody has this book and may comment about contents?

[Boandlgramer]

Not yet Franek, probably my next book.
I have got a few days ago " Gott oder ein Flugzeug" , about Günther Lützow from Neunundzwanzigsechs.
I find it very well written .

[matthias74]

I have Meimberg's biography, and it is really a very good book. Well written, he met some very interesting personalities during his career (he tells some amusing anecdotes about Assi Hahn) and he flew operationally from the campaign in France to the end of the war. I highly recommend it!

Tinku

[FalkeEins]

yes, I agree - its an extremely well written and often moving account - but then I find all of Braatz's books are..FWIW there's a small translated extract on my site. I also managed to incorporate a somewhat larger translated passage into the Kagero 109 G/K book (Vol II). A longer Meimberg piece in English appeared in one of the Classic Jagdwaffe BoB colours books..

[Ruy Horta]

All the NeunundzwanzigSechs (auto)biographies warrant a purchase or at least loan if you are serious about the Jagdwaffe.

I've just finished reading Projekt Me 262: Tagesbuch des Testpilotes and am glad to report that it is a nice read from start to end. Wolfgang Czaia managed to write a pleasant diary covering his work with the Me 262 project and all the people associated.

Word of caution, do not expect:

- a technical history of the restoration
- a technical analysis of the Me 262 in flight

No curves, no line drawings etc etc etc

What you get is a good aviation read and feel for the project in its many stages, from a flight of fancy to the export licence of Tango Tango and even beyond.

The DVD imho is a brilliant addition which rounds it out nicely.

If there is one negative comment to make, which is purely based on my personal taste, it's the large two page photographs. Some people love them, I do not. I hate seeing a great photo split in the middle, never regaining its original beauty. Also I actually prefer the sharpness of smaller photos, instead of the softer blow ups.

Again, this is just my taste.

Projekt Me 262 is a good read, the many photographs and DVD make for a pleasant mix.

The next step would be a Black 6 type of technical diary.

[Kurt Braatz]

Hi all - thanks a lot for your great appreciation of the books we publish at NeunundzwanzigSechs. Be sure we'll keep on doing our best to meet the standards we've once set. One technical remark: The 'dust' between the pages is soap-stone powder - indispensible to keep high density prints on high quality paper from sticking together. It cannot be removed, though, from these hand-crafted books before they get shrink-wrapped. Just wipe or shake it out...