SG10: Is there any sort of written history of this unit?

[Andy F-P]

Hello,
Can anyone tell me if there is any form of written history regarding SG10? The whole Schlachtgeschwaderen seem to have been ignored to a greater extent by historians. From what I can find, this whole area seems to have been overlooked, but what I can find is most interesting.

Has anything been published except the recent Osprey book?
Regards,
Andy

[Chris Goss]

Too specialist but I would suggest you get hold of Schlachtflieger by Classic-6 of us wrote it

[Schenck]

Why is it 'too specialist' and all this stuff on JGs is not? I honestly don't see the point. E.g., I find Beale's book on NSGr.9,and that is really a way too specialist, much more interesting and fascinating than most of what has been written about JGs.

[Chris Goss]

Too specialist for most publishers to take a financial risk is what I meant. Furthermore, it is not a whole war unit and with losses, very few survivors are still around. My forthcoming book on I/SKG 10 is just about 30000 words for that very reason. However, look at the book I mention...........

[veltro]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Too specialist for most publishers to take a financial risk is what I meant.

If I may add my opinion, this is the perfect way to lose history, memories and all the material and knowledge one or more individuals may have gathered in their research about one single unit.

Once upon a time to be a publisher did not mean to take only directives from accountants, but to publish what it felt worth to publish and to value the material from a quality point of view.

Not taking any "financial risk" more and more means to make "generally" acceptable works on "general" topics and to lower even more the level of knowledge and interest.

My maximum respect to those who write and read such works, but by neglecting the existence of those who would like to learn "more" and "better", publishers are cutting their own market and, philosophically, their own feet.

My very own personal opinion, of course...

[Doug Stankey]

Ahem.....!

It would likely interest you guys that we are in final negotiation with Ian Allan for our next two volume book:"Ground Attack Units of the Luftwaffe - A Reference Source" (tentative title) which will cover all of the Stuka, Schlacht and Panzerjäger units- it will follow a similar format to our Bomber Units book. It will come out sometime next year.

As for SG 10 we have a mini-history of this unit in our new book: c.7 A4 size pages, consisting of 81 paragraphs, 5,253 words describing what each gruppe did throughout the war.

We hope to do volumes of a number of unit types (but not fighters, Dr. Prien is in the process of totally covering all that). It will depend on sales of the Bomber and the Ground Attack books.

An even longer term project is to compile career histories for all Luftwaffe officers who had held command or staff positions, of all specializations, not just fighters and not just "aces". We are looking for historical significance, not some sensationalistic aspect. So far, we have about 23,805 guys, and eventually it should reach about 25,000. We currently are at 995 pages of info with scores more waiting to be incorporated. Most of the info comes out of assignment orders.

Anyway, we hope this will address some of these neglected areas.


Larry deZeng IV
Doug Stankey

[leonventer]

Originally Posted by Doug Stankey

It would likely interest you guys...

Bit of an understatement there!

our next two volume book:"Ground Attack Units of the Luftwaffe - A Reference Source"...

We hope to do volumes of a number of unit types...

An even longer term project is to compile career histories for all Luftwaffe officers...

Anyway, we hope this will address some of these neglected areas.

They certainly will -- thanks for the update. Looking forward to all of the above. Keep up the good work!

Regards,
Leon Venter

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Andy,

I have some interesting details about their activity over Hungary but I'm afraid, now it is impossible to write a really comprehensive and detailed material about this unit. Too much specific materials went missing and the veterans are mostly gone too...

[Brian]

Hi Veltro

I agree with you entirely. Writers are at the publisher's mercy and I am afraid Pounds Shillings and Pence seem to motivate them these days - perhaps understandably so. The only way to get round this is to personally finance such projects but then who is the position to do this?

Cheers
Brian

[yogybär]

I will definitely buy such a book as the Schlachtfliegers were more important in the 43-45 on the Eastern Front then any other Luftwaffe arm. Looking forward to that!!