Air Battle for Leningrad 1941-1944

[Nokose]

I am currently reading an Amazon kindle book titled “Air Battle for Leningrad 1941-1944 by Dmitriy Degtev and Dmitriy Zubov that came out in Nov2023. So far, I’m into the 1941 period. It is so far starting with the Luftwaffe arriving in the Leningrad sector. So far it is providing material on Russian claims against the German bombers, results of bombing attacks on Russian targets in the Leningrad area and some of the build up there. So far not a lot that I haven’t already uncovered concerning German fighter activity but still to early.

[Nokose]

I have got 3/4 the way through this book and will add a little more. The author covers the German bomber raids on Leningrad from 1941 - 1944. It covers not only the bombers shot down but the results on the ground from these raids. He doesn’t hold back on criticism of Soviet AAA gunners but also the government running of the city. I had never heard the stories of cannibalism taken place and the harsh penalties on people getting caught. The siege gun fire results are also covered. On the attacks of the Red Baltic Fleet is very detailed in the results and describes the things the sailors experienced. I have read about the attack on the lighthouse in Lake Ladoga before but not from both sides. The detail of the fighters of both sides is not very detailed but there were somethings that I haven’t read before. He was very critical of the results claimed by Soviet pilots in their victory claims and the bomber and Il-2 claims on German airfield raids. Both Hitler and Stalin are not praised in the least bit for their decisions in the operations there. It is fascinating read for the details but so far the Finns haven’t been mentioned much. I have been reading it in short bursts as I have a lot of projects going on.