Top Bf 109 aces

[Nick Hector]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

The criticism you will find here about John Weal's work is far from presumptuous, it is based on years of actual research into wartime sources. His books do offer a useful overview at a comparatively low price but, however much you like them, they are not necessarily accurate.

I think Donald Caldwell's epithet for him was very apt and accurate: John "Toxic Waste" Weal. That was back when the forum consisted of more than just Weal's fans...

[knusel]

Originally Posted by Nick Hector

...John "Toxic Waste" Weal. ...

Aggressive, discriminatory and not witty. Just a failed joke-attempt.

[Nick Hector]

Originally Posted by knusel

Aggressive, discriminatory and not witty. Just a failed joke-attempt.

Don Caldwell's words, not mine....

[PMoz99]

And how much new information has come to light since he wrote his books?

[Nick Hector]

Originally Posted by PMoz99

And how much new information has come to light since he wrote his books?

A fair bit actually, Peter. When Caldwell wrote his 2nd volume there was a lot less known about I. and 7./JG 26's Soviet opponents from their tenure on Russian Front in 1943. Nowadays an update of that info would be possible for most days that the units were in combat. This is an ever-evolving subject.

But the issue Caldwell had with Weal was that Weal had used Caldwell's material without any kind of citation and he gave vent to his feelings on this very forum and thereafter made his opinion of Weal quite known...
Knusel might take that as a "failed attempt at a joke" but Don Caldwell had every right to be angry. After all, he had done the hard yards of finding and interviewing veterans. Hence, whereas Weal's earlier works did not have bibliographies, most of his later works did.

[Flavio]

Originally Posted by knusel

Hello Flavio,

thanks for the hint. Indeed ,Cantacuzino was the top Rumanian ace by Rumanian standards.
But if you apply the standards of the of Axis nations to the Rumanian aces (unconfirmed not counted, shared as decimals...), Serbanescu is the man.

Cheers,

Michael

Hi Michael,
according to Dénes Bernard, Cantacuzino's 45 (44+1) were all confirmed, same way as were Serbanescu's 44+0; his u/c and probable kills are kept in a separate list.
I hope Dénes can add further detail.

Flavio

[knusel]

Hello Flavio,

I have his Mr. Bernad's book at home.
In the evening I can have a look, too.

Here you go:
"Rumanian Aces of World War 2" by Dénes Bernád, p86
-Constantin Cantacuzino: 42+1 confirmed, 11 unconfirmed
-Alexandru Serbanescu: 44 confirmed, 8 unconfirmed

Kind regards,

Michael

[Flavio]

Originally Posted by knusel

Hello Flavio,

I have his Mr. Bernad's book at home.
In the evening I can have a look, too.

Here you go:
"Rumanian Aces of World War 2" by Dénes Bernád, p86
-Constantin Cantacuzino: 42+1 confirmed, 11 unconfirmed
-Alexandru Serbanescu: 44 confirmed, 8 unconfirmed

Kind regards,

Michael

Hi Michael,

please refer to my previous post, "according to the last researches by Dénes Bernard (French magazine "Avions" 209-210 January/April 2016)".
Dénes wrote "Rumanian Aces of World War 2" in 2003; after that he made further researches and he found two more confirmed victories credited to Cantacuzino (23/7/44 one Yak-9; 21/8/44 three Yaks (instead two), making him the Rumanian top ace.

Flavio

[knusel]

Good morning Flavio,

very interesting.
I've already started working through French aviation journals.
Many of them are really excellent.

This website should be updated as well.
http://www.cieldegloire.com/012_cantacuzino_c.php

Cheers,

Michael

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Originally Posted by PMoz99

And how much new information has come to light since he wrote his books?

The JG 26 War Diary books were published 20 years ago. A lot of work has been done since, of course on the Russian side with the opening of archives and a lot of works by Russian authors, but also on the Luftwaffe side with for example exploitation of tons of flightbooks.