Die Jagdfliegerverbande der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934-1945, teil 9

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

The 3 books of teil 9 of Prien's (and others) series is covering the Eastern Front from Dec 1941 to February 1943. This this the time area where I have the less data about German claims and losses, but I'm not interested in pictures, that is I won't buy a pictorial-only book.

Given that my interest in this book is 1) victories claims 2) unit losses 3) unit histories, how are organized the 3 books of this serie and which ones should I buy first ? My guess is that the 1st is covering all (history, claims, losses, pictures) between Dec 41 and April 42, but the period May 42 - Feb 43 is covered by Nr 2 and 3, and I would like to know how these are organized.

Another question is : if I buy the book on the website http://www.jagdgeschwader.net/index.html, does more money arrive in the pocket of the authors and editor, and less in the pockets of intermediaries that didn't care if the book is dealing with WWII airfare or with feng-shui ?

The above site seems to have all Prien's book I know, except the vol 1 of JG 53. Prices are roughly half of what I can find on Amazon.fr or .de, where only one third of books are available, so buying them here will be ethically and economicaly interesting, but I would like an advice on this website.

Regards

Laurent

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by Laurent Rizzotti

Another question is : if I buy the book on the website http://www.jagdgeschwader.net/index.html, does more money arrive in the pocket of the authors and editor, and less in the pockets of intermediaries that didn't care if the book is dealing with WWII airfare or with feng-shui ?

Yes, probably but they don't (didn't last time I used them) process credit cards - you'll have to organise a bank transfer ...which will cost ( eg minimum fee from the UK is €12...)

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

Good tip about direct order, Laurent. Thanks.

Euro transfers between countries using Euro should not cost more than transfers within own country (actually it is illegal to charge more, AFAIK).

I have paid several times directly to German bank accounts from Finland. Absolutely no additional costs and can be done from home computer. Don't know what kind of online banking systems are used in other parts of Europe, though.


Kari

[Ruy Horta]

Direct transfer in the EU, if you make sure you've got the right IBAN code (etc) and opt for shared cost, is free of charge. It has been that way for a couple of years now. Combine this with Internet banking (if your bank has international transfers as an option) and you are facing a very easy and cheap payment method!

Some info that might help you make up your mind.

Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945

Teil 9 / I Winterkampf im Osten 6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942
424p

• Introduction and general assessment
• III./JG 3
• JG 51*
• JG 52
• JG 54
• JG 77
• Appendices

Teil 9 / II Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad
1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943
592p

• Introduction and general assessment
• JG 3
• JG 51
• JG 52

Teil 9 / III Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad
1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943
508p

• I./JG 53 (RH: correction)
• JG 54 (RH: idem)
• JG 77
• JG 5

Also included with Vol III are two grid reference maps of the Eastern Front
c. 75x54cm each

• Liegeplätze der Jagdverbände an der Ostfront zwischen 5.12.1941 und 27.06.1945
• Liegeplätze der Jagdverbände an der Ostfront zwischen 27.06.1945 und 3.02.1943

The maps show main fronts, airfields, unit movements, command areas etc

*Prien covers each JG on at the Gruppe level, and if the Gruppe contain a special unit, like 13.(Z) JG 5, 15.(span) JG 51, 13.(slow) JG 52 and 15.(kroat) JG 52, these are also covered separately.

If you are interested in the Eastern Front 9/I is essential for the early period. You might get away with choosing either 9/II or 9/III for the middle period based on your particular (unit of) interest, but 9/II carries the general introduction and 9/III the maps. Each IMHO is a valuable part of the whole.

But basically it is 9/I as a complete work and 9/II & III as another complete work.

All three combined offer one hell of a reference work.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Ruy, exactly what I wanted to know.

I will go first for volumes I and III (JG 53 and JG 5 are my prime interest right now).

Now if Jochen or someone lese may comment about the above website, it will be perfect.

Regards

Laurent

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

to comment on the website in question is pretty simple - it is the website of struve-druck, the publishers and printers of our series. So to buy from that website means to buy from the source.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Jochen Prien

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Jochen,

that may explain why this website has so much of your books still available, and at editor price.

Well, you will have shortly a new customer, the only question still unresolved for me being how much of your books I will buy right now, and how much later....

Regards

Laurent

[leonventer]

Excellent summary, Ruy.

Just a correction and some additional details:

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

Teil 9 / III Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad
1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943
508p

• JG 53
• JG 77
• JG 5

Correction: Teil 9 / III covers JG 54 as well. Its contents should read as follows:

• I./JG 53
• JG 54 (Stab, Gruppe I - III)
• JG 77 (Stab, Gruppe I - III)
• JG 5 (Stab, Gruppe II & III, 13.(Z)/JG 5)

For each Gruppe, you get the unit history, many photos, a list of Gruppe and Staffel commanders, a chronological list of the airfields it operated from, detailed strength reports (monthly for aircraft and quarterly for pilots), lists of claims and losses, plus a description of unit markings and camouflage.

The claims lists include times and locations (i.e. Planquadrat). The loss lists include the cause and % damage, the aircraft subtype, WNr, and the aircraft code, e.g. ge. 2 + -. All information sources are detailed in footnotes, and the photos have detailed captions and sources. The text/photo ratio is about 50/50.

Some of the unit histories are available in greater detail in Prien's Geschwader histories, (e.g. JG 3, JG 53, JG 77), but the Jagdfliegerverbände series provides a consistent treatment of all units, which is invaluable.

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

All three combined offer one hell of a reference work.

Indeed.

Leon Venter

[Ruy Horta]

Thanks for the notice, corrected for the record.

I'll put up something more definite for this series in the near future.

[FalkeEins]

thanks, that would be helpful..