JG 52 histories

[Jukka Juutinen]

As far as I know, there is no thorough history of the JG 52 (like Lorant&Goyat) available in English. Why? I mean that it seems that no JG that served mostly on the Eastern Front has received a proper unit history in English.

[leonventer]

Originally Posted by Jukka Juutinen

As far as I know, there is no thorough history of the JG 52 (like Lorant&Goyat) available in English.

Yes, nothing definitive in English, but JG 52 is one of the better documented fighter units in general.

Here are some English publications:

• "Jagdgeschwader 52: The Experten" by John Weal, Osprey, 2004, 128 pages.
• "JG 52, vol. I" by Murawski and Neuwerth, Kagero, 2003, 72 pages.
• "JG 52, vol. II" by Murawski, Kagero, 2008 (available soon.)
• "13.(slow.)/JG 52" by Jiri Rajlich, Mushroom Model Pubs, 2007, 112 pages.
• "Messerschmitt Bf 109s of JG 52 in Deutsch Brod" by Janda and Poruba, JaPo, 2004, 56 pages (mainly about aircraft and camouflage, but contains some unit history and a loss list for 1945.)
• "Letka 13: 13.(slow.)/JG 52 in pictures 1940-1944" by Bursa and And'al, HT Model, 2006, 79 pages (mainly pictorial.)

Here are some unit histories in other languages:

• "Die Geschichte der I. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52" by Bernd Barbas, self-published, 2004, 429 pages (German)
• "Die Geschichte der II. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52" by Bernd Barbas, self-published, 2003(?), 377 pages (German)
• "Das Jagdgeschwader 52, Bände I-VII" by Niko Fast, self-published, 1988-1993, 543/546/293/325/242/206/138 pages (German)
• "JG 52: Das erfolgreichste Jagdgeschwader des Zweiten Weltkrieges" by Hans Schreier, Kurt Vowinckel Verlag, 1990, 216 pages (German)
• "Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945" by Jochen Prien et al, Struve Druck, 2000-present, JG 52 coverage appears in vols. 1, 2, 3, 4/II, 5, 6/II, 9/I, 9/II (German)
• "10800 Sestrelu: Jagdgeschwader 52, Historie Nejuspesnejsi Stihaci Jednotky Vsech Dob" by Pavel Berger, Ares, 2001, 206 pages (Czech)

There are also several biographies about JG 52 aces, including Rall, Hartmann, Graf, Lipfert, Steinhoff, Dickfeld, Ewald, Petermann, Düttmann, and Waldmann.

Leon Venter

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Jukka Juutinen

Why? I mean that it seems that no JG that served mostly on the Eastern Front has received a proper unit history in English.

I'd guess that it has something to do with the inaccessibility of Soviet sources during the Cold War and now perhaps because relatively few people in the West speak Russian or would know their way around the archives there.

I once saw a TV programme about Anthony Beevor and in every country he went he introduced the TV crew to his researcher in that country. I don't think most aviation authors have that luxury (maybe because they don't sell as many books as Beevor).

[Franek Grabowski]

Actually, how many German units got the proper research published in English? I would say quite reasonable number comparing to the war effort. Still waiting for a good (exhaustive) JG 2 monograph!