Perssonel LW's losses over Poland IX 1939?

[John Vasco]

Mirek,

I read this thread with interest.

What do you want exactly? You see, I get the impression that whatever answer you get, you then go off in a different direction.

You start off with: '...Is is possible to have quite precise estimation of personal losses sustained by LW over Poland in this period?...' Robert, Marius and RT made replies to you.

You then come back with: '...The second major flaw of your publication is to avoid feeding the number of flight (general data, statistics). It is difficult to determine whether the LW crew performed for example, only 100 Ju 87s sorties 1-28 IX 39, or for example 10.000 or more or less?...' Let's put this in context, eh? Unless every document still existed documenting every flight of every unit for that campaign, you are never going to get 100% information. That is an incontrovertible fact. A researcher/author ALWAYS reaches the point where he has to go with what he has got at that point in time. If that were not the case, then there would not be a single book in existence relating to World War 2 aviation.

You make this comment also: '...In writing history, what counts is whether someone is trustworthy and knows how to do something fairly or not...' At first glance, that comment seems fairly reasonable. If we applied that test to something like Frank Mason's 'Battle Over Britain', then it would pass with flying colours. What he produced at the time of it first appearing was considered ground-breaking. However, in the fullness of time further research has shown a lot of the information in that book to be incorrect. Not because Frank deliberately set out to be incorrect and mischievious, but because he went with what he knew at the time. I believe Frank Mason is trustworthy and he knew how to do something fairly. But that alone is not the only qualification required in writing history. Do you follow what I mean?

So following on from that, I do believe that you should not be so critical of what others have worked on, and have managed to get into print. If you have additional information, then get it out. Or get it to the author. Or put it out on a site like this so that others can update their knowledge. But if you have done nothing, then don't just sit on your arse on the sidelines and criticise the efforts of others. That serves no useful purpose whatsoever.