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Some 8th AF books.....

Discussion in 'WWII Books & Publications' started by Martin Bull, Oct 21, 2005.

  1. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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  2. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    One of the toughest 8th AF books to track down is Danny Morris' 'Aces And Wingmen' , published in 1971 by the long-defunct Neville Spearman.

    Saw a copy at Duxford last September but it was whipped away from under my nose by a member of the 'Sally B' team....

    No mistake this time - arrived at Duxford early on Saturday morning and that excellent dealer Derek Vanstone had a reasonably-priced copy ; which I'm reading right now. :cool:
     
  3. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    I do believe that your fine antiquated book from 71 was re-released under the same name and now in multi volumes, at least 2 correct or ??? .........
     
  4. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    Yes - it was reprinted in the US in two volumes by Aviation USK and these are also now OOP and collectable ! :eek:

    I'm happy to have the original one-volume version.... ;)
     
  5. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    Was pleased to find another toughie in an off-the-beaten-track bookshop in Hertfordshire yesterday - the Aero facsimile reprint of Grover C Hall's '1000 Destroyed - The Life And Times Of The 4th Fighter Group'.

    I'm not expecting an objective work of research, Hall was a journalist attached to the 4th and the book was originally published in 1946, written in wonderful 1940's 'journalese'. The first edition now sells for around £200+.....
     
  6. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    Great find Martin !

    read that some years ago through library loan. Have you been interested in picking up the Blue Nose Bastards of Bodney, 352nd fg book possibly ? Think they have re-released it, a great personal history

    been chatting with friend Bill Marshall that wrote the 355th fg Angles, Bulldogs and Dragons, Bill has a home about 30 miles from me and has told me he is thinking of a revamp of the older title still a classic. Martin do you have that ??. the 359th Unicorn book is well done as well ........

    Erich
     
  7. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    I don't have any of those, Erich....Fact is, many of the 8th AF unit titles are quite difficult to find and/or hugely expensive over here.

    So when I see one on my travels and it's reasonably priced.... I strike ! ;)
     
  8. Duns Scotus

    Duns Scotus Member

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    For me, one of the best 8th Air Force books is Elmer Bendiner's ''The Fall of Fortresses'' about the first Schweinfurt raid and first published in 1981.
    Bendiner was navigator on ''Tondelayo''a B-17 flying out of their base near Bedford, England.o the way back they debated whether to make for neutral Switzerland but as bebdiner reminde his crew mates his wife was about to guve brith to their first child so they all carried on back to England.
    Beautifully written by Elmer Bendiner ''The Fall of Eagles'' published in Britain by ''Souvenir Press''(1981), is a must read for all serious students of the ''Mighty Eighth''
    Also superb is a book I bought 9 years ago in the ''Shambles'' in York-Ian Hawkins-''Courage, Honor, Victory-a 343 page, first person anthology by members of the US 8th Air Force 95th Bomb Group-utterly superb!.
     
  9. Duns Scotus

    Duns Scotus Member

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    Correction ''The Fall of Fortesses''
     
  10. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    Brian the title does not make sense....... Fortress is spelled thusly

    friend Jan Zdiarsky's "Black Monday over the Ore Mountains" Sept 11, 44 battle the 100th bg group is hamamered by JG 4. Can be obtained in both German and English directly from his website covering 11 September 1944. Small booklet and quite enlightening.

    "Hell in the Heavens" by William Hess. Ill-fated 8th AF bomb group misisons. it needs to be redone as the many of the German activity is incorrect in coverage. 140 pages, some pics

    Steve Blake is the author or future author of the big 9th AF 354th fg book to come out
     
  11. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    1-1-45 Bodenplatte by John Mahnro and Ron Pütz. although covering just one specific time in history during newyears 44 into 45 the reprucussions it had for the Luftwaffe were enormous. Covering the German and US 8th, 9th AF and the RAF/RCAF dispositions, the attacks and defence, and very well written book should be on all ETO aviators shelves
     
  12. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    I'm on the lookout for a reasonably-priced copy of 'Bodenplatte' ....

    Bendiner's book is a classic of its kind - I've read it two or three times now. Ian Hawkins' other book is also highly recommended - 'Munster - The Way It Was'.
     
  13. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    ah yes Martin Ian Hawkins Münster book, Bloody skies over Germany which I won may be a remake of the way it was ? exceelent regardless. Also did you pikc up the May 1990 copy of the supplement to the work "7 days in October" ?? by Paul M. Andrews. A small booklet cream coloured paper cover around 31 pages described in summary each US 8th AF bomber loss in that terrible 7 days of action over the Reich.
    You may note in you Hawkins volume a German chap by the name of Helmut Zittier, flew a Bf 110G-2 with the ugly Br 21cm rocket launchers. Quite an interesting fellow to interview some years ago..........another veteran that has passed on. A Test pilot in later war with about every single and twin engine the Luftwaffe could produce.

    A short story real quick if I may in his ZG after a US heavy bomber encounter, Helmut had just landed his Bf 110G-2 when an a/c from the unit a G-4 night fighter equipped with the standard Br 21cm rocket launchers, two under each wing came in a hard land and was bouncing to a stop, took a hard turn and a still un-launched rocket fired out of the tube right into the hanger that Helmut was coasting his Bf 110G towards. A huge explosion of course developed as two Bf 110G-2 exploded within the hanger. he never did tell me whatever happened to the Bf 110G-4 pilot that came in so abruptly, except to state that the crew had a terrible time trying to keep up formation due to the hevy cannon, rockets and the radar antlers fitted to the night fighter .......

    E ~
     
  14. Duns Scotus

    Duns Scotus Member

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    I'm baffled as i poste yesterday on Elmer Bendiner's 1981 8th Air Force classic-''the Fall of Fortresses''-about-but not exclusively the Schweinfurt raid of August 1943.
    This book by Bendiner-a navigator on the B-17 Tondelayo''is a true classic of the genre.
    As is Ian Hawkins ''Courage, Honor, Victory''A First Person History of the 95th Bomb group 8th Air Force-which i purchased in the ''Shambles'' York in 1988 and heve dipped into many times since.
     
  15. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    another interesting read, and I say interesting as the pilot/author starts to wander in the text.

    Ellis Woodward "Flying School, Combat Hell"

    Primarily about the viscious SturmFw attack on his 493rd bg on 12 September 1944 by II.Sturm/JG 4. Ellis was lead pilot/a-craft on the mission and recalls the attack from his way forward position, his group and squadron really got ripped apart with his B-17 looking like a sieve when he landed at another base after the terrible mission. Since the Sturm attack was from the rear, Ellis and his crew only got a glimpse of the destruction but that was enough. had he and his craft been at the rear end they would of been blown out of the sky ......

    Copyright 1998, American Library Press. It was a pleasure some years ago back in 2000 to chat with the man although briefly, my copy is signed.

    Library of congress Card # 97-077087

    E ~
     
  16. Duns Scotus

    Duns Scotus Member

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    Erich ''The Bloody Munster'' book is really good I was amazed by the author's revelation that the bombing point was given as ''the steps of Munster Cathedral...'' which was a refutation of ''daylight precision bombing'''s avowed aim of avoiding civilian targets?
     
  17. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    Aye Brian, and excellent title it is. Actually several cities were pinpointed just on top for the cathedral as it was such an outstanding point even from over 20,000 feet up

    another work is Merle Olmstead's Classic on the Us 8th AF 357th fighter group, now released from Eagle Editions. there is another book by James Roeder through signal publications that has a wealth of pics and profiles for around US 20.00 dollars a great pick up if you can find the title "357th Fighter Group"
     
  18. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    At Duxford yesterday was pleased to pick up a copy of 'The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn' ( 91st BG ) in perfect condition for half the price of a new copy.

    I've wanted to read this since meeting 'B17Sam' last year and even though it's published by Schiffer ( :( ) it's good to have it.
     
  19. Stevin

    Stevin Ace

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    That IS a good buy, Martin! Well done!

    I have been stacking up on self published books recently....no 8th AF though....
     
  20. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    excellent purchase Martin. I saw an old copy slightly tattered and torn at Paul Gaudette books in Arizona years ago on a visit to family

    keep at it, and I want to see at least two full shelves plus on the 8th AF alone !
     

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