Black Cross Red Star Air War Over the Eastern Front: Volume 4, Stalingrad to Kuban 1942-1943 (VOL.4)

Looking forward to Volume Fiveand any more to come

For more than 40 years I'm reading books about the Luftwaffe, particularly the ones related to the Eastern front air combat.Christer Bergstrom series of books Black Cross Red Star, volumes I to IV, are amongst the best written about this subject.Exhaustive research by the author enabled an outstanding amount of detail related to the majority of aerial combats on the Eastern front as seen by both sides, German and Russian. Extraordinary colored aircraft profiles are complemented by black and white photos, most of them never published before.If you are a serious enthusiast of aviation military history, this is the book to spend your money.

Well this is a master work on the Eastern Front. Beautifully laid out, with a nice blend of photos and text.The covers on these books are so beautiful, they are worth the cost alone.There are so few books available to the English reader about the German/Soviet air war. You will get it in bits and pieces in pilot biographers and the like, but nothing on the bigger picture. A nice touch is the inclusion of "what became of them" in the captions of the portrait pictures......A book that will stand the test of time.

I have read a number of the author's books and enjoyed all of them, this new one I regard his best so far. Carefully researched, well illustrated, excitingly written and comprehensive. What more could you want? Anyone interested in this topic must be recommended this work!

Great selection of aircraft and the fighting along this time frame on the eastern front explained in detail with lots of pictures and drawing worth the purchase

The air warfare on the Eastern Front (as is referred to in the West), is covered in great detail, from November 1942 thru the Kuban Front front in March 1943.The Volume 4 follows the pattern of earlier Bersttrom books of the series. So, if you are a fan of the earlier volumes, this volume will not disappoint.Chapters include:- The Turn of the Tide. (review of '42 air operations over the Eastern Front included)- Sealing Off Stalingrad. (p. 45)- Widening the Offensive- The Luftwaffe Strikes Back. (p. 171)- Overextension. (the Salients and battles over the Leningrad corridor)- In the Northern Skies. (p. 263). ("The Arctic Convoys are Stopped")- Preparing for the Great Air Battles (Kuban, February-March 1943)- Conclusion. (p. 313)Included in the volume are eight Appendices (pages 319 -338), full-page maps throughout the volume to orient readers to geographic areas and specific Front's; Notes (p. 352), Sources (p. 372), and Index.The quality remains at the level of earlier volumes in the series.For readers interested in air warfare during WW Two, and specifically the Eastern Front, one will not finda better reference source, including photographs.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !

excelente, repito.

ottimo per gli studiosi della guerra sul fronte sovietico. Ho tutti i 5 volumi finora usciti e spero di avere anche quelli futuri fino alla conquista di Berlino

Tengo docenas de libros de historia militar y esta serie (BlackCross Red Star) destaca por la profundidad de la investigación, la increible cantidad de fotos unicas/raras que se incluyen y un formato XXL que lo hacen especiales entre todos los demás. Como opción adicional, el autor tiene un proyecto de crowdfunding por si quieres una copia dedicada, tapa dura y contenido extra.

Black Cross / Red Star Vol. 4 covers the period from Stalingrad to Kuban. Christer Bergström's thorough research shines through in this book. The author brings alive those that took part, taking viewpoints from involved pilots, their commanders and contemporary witnesses. A reference book for users of WWII aviation simulators who want to learn more about the aerial clashes between Russian and German aviators. Tactical situation, locations, time and the units involved as well as their successes and losses are masterfully investigated here. Maps and photographs are excellent as are the included aircraft color profiles. Bergström's writing style makes for a balanced, highly informative and easy read. Volume 4 is another highlight in this books series. I am already looking forward to Vol 5.

Having missed the first three books in this series. I jumped at the chance to get volume 4. Noting the previous reviews of Christer’s work. I have not been disappointed.The book is a well put together, with clear large maps to set the scene and informative text that explores this subject in detail. The many photos are clear and help to support the reader. The appendix are well thought out and provide detail while the excellent colour plates at the end of the book give the reader a visual impression of the aircraft that are featured.Physically the book is a strong hardback made of good quality materials.Added to this are the little surprise that I think set the true standard for future books in this series. The gallery of pictures inside the dust cover were a nice surprise and help the less familiar reader identify and visualise the aircraft mentioned in the book. Also the clever use of the internet to download the index and thus save on page space and cost is for me a first.Lastly the comments on page 15 in the author’s introduction made me excited for the future of this series. Planning to expand into a volume 5 and 6 was good news but Christer’s intent to revisit and update volumes 1,2,3 is great news and will allow people who missed the initial launch the opportunity to collect what has rightfully become the gold standard for this subject.