| Book cover finish | Hardcover ( square back binding ) |
| Condition | VERY GOOD LIKE NEW (NEW OLD STOCK) |
| Number of pages | 384 |
| Published date | 2020 |
| Language | English |
| Collection / Series | Black Cross / Red star |
| Size | 22 x 30.5 x 2.9 cm |
| Author | Christer Bergstrom |
| Editor | Vaktel Books |
‘As Trud was focused on this Messerschmitt, he was surprised by another Bf 109 which came out of the clouds and dived down on him with blazing guns. At 2,000 metres altitude, Unteroffizier Wilhelm Hauswirth saw his bullets and shells hit home. With his Airacobra badly damaged and flung into a shallow dive, Trud fought hard to regain control of the machine. But down at 500 metres altitude, Hauswirth attacked again.
He adjusted the speed of his Bf 109 to that of the crippled enemy fighter and opened fire when they were down at 200 metres. Trud tried to escape in a dive, but 20 to 30 metres above the ground his Airacobra caught fire and fell to the ground. Miraculously, the pilot survived, although with burns on his face. In an unconscious state, he was saved by Red Army troops and woke up two hours later, bandaged and in a field hospital. Two months later he would be back in action to increase his score of twelve air victories.’
This volume of Black Cross Red Star deals mainly with two of the largest air battles in military history-over the Kuban Bridgehead in the spring of 1943 and during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943. These are studied in great detail, with a balance between German and Soviet sources, many first-hand accounts, and presented with the true loss figures of both sides, day by day.
The author has studied the air war over the Eastern Front for several decades. This work is based on veterans from both sides on primary sources from both sides and interviews conducted by the author with a large number of veterans from both sides.
* Over 300 photographs, many of pilot veterans’ private photo albums and which have never been published before.
*Very clear maps: Most of the places mentioned in the book are on the maps.
* Aircraft colour profiles by Jim Laurier.
* Photos of most of the aircraft that are listed on the inside of the dust jacket. Appendices.