BOS (Required?) Reading List

[MackStones]

Assuming I figure out how to use the ROF-based mission-builder, I realized that I need to refresh my memory on details of the Stalingrad campaign in order to create BOS missions for an expected Warbirds of Prey BOS server.  I have an extensive (too extensive, according to my wife - ha ha) library of WW2 aviation books.  I started inventorying my books relating to the Stalingrad campaign in general as well as specific ones on the aviation aspects of the campaign.  In doing so, I realized it might be useful to share my list with others who might want to start reading up on the campaign, and (importantly) to get some suggestions from other members of the community on good books I'm missing (and will want to then read).  

 

To be clear, this list is English-language only.  I'm not including books about the Eastern Front in general which have chapters on Stalingrad (e.g.- Glantz's "When Titans Clashed", etc.), books on Eastern Front aviation or aircraft in general (e.g.- Yefim Gordon's "Soviet Air Power in World War 2", Gordon's "Piston-Engined Aircraft" series on Yak, Lav, and MiG, Seidl's "Stalin's Eagles", Grinnel/Watanabe series on particular aircraft, etc.), biographical/autobiographical works of participants, or atlases.  Those are all good books, but I'm focusing on ones that are more Stalingrad-oriented (although I'm cheating somewhat by including some aviation books which have major sections on the Stalingrad campaign).

 

Here's my list:

 

Stalingrad, by Antony Beevor

 

To the Gates of Stalingrad (The Stalingrad Trilogy, Vol. I), by David Glantz

 

Armageddon (The Stalingrad Trilogy, Vol. II), by David Glantz

 

After Stalingrad: The Red Army's Winter Offensive, by David Glantz

 

Stalingrad - The Air Battle (1942 through Jan. 1943), by Christer Bergstrom

 

Black Cross, Red Star, Vol. III, by Christer Bergstorm

 

Red Phoenix Rising, by Von Hardesty (there's a new, updated version).

 

 

I've also pre-ordered Egerdov's "Fighters over Stalingrad, Vol. I:  Air Operations of the Soviet Union VVS and the Luftwaffe", which is supposed to come on in October.

 

 

I'd love to get any other suggestions on suitable additions.  

 

 

 

[Freycinet]

For me the best book about the battle is Enemy at the Gates by William Craig: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1568523688/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1377893838&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

 

It is a better book than Beevor's, and no, it isn't just about the sniper duel, as the movie of the same name. In the book the sniper duel fills just 3 pages. Fantastic stomach-churning read if there ever was one!

Edited August 30, 2013 by Freycinet

[BraveSirRobin]

For me the best book about the battle is Enemy at the Gates by William Craig: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1568523688/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1377893838&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

 

It is a better book than Beevor's, and no, it isn't just about the sniper duel, as the movie of the same name. In the book the sniper duel fills just 3 pages. Fantastic stomach-churning read if there ever was one!

 

It might be the best book about any WW2 battle.

[Freycinet]

Ah, nice to see that somebody else read this hidden gem! Anthony Beevor seems to have acquired almost a monopoly on writing about the Stalingrad and Berlin battles. His books are just fine but nothing like Craig's.

[=LD=Hethwill]

Found out that Vol.3 of Black Cross... is out of stock in many dealers, managed to get a hand on a copy though, due to arrive next week.

 

Fighters over... Can't find anywhere on stock. For mission editor might be the best given it has detailed OOBs ? Correct me if i'm wrong.

[MackStones]

I didn't realize that "Enemy at the Gates" has little about the sniper battle.  The book covers I've seen always had the movie tie-ins, which, as many of us know, is often a bad sign for historical books.  

 

Fighters Over Stalingrad is available for pre-order on Amazon, but won't be published until Oct.   It's by a couple Russians, and hopefully has lots of details (I'm taking a chance here, of course).  Here is the limited description on Amazon:

 

The first book to give a detailed description of the air war over Stalingrad including maps of all the airfields and unique details of specific air battles. The material has been sourced from the Russian archives and has never been published before. Both authors are based in the Russian Federation.

 

 

NIKITA EGOROV graduated from the Moscow State University of International Relations. He is a research enthusiast in the field of air combats on the Eastern Front (1941-1945), Egorov assisted in several general projects such as the reference books on Soviet aces (1941-1945) by Mikhail Bykov and the Black Cross and Red Star series by Christer Bergstorm. BORIS NECHKIN graduated from Moscow Teachers' Training Institute. His interests are the air war on the Eastern Front (1941-1945) and German aviators in Soviet captivity (1941-1945). Author of several articles and document collections for magazine Novyi Tschasovoi (New Sentinel) and the Russian and weekly Latvian News.

 

The Black Cross, Red Star series was seen as the standard for years.  I've got Vol. 2 as well.  It's been unpublished for years, and it's difficult to find copies (at least ones that someone doesn't want to sell you for $250).  Fortunately, Bergstrom is writing more books now, and doing the new series on various battles in WW2 (see Stalingrad one above - I've got a couple others - he is working off the BC/RS series).  

Edited August 30, 2013 by MackStones

[Volkoff]

I can't wait for Fighters Over Stalingrad to come out.   MJ

[leitmotiv]

good list

[Tone71]

Just picked up Stalingrad (Antony Beevor) quite cheap in a charity book shop. Good to see it comes recommended.

[Mags]

I'm currently listening to Antony Beevor's 'Stalingrad' as an audiobook (in swedish) for the third time. The book is highly recommended too.

[Gunsmith86]

Stopped at Stalingrad: The Luftwaffe and Hitler's Defeat in the East, 1942-1943

http://www.amazon.com/Stopped-Stalingrad-Luftwaffe-Hitlers-1942-1943/dp/0700611460/ref=pd_sim_b_24