Pajeka

Very generous gesture Tzigy..... Top Man!!

Lovely gesture, very generous...... Top man!!

Likewise - crowdfunded vol 4 and 5. Just gotta support Christer and his incredible work!

For your information, further update just received from Christer...... ”Hello,I am turning to all of you who pre-ordered Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4. There is something that worries me about this book series.I am now working full time on Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 5, and am making great progress. On 12 January, I am going to research the Bundesarchiv for a week for this book. If you are happy with Volume 4, I think you will find Volume 5 even better. There is so much really sensational material there. My plan is to have this volume published in the summer of this year, 2020.As mentioned previously, this book series is, in fact, living from hand to mouth, and each subsequent volume is totally dependant on the success of the previous volume, and its crowdfunding.My goal is to get just 125 crowdfunders to contribute at least USD $100 each for Volume 5 (plus postage). Then it can be published within a couple of months. And the crowdfunders will also have their names printed as an acknowledgment in the book.I also need as many ordinary pre-orders as possible for USD 60 (plus postage) for a signed hardcover copy.However, I am beginning to worry about Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 5. So far, I have no more than 33 pre-orders, including crowdfunders. What is even more worrying is that sales of Volume 4 have more or less stopped. No more than nine (9) copies were sold world-wide the past month.So Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 5 is in a desperate need of crowdfunders and more pre-orders. In order to calculate whether a publication and continued priority work on that book are realistic, I would like to ask every one of you who considers making a pre-order or an offer for crowdfunding to do so now.Please note:YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING NOW (BUT OF COURSE IT IS WELCOME IF YOU DO), BUT EVEN A PROMISE FOR A PREORDER OR A CROWDFUNDING WHERE YOU PAY LATER THIS YEAR WOULD HELP VERY MUCH.(If it will be economically impossible to publish the Black Cross/Red Star series, I will of course re-pay those of you who have paid to my PayPal account; I haven't touched that account, all the money will remain there until I either use them to publish the book, or I return the money to the payers.) Anyone who can find a new crowdfunder (someone who has not crowdfunded Vol. 4), willing to order a hardcover copy of Volume 5 at the crowdfunder price of at least USD$ 100, gets a 10 % discount off my price of USD$ 60 from me on that volume. Please ask any new crowdfunder (or anyone who wishes to order a signed hardcopy Volume 5 at my regular price of USD$ 60) to e-mail me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com. Please note: Only to vaktelforlag@gmail.com Please also help me to spread the word! All help and support with this will be received with the utmost gratitude. You can read more about Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 5 here: https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black-cross-red-star-air-war-eastern-front-volume-5-great-air-battles-kuban-kursk-april-july-1943/ All the best & a Happy New Year! Christer Bergström”

Hi guys, Mail recently received from Christer, thought you would like to be kept up to date.... "Hello dear friends, I am now working full time on Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 5, and am making great progress. If you are happy with Volume 4, I think you will find Volume 5 even better. There is so much really sensational material there. My plan is to have this volume published in the summer of 2020. I attach a small excerpt from the raw and unedited manuscript, dealing with one of the days during the famous Air Battle over Kuban (which nevertheless so far has not been covered in any history writing). I would like to turn to you, my friends, and ask you for support for this volume, either by crowdfunding (100 USD or above) or by ordering a copy at the ordinary price of 60 USD. In both cases, it is for a hard cover copy with aircraft color profiles. If so, please send me an e-mail to vaktelforlag@gmail.com and transfer the amount to my PayPal account: vaktelforlag@gmail.com If PayPal is inconvenient, please let me know and I can send an ordinary invoice with bank details. Those who support this book through crowdfunding will receive a personally signed and numbered hardcover copy with aircraft color profiles, and with a special dedication that will probably make it attractive for collectors. As mentioned, this book series is, in fact, living from hand to mouth, and each subsequent volume is totally dependant on the success of the previous volume, and its crowdfunding. My goal is to get just 125 crowdfunders to contribute at least $100 each for Volume 5 (plus postage), it can be published within a couple of months. And the crowdfunders will also have their names printed as an acknowledgment in the book. Anyone who can find a new crowdfunder (someone who has not crowdfunded Vol. 4), willing to order a copy of Volume 5 at the crowdfunder price of at least USD$ 100, gets a 10 % discount off my price of USD$ 60 from me on that volume. Please ask any new crowdfunder (or anyone who wishes to order a signed hardcopy Volume 5 at my regular price of USD$ 60) to e-mail me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com. I will e-mail all of you regular updates on the progress of the book, and the crowdfunders will also receive regular excerpts from the manuscript etc. Anyone who has not ordered a personally signed hardcover copy of Volume 4 (with color profiles), is of course welcome to do so at vaktelforlag@gmail.com Please help me to spread the word! All help and support with this will be received with the utmost gratitude. You can read more about Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 5 here: https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black-cross-red-star-air-war-eastern-front-volume-5-great-air-battles-kuban-kursk-april-july-1943/ All the best,"

Absolutely - interesting reading....possible future missions? https://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/aircraft/de-havilland-dh98-mosquito-fb-mk-vi/

Fantastic news! Great plane set, no hesitation - pre-ordered!!

Hi Guys, Some additional information recently received from Christer regarding his book “LUFTWAFFE PILOTS IN WORLD WAR II: The Veterans’ Stories Volume 1” “Hello, my dear friends and supporters,Good news and bad news:The good news first: My book ”LUFTWAFFE PILOTS IN WORLD WAR II: The Veterans’ Stories Volume 1” has now been translated into English and can be published within a couple of weeks!The bad news is this: Is there no demand for this book in English? I have sold fifteen hundred copies of the Swedish edition, but so far I have only had exactly nine (9) pre-orders of the English edition. I haven’t heard that any bookstore has ordered it. (I publish it by myself in order to maintain control of the quality.)”LUFTWAFFE PILOTS IN WORLD WAR II: The Veterans’ Stories Volume 1”contains absolutely unique and hitherto unknown – except for the Swedish readers – facts and personal accounts by Luftwaffe veterans themselves.The price for each copy is £25.99 / US$ 31.99 / 47.69 AU$ and postage for one copy is US$ 10.00, for two copies US$ 18.00.But with the situation regarding demand for the book looking as bleak as it doesn, I am now asking for helpful friends and enthusiasts to help out with crowdfunding.A crowdfunding of US$ 60 will render the supporter a special crowdfunder edition's numbered book, the crowdfunder's name in a honorary section in the book, and a never previously photograph of the "Karaya Quartet" Hermann Graf - Alfred Grislawski - Ernst Süss - Heinrich Füllgrabe.Please e-mail me your order/crowdfunding promise, and please transfer the payment to my PayPal account:vaktelforlag@gmail.comI would like to ask you, dear friends, if you could place your orders before Friday 11 October, so that I can have the book published as soon as possible.Any help in getting a book retailer interested is also most welcome!In this book, I try to give the answer to this question: What was it like to be a pilot in Hitler’s Luftwaffe during World War II? I allow the veterans themselves to provide the answer. Since 1974, when I (at the age of only 16) was a guest at Adolf Galland’s home in Oberwinter for two days, I have met hundreds of Luftwaffe pilot veterans. Over the years, I made between one and three tours a year to meet and interview as many of the aging Luftwaffe veterans as possible.I am now putting all of this together in a book series. Here you will find things that often don’t usually appear in ordinary books about the war. This first volume contains headlines such as: What was it like to be a pilot in Hitler’s Luftwaffe during World War II? What did the veterans say? * ”Assi” Hahn tells his story * The terrible ”Jochen” Marseille * ”Let’s not talk about that”: Uncomfortable Luftwaffe facts * The Luftwaffe’s real results beyond the claims– facts and figures.From the Swedish Library Service’s review of German pilots Vol 1:“Well written and engaging… richly illustrated with, among other things, photos from the veterans’ private photo albums. It is also packed with facts and statistics in several appendices. Christer Bergström is an internationally leading expert on the Luftwaffe during World War II. He has been studying the subject for decades and has written several excellent books on the subject. ”– Tord Rönnholm, BTJ Booklet no. 24, 2018.Read more about the book here:https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/luftwaffe-pilots-world-war-ii-veterans-stories-volume-1/Please help me to spread this to more people.”

Hi guys, received this morning.....hopefully the final update! “Dear friends and supporters! This is the mail that perhaps one or two of you has been waiting for: Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 4 arrived here from the printer today! And it looks absolutely great! The printing company has made a great work! I have been signing books all day long and I have posted the first batch of books today. I will continue to post books tomorrow, and I hope I will have finished before the post office closes tomorrow. I attach a couple of photos. One is me signing (perhaps your book). One is me holding the book. No, it isn't that huge - it just looks that way in the photo. But it is big. I also attach a photo where Volume 4 is compared to Volume 4. Now I am really keen to hear what you think of the book once you've received it and started reading. And please, please spread the word everywhere! I really need all the help I can get, because I am publishing this book by myself, and I really donät have any marketing budget.” All the best, Christer Bergström Further pictures.....

Just for information, 3x volumes of 2nd Tactical Air Force (June 43 - May 45) by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas Volumes 2&3 cover the dates and events of 2nd Tactical Air Force during the periods Jason is particularly interested in. These books provide in detail, each day, a breakdown of the activities of 2nd TAF pilots, listing all pilots (active on that date), ranks, Squadrons, aircraft type/serial no, targets, kills etc and all 2nd TAF activities as they occurred on that date. There is also limited details of the Luftwaffe activity over this period. If “Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the ..., Volume 2” does not fulfil your requirements, it may be worth reviewing the volumes noted above. I note that Christopher Shores was also joint author of “Aces High”, so I presume he is an authority on this subject.

Jason I have mailed you directly with download link. I think it may provide you with the information are searching for..

Hi Guys, further update, message received this morning from Christer. Hope this is OK to post, if not, Moderator please remove. "Hi my dear friends and supporters! Please make sure to read this e-mail in its entirety. Good news about Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 4. https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black-cross-red-star-air-war-eastern-front-volume-4-stalingrad-kuban-1942-1943/ The book has been sent to the printer! The hardcover edition with aircraft color profiles etc will arrive here on September 25, according to the printer. Then I will post all the pre-ordered books immediately, without any delay! Yes, everyone who has ordered a signed copy from me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com will receive a hardcover copy with aircraft color profiles etc. I am publishing this entirely by myself, and have no economic means for marketing etc. Also, I have not been able to get a book distributor in the United States. That is the reason why in the United States there is only a soft-cover edition without any aircraft color profiles available via Ingram Spark. But io course, people living in the United States who order the book from me, will receive the hardcover edition with aircraft color profiles etc. All help to spread the word about the book on the Internet, etc, and to ask book stores and museums etc to purchase the book will be received with the greatest gratitude. This book series is, in fact, living from hand to mouth, and each subsequent volume is totally dependant on the success of the previous volume, and its crowdfunding. Anyone who can find a new crowdfunder (who has not crowdfunded Vol. 4), willing to order a copy of Volume 5 at the crowdfunder price of USD$ 100, gets a 10 % discount off my price of USD$ 60 from me on that volume. Please ask any new crowdfunder (or anyone who wishes to order a signed hardcopy Volume 5 at my regular price of USD$ 60) to e-mail me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com. I will e-mail all of you when the book is here. Anyone of you who has not ordered a personally signed copy of Volume 4, is welcome to do so at vaktelforlag@gmail.com The price is USD$ 60 - or USD$ 100 in crowdfunding - plus USD$ 25 in shipping. Please continue reading. I would be most grateful if you could also spread the word about these two books by me - also published entirely by myself: Arnhem 1944 – An Epic Battle Revisited, two volumes: https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/arnhem-1944-epic-battle-revisited-vol-1-tanks-paratroopers/ – Andy Nunez, editor of Against the Odds Magazine, wrote this review: "Volume One of Arnhem 1944 is a solid hit. Christer Bergström gets high marks for original research, comprehensive orders of battle, and interactive QR codes that immerse the reader into the heat of battle. This puts a whole new face on Market-Garden.” LUFTWAFFE PILOTS IN WORLD WAR II: The Veterans’ Stories Volume 1 https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/luftwaffe-pilots-world-war-ii-veterans-stories-volume-1/ You are of course welcome to order personally signed hard-cover copies of those books too from me, at vaktelforlag@gmail.com The price for both volumes of Arnhem plus Luftwaffe Pilots Vol. 1 is altogether USD$96 plus USD$ 25 in postage."

Great team effort guys! Stunning result - Congratulations to all involved...

For your information - mail received from Christer on 5/7/2019 "Hello dear supporters, I made it! On Sunday I am leaving for Singapore, and now everything has been sent to the graphic designer, who in a week has finished everything but Chapter 2 and 18, which she will do on Monday. So the book will be published in August 2019, definitely now. There will be a new cover for Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4, with fantastic artwork by Jerry Boucher (who has the copyright of the artwork). Attached is my own sketch. The finished cover will be made by a professional. Please spread the word. ☺ All the best Christer Bergström"

The Fife Flyer - Scottish Pilot (RAF) $[name] was born in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland on $[birthdate]. Home was a wee But `n’ Ben in the small fishing hamlet of Cellardyke located on the North shore of the River Forth where the river meets the gray and tempestuous North Sea.One of four children he was raised with his three sisters in this small bustling fishing community. He lived in the `East End’ opposite the cottage of the great Captain Rodger, once owner of the Tea Clipper ‘Taeping’ and within only yards of the harbour and the sea. His parents and generations before them were all fisherfolk and their lives were totally dependent on the ‘silver darling’, the herring that filled the seas around Scotland and which provided a staple diet for all. As a child $[first name] was up at first light to the harbour - pennies to be earned, money to help support the family. At an early age he was apprenticed to a local engineering shop and soon after passed the entrance exams for the nearby Waid Naval Orphan Academy for the sons of poor mariners and fishermen. It was here that his education truly flourished! It was in 1935 he first became truly aware of, and involved with aircraft. A local doctor building a Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea desperately sought help from the local trades, $[first name] curiosity got the better of him and so it began. All of his spare time was spent in the Hangar (cow shed) eagerly watching, listening and assisting where possible. His urge to` fly the Flea' became too great and eventually his begging and pleading paid off – this event was to change his life forever. In late 1937 $[name] was eventually accepted as pupil pilot on a two-month, civilian-run, elementary training course where he learnt aviation theory and logged 55 hours flying. On completion $[first name] was selected by the RAF for commissioning and was sent to RAF Duxbridge for Officer training then onward to complete the comprehensive RAF flying training and to gain his wings. On 16 October 1939, only one month after declaration of war, Luftwaffe JU88 bombers of 1./KG30 conducted the very first air attack of the war on UK soil when Royal Naval warships were bombed only a short distance away up the river Forth. Soon after, a lone HE-111 being pursued by fighters after failing to attack it’s target at RAF Leuchars, jettisoned it’s stick of 8 bombs upon the community in Cellardyke - For $[name] the war was now becoming very personal. After tours on both 602 and 603 Squadrons based in Scotland, $[name] was desperate to be amongst the action, war in Europe was raging and he was having no part of it. Having submitted numerous unsuccessful posting applications he was eventually called before the Squadron commander. “ $[first name] you lucky sod, the last application has gone through. You’re posted with immediate effect. So $[startRank] $[lastName] get your bum down to $[startSquadronName]. Good luck and stay safe, the 2TAF deserve you”... Oh yes, you’re travel warrant is on the Admin desk!