Historical Sources and Research: Recommendations and Discussion

[Cybermat47]

Given that this is a historically based game with a focus on accuracy, I figured it would be a good idea to have a thread to discuss and recommend primary and secondary sources that cover the game’s scope.

 

Here are some of my recommendations:

 

Stalingrad by Antony Beevor

An in-depth and uncompromising history of the bloodiest battle in history. It describes the corruption and brutality rife in the Red Army, the delusions and idiocy of the German high command, and the surprising demographics of the armies involved; nearly half of the 62nd Army wasn’t Russian, and 50,000 men of the 6th Army were. It’s full of first-hand accounts from both sides, making it an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the battle.

 

The Decisive Duel: Spitfire VS 109 by David Isby

A biography of WWII’s most famous aircraft, from their inception, the first prototypes, the skepticism, corruption, and lethargy of the Luftwaffe and RAF, the start of production, the first combat, the evolution of the planes and the war they fought in, and where they are today. I found the hatred between Erhard Milch and Willy Messerschmitt to be especially interesting. If not for their feud, Kurt Tank may well have stayed on the Messerschmitt team, and if not for Baroness Lilly von Michael-Raulino Stromeyer and a lawyer named Konrad Merkel, Messerschmitt would collapsed before the Nazis even took power.

 

A Higher Call by Adam Makos

A dual biography of the WWII German fighter ace Franz Stigler, who flew the Bf-109 and Me-262 in Africa, Italy, and Western Europe, and Charlie Brown, a USAAF B-17 pilot based in England, both of whom would ultimately encounter each other in one of the most celebrated moments of the war. Through their lives, they experience some of the most important parts of the air war, such as the appearance of American squadrons, the evacuation of Africa, the Allied Bombing Offensive, the fighter pilot’s revolt, and the formation of Jv-44. The Eastern Front is also briefly covered.

 

The Red Baron: A History in Pictures by Norman Franks

This book goes in depth into the story of WWI’s most famous ace, uncovering his overclaimed victories, the various aircraft he flew and fought, and describing his final moments in detail. It’s full of photos, spanning von Richthofen’s days in Jasta 2 to his body’s reinterment, presided over by Hermann Göring. The photos are definitely a highlight, as it seems that Franks included every single photo of von Richthofen he could find.