Black Cross / Red Star News

[kendo]

4 hours ago, busdriver said:

Thanks to everyone that participated. The two 1GCCFPs to receive a shiny new edition of BC/RS Volume 1 are @SirFlappy and @kendo. So guys check your PMs and get back to me so I can email Christer your details.

 

Cheers

 

Many thanks Busdriver! PM sent.

[Beebop]

Congratulations @SirFlappy and @kendo   You will enjoy your book!

(i am sooo jealous) 

[=RvE=Windmills]

So looking at buying these, I have to say I'm pretty confused by the whole thing. I own some of the originals, but I guess I'd re-buy pretty much the whole series.

 

For vaktelforlag.se, do they not ship outside of Sweden? I get no option for other countries or any ability to change the language of the website? Is my only option to directly contact/pay Bergstöm via e-mail and directly order from him?

[SirFlappy]

Wow....thankyou very much  busdriver.

  I will enjoy the book I am sure..pm sent cheers!...and well done Kendo also.

[ZachariasX]

6 hours ago, =RvE=Windmills said:

For vaktelforlag.se, do they not ship outside of Sweden? I get no option for other countries or any ability to change the language of the website?

Just send Christer an email and you can pay him per paypal. He ships anywhere. If you have specific requirements, just tell him and he‘ll arrange it.

 

He has a lot more material to add to the books (Vol. I-III), especially Vol.II that was drastically limited in word count by his then publisher. Print quality also improved considerably. With that many photos, it really makes a difference.

[busdriver]

From Christer today...head's up @ShamrockOneFive, @SirFlappy and @kendo

 

Dear friends and supporters,

I am working almost day and night to finish the brand new 2021 edition of Black Cross Red Star Vol. 1, which I personally think will be the hitherto best volume in the series. As mentioned before, it is more or less a new book compared with the 1999 edition. It has a word count twice as large as the old one, several errors are corrected, and the vast majority of the photos are new, as are all maps, and there are brilliant color profiles by Jim Laurier.

The manuscript has been finished for some time now. I have been proofreading it very carefully, and the language has been checked scrupulously by an English native speaking. I am now at the last stage of the work, to select photos and write photo captions.

I am very careful in this so that you all will get only the best. This takes some time, but it has to take time. That is because I devote so much time to find the best photos and write detailed photo captions that add new information apart from what is in the manuscript.

I have underestimated the time this will take. I am now working on photos for Chapter 9 (out of twenty-five chapters), and for each chapter that I select photos for, I proofread the chapter again. I allow myself just one week’s vacation – that will be five days in August. But altogether, this means that I will not be able to have the book finished in August, as I earlier estimated. But I can guarantee that it will be published and posted to all of you who have pre-ordered it in September this year.

I can assure you all that when the work on the photos is finished, you will find very many photos that you have never seen before (from pilot veterans’ private photo albums etc) and that will make many of you positively surprised.

A couple of weeks ago, I told you that unfortunately, Volume 1 had not received as many pre-orders as I would need, and I asked you to spread the word about it on social media, etc. I would like to thank all of you who did that. Thanks to your great and very valuable effort, I have received a flood of new pre-orders in the past weeks. That is absolutely fantastic! Now I have 180 pre-orders, including 72 crowdfunders who contribute with 1,000 SEK each to make this book become a reality. That is mainly because of the tremendous help that I have received from you, my dear supporters, because I have no budget for marketing, and it also is very difficult since I am sitting in the cold remote northern corner of the world called ”Sweden”.

I attach the layout (though not completely proofread yet) of the first pages in the book, where you can find the contents.

If you could please have one more go at social media, book stores, etc, to spread the word about my book, I would be most grateful. I think that the new historical grounds that I am opening in Black Cross Red Star Vol. 1 would be very interesting to many people who still have no idea about the existence of the Black Cross Red Star series. Anyone interested in the series could email me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com with the header ”Want more information on Black Cross Red Star”.

 

See also:

https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black-cross-red-star-air-war-eastern-front-volume-1-operation-barbarossa/

I also attach an excerpt from Volume 5 (which you have all seen before) that you can spread freely everywhere, share with your friends, etc, as much as you like.

Please reply only to this email address: vaktelforlag@gmail.com

All the best from a presently not so cold Sweden, 

Christer Bergström

[kendo]

i'm sure will be worth the wait ?

[ShamrockOneFive]

Very much looking forward to this!

 

[SirFlappy]

I am sure after so much dedication and hard work the book will be fantastic ?

[busdriver]

@ShamrockOneFive, @SirFlappy and @kendo just got an email from Christer to confirm your names and addresses...I reckon he'll be posting your copy soon.

[ShamrockOneFive]

5 minutes ago, busdriver said:

@ShamrockOneFive, @SirFlappy and @kendo just got an email from Christer to confirm your names and addresses...I reckon he'll be posting your copy soon.

 

Amazing! Thanks for the very generous gift sir. Really appreciate it!

[SirFlappy]

Thats great news ,thank you.

Edited September 3, 2021 by SirFlappy

[kendo]

Many thanks busdriver. I 'm looking forward to it!

[von_Tom]

Very generous @busdriver

 

This updated edition is a good read and better than the original. 
 

von Tom

[FlyingH]

Just arrived in my (physical) mailbox! It,s a massive book that will keep me reading a long time through this winter.

[453=SGII_Wotan]

Very good, I have volumes 2 and 3, they are the "older" versions.

Quite looking forwards to volumes 1, 4 & 5 and the rest, when the historians decide to finish the series.

I have another book from Christer Bergström, Bagration to Berlin. This covers the Eastern front Air war from 1944 to 1945.

If you ever have the chance "Hitlers Luftwaffe" is a must have, This book covers both technical and historical aspects of the Luftwaffe from 1938 to 1945 and covers quite a bit on he "Wonderwaffe"

[LukeFF]

 

Edited October 13, 2021 by LukeFF

[J37_Spyboy]

Salute Pilots

The author promised that the revised volumes of this series, by virtue of new research, would be as new books. I can confirm that Volume 1 is excellent. In terms of quality of production and content it is one of the finest aviation history books I have seen. It complements the recently revised Vols 4 & 5. with revisions promised in the next couple of years of Vols 2,3,& 6 the series seems destined to become the definitive work on the subject.

If you have an interest in this (which is presumably why you are here!) do yourself a big favour and buy a copy.

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by J5_Spyboy

[Trooper117]

Got all his BCRS books so far... just waiting for the new vol 1 to arrive...

[co199]

Just had my copy arrive on my front step in the States today - what a lovely book!

[kestrel79]

How do you order the new version in the US?

[co199]

You can order direct from Christer here - https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black-cross-red-star-air-war-eastern-front-volume-1-operation-barbarossa/

[ZachariasX]

I finally got my copy. A truly great book of a unique series.

[ShamrockOneFive]

Mine just arrived yesterday. Phenomenal book... wow I have a lot of reading to do!

[ScotsmanFlyingscotsman]

Just come back to this page, saw the U.S. had the new volume, went to Amazon uk, 1 copy.....it's on it's way, phew! Even got permission from the boss!

[FlyingH]

I have just finished installing 8 new windows, installed a new air/water heatpump and finished a new 12sqm chickencoup and approx. 150 sqm yard for them, so now I´m permitted to go reading for the rest of the coming winter! (Wich lasts here in northern Sweden ´til late mars/early april)??

[ScotsmanFlyingscotsman]

Can anyone confirm if vol 3 is going to be updated? I can only find costly first editions on line? 

Thank you in advance

 

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

1, 2 and 3 will be updated. So great news for those who could not get those books years ago. Also they are cheaper than those older editions circulating web stores. Christer mentioned this. 

[ScotsmanFlyingscotsman]

Thats great thanks I 'll keep a look out for this last one, Thanks for replying

[Beebop]

On 10/24/2021 at 6:24 AM, co199 said:

You can order direct from Christer here - https://vaktelforlag.se/produkt/black-cross-red-star-air-war-eastern-front-volume-1-operation-barbarossa/

I clicked the email link on the page you linked but got a 404 error.

At $77 USD I don't want to pass this up.  Original versions go for $600 ~ $1K+ in the US if you can find them at all.

Q1:  Is the new version still available?

Q2: Is there a valid email address if it is?

[co199]

8 hours ago, Beebop said:

I clicked the email link on the page you linked but got a 404 error.

At $77 USD I don't want to pass this up.  Original versions go for $600 ~ $1K+ in the US if you can find them at all.

Q1:  Is the new version still available?

Q2: Is there a valid email address if it is?

 

I'm pretty sure it is. I think Christer is away until 11/14, but you can send him an email at vaktelforlag@gmail.com to clarify availability.

[The_Ant]

How is the first book,regarding german vs Soviet.ive heard it to be super biased against the soviet side with 2/3rd of book hailing the  soviets as supermen.I wanted to buy this books for along time,but not if thats the case.I have christer bergströms Battle of britain and operation barbarossa and they are ok.

Edited November 6, 2021 by The_Ant

[Trooper117]

My collection of Bergstrom books...

 

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, The_Ant said:

regarding german vs Soviet.ive heard it to be super biased against the soviet side with 2/3rd of book hailing the  soviets as supermen.I wanted to buy this books for along time,but not if thats the case.

 

? ? ? 

 

Whoever you heard that from doesn't know what in the world they're talking about.

[Beebop]

3 hours ago, co199 said:

I'm pretty sure it is. I think Christer is away until 11/14, but you can send him an email at vaktelforlag@gmail.com to clarify availability.

Thanks!  Email sent.

[ShamrockOneFive]

9 hours ago, The_Ant said:

How is the first book,regarding german vs Soviet.ive heard it to be super biased against the soviet side with 2/3rd of book hailing the  soviets as supermen.I wanted to buy this books for along time,but not if thats the case.I have christer bergströms Battle of britain and operation barbarossa and they are ok.

 

The author takes pride in having dug up reports from both sides of the conflict and then tried to piece together an accurate accounting of what happened. It's impressive work and so far, not that I'm very far into the massive tome of a book, I don't detect any sort of significant bias either way which is refreshing.

[Beebop]

13 hours ago, The_Ant said:

How is the first book,regarding german vs Soviet.ive heard it to be super biased against the soviet side with 2/3rd of book hailing the  soviets as supermen.I wanted to buy this books for along time,but not if thats the case.I have christer bergströms Battle of britain and operation barbarossa and they are ok.

"...ive heard it to be super biased against the soviet side..."  And your making a judgement call on that?  Try reading the book!  You admit that his Battle of Britain and Operation Barbarossa books are ok, whatever OK means.  That alone should tell you something.

I own and have read volumes 3 and 4 of Black Cross Red Star.  He goes to great pains to present both sides as equally as documentation allows.  He even states when some documents may be incomplete or not completely verified but he presents them with that caveat so the reader can decide what to make of it.  Besides, by presenting this kind of information one also gets the feeling of what the propaganda side of the war was like.

There are good reasons why these books are held in such high regard.

 

Next time do some research before condemning something based on "i've heard...".  That phrase has caused more problems than all the facts in the world.

Edited November 7, 2021 by Beebop

[Trooper117]

I continue to buy his books (Bergstrom) as I believe his mammoth research and efforts deserve my money and attention.

I have to admit, I was never really interested in the Soviet side of WWII aviation until Oleg produced the original IL2, and my collection of soviet aviation books has continued to grow (along with the Allies and the Luftwaffe books)... Christer's books make for some good reading however and I'll continue to buy his future improved copies of the series.

[AEthelraedUnraed]

On 11/7/2021 at 4:56 AM, Beebop said:

Next time do some research before condemning something based on "i've heard...".  That phrase has caused more problems than all the facts in the world.

Isn't research exactly what he's doing by asking for more opinions instead of relying on the single one he's heard?

[Freycinet]

Hi all,

 

This one is a bit particular: by mistake Christer Bergström, the author of Black Cross Red Star, sent me two copies of volumes 4 & 5 of his great books. I only need one copy of each, so I'd like to give away a copy of vols. 4 & 5.

 

As it happens, Christer would need someone to look for a few documents in Alabama, more specifically from the library at Maxwell Air Force Base. If anyone lives nearby and can be of help, then I'd like to chip in with the two volumes as a sign of appreciation.

 

If there's nobody in here who can help him out, then I'll send the volumes to any other people in this thread. Just write in three lines of text why you would appreciate getting the books. And, please, only ask for them if there is a fair chance that you would want to read them. Books are meant to be read! :-)

 

Cheers,

Freycinet