To be published in 2023!
The very much asked for, most extensively updated, and very much expanded completely new edition of Black Cross Red Star Volume 2.
This new edition of Volume 2 is so heavily updated and expanded that it more or less is a completely new book!
ISBN: 978-91-88441-89-8
From the content:
* The contribution of the Soviet Air Force to the counteroffensive at Moscow
* The Luftwaffe’s crucial role in halting the Red Army’s counteroffensive
* Dogfight over the “Ice Road” to Leningrad
* The Air Bridge to Demyansk
* Annihilation from the air at Crimea
* Air Battle over Kharkov
384 pages
Hardcover
Large format (A 4)
Hundreds of photos, many of which have never been published before
Many large and clear maps
Aircraft color profiles
The Black Cross/Red Star book series is the only documentation of the true air battle on the Eastern Front during World War II, based on a wealth of primary sources from both sides as well as interviews with a large number of veterans from both sides.
The first edition of Volume 2 received overwhelmingly positive reviews. One example:
“The work masterfully combines the combat experiences of both Soviet and German airmen into a coherent narrative. For years, historians and general readers were aware of the exploits of a number of the German ace fighter pilots. This work certainly gives them their due, providing much new and enlightening information in the process. Perhaps the book’s most significant contribution lies in finally recognizing the achievements and sacrifices of the airmen (and airwomen) of the VVS. In some cases, the authors have been able to fully reconstruct both sides of an air battle, nearly 60 years after the event—certainly a remarkable example of historical detective work.”
– Richard R. Muller, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, in Aerospace Power Journal, Summer 2002.
At Stone & Stone, Black Cross Red Star, the first edition Volume 2 was voted as the No. 1 military history book of the year for the second year in a row.
The first edition of Volume 2 was published twenty years ago and was sold out rapidly. Since no new edition was published, it has become a rarity, with the price never below three-digit figures in Euro or USD. Today, the price at amazon.com for the first edition of Volume 2 is US$ 955.25!
This new edition of Volume 2 is so heavily updated and expanded that it more or less is a completely new book!
The first edition was based on the amount of research undertaken by the authors in the late 1990s. Christer Bergström has continued his in-depth research into the subject ever since then, and the result is a new edition of Black Cross/Red Star, Volume 2 that exceeds the first edition regarding the quality of the material to the point that the new edition actually is a completely new book.
The first edition contained a maximum of 100,000 words. The second edition not only has much higher quality as far as the research is concerned but also contains twice that word count, a very large number of absolutely new photos (many of which are from pilot veterans’ photo albums and have never been published before), printed in the same high quality as in Volumes 1, 4 and 5.
Go to the new edition of Volume 1
A new and heavily updated edition of Volume 3 will be published in 2024.
In order to bring about a quick release of Volume 2, I consider a crowdfunding-solution. The crowdfunders will also have their names printed as an acknowledgment in the book. I ask everyone who wants to participate in the crowdfunding with USD$120 or more to e-mail me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com
This also applies to people who don’t want to crowdfund, but who wish to pre-order a signed copy for $85.00 plus postage.
Please ask anyone interested in the Black Cross/Red Star series to just send me a short e-mail with the header ”Want info on Black Cross/Red Star”. The e-mail should be sent to me at vaktelforlag@gmail.com
And please spread the word on communities on the Internet!
One more thing: Please ask around at bookstores in your country to find bookstores interested in taking in a couple of copies. No one could inform them better than you of the great interest in this unique book!
/ Christer Bergström