Colin’s Comments (group member since Dec 16, 2012)

Colin’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

Excellent indeed

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "If you enjoyed Eugene Sledge's marvellous book you may also like this first-hand account of the Pacific War:

by William Raymond Man..."

I would also suggest my friend Adam Makos' book, Voice of the Pacific.

KOMET wrote: "'Aussie Rick' wrote: "My book is currently talking about the ram raid mission conducted by the Luftwaffe's Sonderkommando on the 7th April 1945.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonderko...

+..."

See the HIstory Channel show Dogfights, and look up this episode online.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "It's amazing reading my book in regards to who pops up in the story, here are two famous Allied pilots caught up in the story of the Me 262:

[bookcover:The Big Show: The Greatest Pilot's Story of ..."

I knew Robin Olds, he was a neighbor of my late friend Col. Edward R. "Buddy" Haydon, who killed Walter Nowotny in his Me-262 over Achmer on Nov. 8, 1944. See all these stories in my book The Me-262 Stormbird. Robin also proof read and wrote blurbs for a few of my books.

His daughter Christina is a friend author on my website page at "Author Friends". The signed portrait of Olds that he sent me for a birthday gift many years ago hangs in my office with many other great men I have known and interviewed. He was one of a kind.

The HMS Repulse was also lost.

A.L. wrote: "I finished up my aviation read and finally got around to writing a review.

Since Jimmy Stewart has come up so often in this thread, I thought I'd share this story fro..."

When I interviewed Stewart, he was a great gnetleman, and there is a personaql story that is great there also. I had been working in the film industry, and once I was on the set, chatting with Harry Hamlin(we bought humidors for our cigars), and he gave me Stweart's contact info. I had done an impersonation of Stewart for the crew, Annie Potts laughed her ass off. Well, when I spoke with Stewart, he knew about it from Hamlin. He said; "if you can impress me with your imitiation of me, I will grant the interview." Well, I got it.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Just reading about this Luftwaffe night-fighter ace who also converted to the Me 262 in its night fighter configuration:

http://www.luftwaffe.cz/welter.html"

My friend Jorg Czypionka is the last living Me-262 night fighter pilot, see The Me-262 Stormbird.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "It has been interesting reading about the German ace Georg-Peter Eder who apparently; "flew 572 combat missions of which 150 were with the Me 262. On the Eastern Front he scored 10 victories and on..."

All the above is ture, and mentioned in my book The Me-262 Stormbird, where I interviewed and knew both men very well.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "This is a subject that I am yet to read on; the sinking of the Laconia during WW2. Here is one recent book that seems to offer a decent story on the "Laconia":

[bookcover:The Sinking of the Laconi..."

Donitz issued the order, because Hitler told him to. He did not want to risk the loss of U-Boats. The RAF screwed the pooch on that one. There were other such incidents prior to this as well.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Lon,

All excellent suggestions above, you may also like to consider the following books:

From a RAF perspective;

by Max Hastings

[bookcover:Bomber Boys: Fig..."

You may like my book Nightfighters (Naval Institute Press) with interviews I did with German and British pilots, such as Wolfgang Falck and Bill Reid, VC

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I'm enjoying my current book on the Me 262. The author has mentioned Hauptmann Wolfgang Spate and that reminded me of that pilots excellent book on the Me-163:


[bookcover:Top Secret Bird: The Luf..."

I was on the History Channel with Barrett Tillman and Komet pilot Rolf Glogner. I interviewed Wolf Spate, and his comments are also in our book The Me-262 Stormbird. He was a great guy.

Foreman's book is great. The only thing that really distinguishes our book from his is the large collection of interviews with pilots, who detail their experiences, both Allied and German.

Wow, I feel like going on Walkabout now.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "A new book covering the battle between the HMS Hood and the Bismarck:


by Marco..."



I knew and interviewed Baron Burkhard von Mullenheim-Rechberg, senior surviving officer of the Bismarck, and he wrote his memoirs. Excellent reading.

There were no dedicated US military units in Russia, although France did have the Normandie Niemann Squadron flying with the Red Air Force. Likewise the Germans had the SS Charlemagne Division, French. Stalin was too paranoid to have foreigners in the USSR for any given length of time.

I just spoke with Dr. Showalter two weeks ago, and he will be writing the foreword to our next book, The German Aces Speak vol. 2. All of his books are highly recommended. I interviewed several veterans of Kursk, very brutal indeed.

He was indeed. Barber was much more magnanimous and humble.

My other book, The Me-262 Stormbird also has Stigler's comments, along with about 20 other german jet pilots.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I finished reading the second volume of Bruce Gamble's trilogy on the air campaign against Rabaul. The book finishes off with the death of Admiral Yamamoto and the controversy over which American p..."

Tom Lamphier and Rex Barber both argued over that for years, and I knew both of them.

Jim wrote: "I look forward to reading these books on Rabaul..Bruce Gamble's books on Pappy Boyington are well done and gave me much food for thought..Boyington should have a quasi social realism bio pic film ..."

I interviewed Bopyington, and he got me drunk on scotch and coffee at his home in Fresno, CA many years ago. he was a real card I can tell you. The short version of his interview was published in WW II magazine, and may be online by now.