Korsun Pocket Information?

[RuffMonk]

Hey Aquila chrysaetos,

First let me say thanks for the informative reply! I'll have to do a search for any of Professor Erickson's books and see if any of those can help me out! Second, you are welcome for both the Stalingrad airfields (yes, 7 in total) and the Bergstrom books! The library I borrowed the first 3 Bergstrom books from didn't have the final book and so I'm wondering if it's likely there would be something in there about the Korsun as well. For his Stalingrad and Kursk books, he detailed many of the battles prior to the main topic of both books and so I'm currently in the process of trying to get my hands on a copy of his Bagration book. I've already picked up THE BATTLE FOR THE UKRAINE: The Red Army's Korsun-Shevchenkovskii Offensive, 1944 and the Air War Over Russia, but just on a cursory glance, I don't think either will be as detailed about the aerial engagements as I'd like them to be, but I'm still trying to finish up another WWII book I picked up for my Sicily series.

I've always been a big fan of WWII history especially the aerial warfare, but since I've began doing these historical series, I get almost as much enjoyment from learning about the various battles as I do playing the missions. So it's easy to stay enthusiastic about it especially with such a great group of guys who dedicate their time to participate! Unfortunately, Sim is a little too difficult for my taste and I can't play worth squat in cockpit view (3rd person all the way, lol!), so I doubt I'll ever make the leap to the final level of enlightenment, lol! I am in the process of trying to get together a realistic group so we can re-live The Battle of Britain, The Battle of Stalingrad and the Invasion of Sicly all over again in realistic difficulty, so perhaps you might be able to join us in the middle difficulty, lol?

Anyway, thanks again and perhaps if you or someone in the Sim group ever wanted to organize a historical series, I'd have no problem e-mailing someone the mission set-ups I use so you guys could do them as well! Anyway, take care and thanks again!

[McQ59]

I greatly admire your work and enthusiasm Ruff. We had a go in sim last winter, but the ranks get slimmer and slimmer. We need new recruits!

I don't remember who worked out the templates we used to plan some of the missions we did, but if you can dig them up you're of course most welcome to use them if you find them usefull.

God speed on the reading and the planning mate!
[I myself are reading a three vol. (six planned and under development) series on the history of the norwegian spitfire-pilots stationed in England, Scotland and the Orkneys during 41 to 45. Good stuff for a norwegian... And I'm half way through Frankson&Zetterlings "Kursk - Historys greatets tankbattle". There's a few references to the contributions from the IL2's in there, but it's absolutely minimal, but I learned that the Ju87 the germans used there had mounted two 37mm cannons, one under each wing, to destroy russian tanks.]

[RuffMonk]

Thanks McQ59! I've been fortunate to have such great guys participate in my historicals. As I've done more, I've been lucky enough to pick up more people along the way and so I'm very thankful to those guys!

As for reading, if you're reading up on Kursk, you might want to add Christer Bergstrom's, Kursk: The Air Battle: July 1943. Even though it mainly deals with the aerial engagements, he goes into almost as much detail about the ground battles as well. It'd be a great supplement to the one you're reading as you'd get a good picture of how both Air Forces influenced the battles as well! One of the biggest air battles in history takes place during the Battle of Kursk and it's all detailed in Bergstrom's book!

[McQ59]

Brilliant Ruff. I'll deff check it out