William Green: Aircraft of the Third Reich - revised edition

Arjen

Arjen

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My brother has just called me. He's holding the revised edition of William Green's "Warplanes of the Third Reich" in his hands. Published by Midsummer Books, three parts.

Our 3-volume series, Aircraft of the Third Reich, builds on the work of the late William 'Bill' Green who was the founder, publisher and editor of AIR International and AIR Enthusiast magazines for over 20 years. His original book, Warplanes of the Third Reich, and his writings on German aircraft in AIR International and AIR Enthusiast magazines have previously been the most definitive works on the subject.

We have now added to and expanded on those works. Our publication Aircraft of the Third Reich will contain every aircraft that was flown under the swastika during Hitler's Third Reich from 1933 to 1945.

Massively enlarged and revised, Aircraft of the Third Reich contains many additional new aircraft - especially foreign, impressed and captured aircraft (such as the Czech Avia B.534 fighter and the American B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers operated by KG 200).
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http://aerospace-masterbooks.co.uk/
ttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Aircraft-Third-Reich-Arado-Focke-Wulf/dp/1900732068/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297514871&sr=1-1
 
I bought this book and I love it. I don't know the previous edition but I can assure you that the volume is very nice! I have great expectations for the second volume :)
 
The original edition is exceptional, my brother bought his first copy some 35 years ago. Some 25 years ago he loaned it to someone, who after some time decided it would be a nice idea to loan it to yet another :mad:

It disappeared. We were in shock.

About five years later I walked into a stack of the cheap re-issue of Mr Green's magnificent book. Brand-spanking-new. I bought three copies: one for me, one for my brother, one for the landlord of his favourite pub - another aircraft-nut. For roughly two-thirds of what my brother had paid for the original.

Now there's this revised edition ;D
 
About William Green i know the "Dimensione Cielo" collection ( an italian collections of aircraft) !
Nice drawings, nice illustrations !
If was made some publications about Luftstreitkräfte like these about Luftwaffe could be very interesting !
 
I must admit, I am looking forward to having a look at these revised editions to compare to my (well used and slightly tattered) original version.

Regards,

Greg
 
I have volume 1 of the revised edition published a few months ago, I think. In my opinion, it is an exceptional book of the very highest standard.
 
My 1986 printing of Green's Warplanes of the Third Reich is my first "go-to" book on the topic. Good to see this new series and one to add to the list.
 
Does this book cover any of the experimental aircraft - not luft46 types but ones that reached full design, mock-up, or flight testing, but not into production?
 
I've been going through part 1 of the revised edition. It covers aircraft from AGO to Focke-Wulf. A few of the original cutaways haven 't made it to the new edition, as wel as a few of the photos. On the other hand: some smaller manufacturers are included that weren't covered by the original at all; several aircraft, such as the Storch, are covered in much more detail; a mass of colour profiles have been added, as well as new cutaways and some huge 3-views in colour. Captured foreign aircraft (notably Avia, Bloch) which were used by the Luftwaffe are also featured. Apart from completely new (again, excellent) material, there is some revision to the text, all of it improving on the original. Printing quality is excellent.
 
Hi friends! Does someone know when the second volume will be aviable?? In the publisher website is written that the 2 volume should be aviable in the spring of 2011, but I have not heard anything...
 
No idea. Last time I tried to contact the publishers (a couple of months ago) I didn't get a response.
 
I have also been looking for volume 2 of this excellent work. Perhaps I am wrong, but I am under the impression that vol 2 has been cancelled. Would that be because the author has died, that was the impression I had?
 
Any updates on the status of volumes 2 and 3? I'm hoping that someone on this forum with ties to the British book-publishing business would know. I'd have to believe that the manuscript for volume 2, at least, is likely sitting finished somewhere.
 
If I'm not mistaken, the original edition is over 30 years old. Revising such an old publication instead of providing an entirely new book, given the wealth of information that has surfaced since then, seems a little strange to me, because if the changes are minor, then the book will not be to a par with other contemporary productions, and if the changes are big, retaining the original name can be misleading. Also, if it's no longer the original author that does the revising work, it's even more strange to me.
 
Stargazer2006 said:
If I'm not mistaken, the original edition is over 30 years old. Revising such an old publication instead of providing an entirely new book, given the wealth of information that has surfaced since then, seems a little strange to me, because if the changes are minor, then the book will not be to a par with other contemporary productions, and if the changes are big, retaining the original name can be misleading. Also, if it's no longer the original author that does the revising work, it's even more strange to me.
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Depends on how much is retained from the old edition, which had a great deal of excellent work put into it. As far as keeping the name, as long as it clearly states this is a revised and updated edition, that's a plus, not misleading. The market for books like this is not very larger, especially as the period in question recedes further in time. Keeping the original title will spark more curiosity from those who have or remember the original masterpiece. For example, without the original title, I might not even looked at this thread. Same for others, "Oh why look at this given what William Green did with his book"?
 
A small note - the original book was entitled Warplanes of the Third Reich......
 
gatoraptor said:
A small note - the original book was entitled Warplanes of the Third Reich......
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Oh, yes! You are absolutely right! I remember my dad having it on his shelf in the early 1970s already. "Warplanes" it was...
 
So, has anyone in the U.K. figured out what's happened to the manuscripts for volumes 2 and 3?
 
Well, after about 3 years of dead silence, I found this on Malcolm Lowe's webpage:

"Most recently I was one of the Luftwaffe specialists drafted in by Aerospace Publishing on their re-make of the classic book Warplanes of the Third Reich by William Green. Published in 2010, the first of the three volume re-make was entitled Aircraft of the Third Reich (vol.1). Despite this book being flagged as written by William Green, in fact it was totally revised and updated by a team of Luftwaffe specialists including myself and renowned historian Barry Ketley."

The webpage is up to date, since it lists an upcoming 2017 release of another book. Let's hope the remaining two volumes do see the light of day soon, and to the same standard (and format) as volume 1.

Here is a link to the webpage for those who are interested: https://malcolmvlowe.wordpress.com/publications/
 
I had given up hope of ever seeing parts 2 and 3 in print. Fingers crossed.
 
kitnut617 said:
As far as I'm aware, William Green died a couple of years ago
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He passed away in January 2010. As Mr. Lowe says in his post above, they have kept Mr. Green's name on the second edition as homage to him, but the books will be largely rewritten by others.
 
I have just received a message from Mr Malcolm Lowe, volumes 2 and 3 are unlikely to be published.
Warplanes of the Third Reich Update – Several people have written to me recently asking if any further volumes of the re-vamped and updated book ‘Warplanes of the Third Reich’ will be published, additional to the first volume that appeared in 2010. Apologies if I have not written back to you individually. Well it is not good news, the publisher does not appear to be intending for this (if indeed the publisher still exists), and one of my co-writers in the updated text, Barry Ketley, has now died. We await to be paid fully for work on the first volume.
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More information here:
https://malcolmvlowe.wordpress.com/publications/
 

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