Book Review of
Air Battles Over Hungary 1944-45
Author: Dmitry Khazanov
Helion & Company
ISBN: 978-1-913336-20-2
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: $45.00
ISBN: 978-1-913336-20-2
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: $45.00
ir Battles Over Hungary 1944-45 is dedicated to the fighting over Hungary during the course of the Debrecen (8 December – 21 October 1944) and Budapest (29 October 1944 – 13 February 1945) offensive, as well as the Balaton Defensive Operation (8-15 March 1945) which the Red Army carried out from autumn 1944 to spring 1945.
The conduct of these operations preceded an attempt by the Regent of Budapest, Miklos Horthy, to pull his country out of the war. This move, however, was unsuccessful – Vice Admiral Horthy was replaced on Hitler’s orders by the pro-Nazi henchman Szalasi, after which fierce and desperate battles broke out on the ground and in the war.
The Red Army Air Force enjoying numerical superiority, the quality of Soviet aircraft and high level of aircrew training having improved significantly by the time of the fighting. Conversely, it appeared there were almost no air aces left in the ranks of the Luftwaffe.
Thus it appeared Soviet airmen would have no difficulty securing a victory. This, however, was not the case. Erich Hartmann, Hans-Ulrich Rudel, Gerhard Barkhorn, and many others fought here. Amongst the Hungarians the highest scoring ace, Dezso Szentgyorgyi , stood out, as did the outstanding Aladar de Heppes.
Amongst their Soviet opponents were Kirill Yevstigneyev, Grigoriy Sivkov, Aleksandr Koldunov, Nikolai Skomorokhov and Georgiy Beregovoy.
The fact that from time to time the aerial combat took place directly over Budapest – one of the most beautiful cities in Europe- could be considered a distinguishing feature of this fighting. Bristling with anti-aircraft artillery, Budapest was frequently subjected to bombing raids, and from the end of December to the beginning of January certain areas in the Hungarian capital were transformed into improvised airfields and landing strips for German and Hungarian transport aircraft and gliders.
Despite all the efforts to set up an air bridge, the German high command never succeeded in achieving this. This forced the besieged to attempt a break-out, after which the remaining garrison surrendered. The subsequent long drawn out battle near Lake Balaton ended in the ultimate defeat of the German troops, and their allies.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Company is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 166 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It contains 271 black and white wartime photos, 8 data lists, 2 maps, acknowledgements, introduction and 2 appendix.
The black and white photos include:
Aircraft of all combatants, ground crewmen, vehicles, pilots, tanks, buildings, German box car, a Budapest clock on one of the buildings, aerial photos of cities, artillery, inside of a factory and a German glider.
There are no less than 50 color side profiles in the book. They include:
Four of a Soviet IL-2, two of a Soviet PE-2, three of a Soviet Yak-9M, an A-20G, two of a Bf-109G-6, a Fi-156C-1 “Storch”, a Fw-190F-9, two of a Ju-88D, a Ju-87D-3 and D-5 “Stuka”, two of a Me-210Ca, an American P-38J, a U-2, two of a Soviet Yak-3, a Soviet La-5F, two of a Soviet Yak-9U, a Soviet C-47, two of a Fw-190F-8, a He-129B-3, a Ju-87G-2, a Me-210Ca-1, a He-111H-20, a Soviet Po-2, a U.S. P-38L, a Bf-109G-10, two of a Bf-109G-14, three of a Soviet IL-2, two of a Soviet Pe-2, three of a Soviet Yak-3, a Soviet IL-4, three of a Soviet La-5F, two of a soviet La-5FN, three of a Soviet Yak-9M, a Soviet A-30G-1-00, two of a Bf-109G-6.
A Fiesler Fi-156C-1 “Storch”, a Fw.-190F-9, two of a Ju-88D, a Ju-87D-3 and a D-5, a Me-210C and two of the Me-210C-a-1, a U.S. P-38, a U-2 biplane, four of a Soviet IL-2, two of a Soviet Yak-9U, a Soviet C-47, a Soviet Po-2 biplane, a U.S. P-38L, a Bf-109G-10 and two of a G-14, two of a Fw-190F-8 and a He-111H-20.
This book will be of great interest to aircraft modelers and military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publisher, the North American distributor of Helion and Co. books. All Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The conduct of these operations preceded an attempt by the Regent of Budapest, Miklos Horthy, to pull his country out of the war. This move, however, was unsuccessful – Vice Admiral Horthy was replaced on Hitler’s orders by the pro-Nazi henchman Szalasi, after which fierce and desperate battles broke out on the ground and in the war.
The Red Army Air Force enjoying numerical superiority, the quality of Soviet aircraft and high level of aircrew training having improved significantly by the time of the fighting. Conversely, it appeared there were almost no air aces left in the ranks of the Luftwaffe.
Thus it appeared Soviet airmen would have no difficulty securing a victory. This, however, was not the case. Erich Hartmann, Hans-Ulrich Rudel, Gerhard Barkhorn, and many others fought here. Amongst the Hungarians the highest scoring ace, Dezso Szentgyorgyi , stood out, as did the outstanding Aladar de Heppes.
Amongst their Soviet opponents were Kirill Yevstigneyev, Grigoriy Sivkov, Aleksandr Koldunov, Nikolai Skomorokhov and Georgiy Beregovoy.
The fact that from time to time the aerial combat took place directly over Budapest – one of the most beautiful cities in Europe- could be considered a distinguishing feature of this fighting. Bristling with anti-aircraft artillery, Budapest was frequently subjected to bombing raids, and from the end of December to the beginning of January certain areas in the Hungarian capital were transformed into improvised airfields and landing strips for German and Hungarian transport aircraft and gliders.
Despite all the efforts to set up an air bridge, the German high command never succeeded in achieving this. This forced the besieged to attempt a break-out, after which the remaining garrison surrendered. The subsequent long drawn out battle near Lake Balaton ended in the ultimate defeat of the German troops, and their allies.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Company is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 166 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It contains 271 black and white wartime photos, 8 data lists, 2 maps, acknowledgements, introduction and 2 appendix.
The black and white photos include:
Aircraft of all combatants, ground crewmen, vehicles, pilots, tanks, buildings, German box car, a Budapest clock on one of the buildings, aerial photos of cities, artillery, inside of a factory and a German glider.
There are no less than 50 color side profiles in the book. They include:
Four of a Soviet IL-2, two of a Soviet PE-2, three of a Soviet Yak-9M, an A-20G, two of a Bf-109G-6, a Fi-156C-1 “Storch”, a Fw-190F-9, two of a Ju-88D, a Ju-87D-3 and D-5 “Stuka”, two of a Me-210Ca, an American P-38J, a U-2, two of a Soviet Yak-3, a Soviet La-5F, two of a Soviet Yak-9U, a Soviet C-47, two of a Fw-190F-8, a He-129B-3, a Ju-87G-2, a Me-210Ca-1, a He-111H-20, a Soviet Po-2, a U.S. P-38L, a Bf-109G-10, two of a Bf-109G-14, three of a Soviet IL-2, two of a Soviet Pe-2, three of a Soviet Yak-3, a Soviet IL-4, three of a Soviet La-5F, two of a soviet La-5FN, three of a Soviet Yak-9M, a Soviet A-30G-1-00, two of a Bf-109G-6.
A Fiesler Fi-156C-1 “Storch”, a Fw.-190F-9, two of a Ju-88D, a Ju-87D-3 and a D-5, a Me-210C and two of the Me-210C-a-1, a U.S. P-38, a U-2 biplane, four of a Soviet IL-2, two of a Soviet Yak-9U, a Soviet C-47, a Soviet Po-2 biplane, a U.S. P-38L, a Bf-109G-10 and two of a G-14, two of a Fw-190F-8 and a He-111H-20.
This book will be of great interest to aircraft modelers and military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publisher, the North American distributor of Helion and Co. books. All Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.