Following the harsh winter of 1941/42, the Germans renewed their offensive operations across the entire Eastern Front once the spring thaw had set in. As in 1941, they made significant advances, particularly on the southern half of the front, penetrating to the River Volga and the city of Stalingrad. The battle for Stalingrad was undoubtedly one of the turning points in the war. Before the German defeat there and at the battle of El Alamein, they had never been beaten. After these defeats, the Germans never again achieved a significant victory. While the land battle for Stalingrad is well known, the air battle fought by the Luftwaffe and the Soviet air force is less well documented but was very important in determining the ultimate fate of the city and the opposing combatants.

This book covers the significant air battles which took place over Stalingrad between August and November 1942 and the subsequent airlift operation in the winter of 1942/43 intended to relieve the German Sixth Army, which was by then trapped in Stalingrad. It also covers the air war during the Russian counter-offensive in early 1943 where the Luftwaffe played a major role in saving the whole German Eastern Front (and thus the whole German war effort) from collapsing. This is an aspect of the war in the East that has previously not been covered in such depth. The strength of the author's writing lies in its detail and his ability to tell the story from the viewpoint of both sides. Hardcover, 9" x 12", 144 pages, 125 b+w and color photos. (rzm)Price: $49.95

In 1944, in response to the bombing of German cities and factories by the Allies, an inventor named Erich Bachem developed "Projekt Natter" ("Viper"), an extraordinary, highly-secret, vertical take-off, semi-expendable, single-seat rocket-fighter armed with a nose-mounted "honeycomb" of 73-mm or 55-mm spin-stabilized air-to-air rockets as well as 30-mm cannon. The Natter was intended to offer high-speed defense of key targets. Once blasted into the air from its vertical launch tower, the pilot of the Natter was to climb towards an enemy formation using an internal rocket, target an enemy bomber and fire his battery of rockets. He would then use the remaining kinetic energy to climb higher than the bombers in order to mount a ramming attack. Just before impact, the pilot was to trigger a mechanism that would activate an ejection seat and separate the rocket unit, which would return to earth by means of an automatically deployed parachute for reuse. Relatively little has been published on the Natter and this book will provide a detailed and definitive account of this unusual but fascinating aircraft. This will be required reading for all those interested in the history of the Luftwaffe during World War II, particularly for those fascinated by the radical and revolutionary projects which German aircraft designers contrived toward the end of the Nazi regime.  Hardcover, 9" x 12", 144 pages, 170 b+w and color photos.(rzm) Price: $44.95

The majority of the images portraying the German armed forces during World War II were shot by closely censored Kriegsberichter (war correspondents), and frequently obfuscated the actual wartime experience for propaganda purposes. In this all new series, one can look back in time and see the war through the untainted lenses of the individual Frontsoldaten, who were daring enough to capture this epic period on film. In addition to fascinating candid photos, is a carefully selected array of studio portraits. The outstanding color gallery has the exclusive privilege of featuring original period uniforms, equipment, and accessories from internationally acclaimed collectors. Hard Cover, 12" x 9"(landscape), 288 pages, over 700 color and b+w photos. (rzm) Price:$59.95

World War II spawned some of the most famous-and infamous-fighting organizations the world has ever known. None was more feared by its battlefield foes or more hated by political enemies of the National Socialist regime than the Waffen-SS. Six decades after the last Waffen-SS unit capitulated or was annihilated, the facts about many aspects of this organization are still shrouded in legend and half-truth. Loathed by many as a criminal organization, yet also respected for the esprit, resolve, and valor of its component units and individuals, the Waffen-SS was unarguably a highly-complex, multi-faceted phenomenon, unique among the military organizations of the world. Marc Rikmenspoel, has crafted the ultimate reference for those trying to understand the intensely controversial and complicated nature of the Waffen-SS. A comprehensive overview that will be useful to historians, buffs, wargamers, and re-enactors alike, no matter what your predisposition to the Waffen-SS, you will learn a great deal from this book. The book includes a concise history of every one of the major fighting formations of the Waffen-SS (those designated as "divisions"). Size: 6"x9", Soft cover, 300 pages, 82 photos, 20 page annotated bibliography. (rzm)

Sections include:
— Formations
— Structure of Divisions
— Germans in the Waffen-SS
— Germanics in the Waffen-SS
— Non-Germans and Non-Germanics in the Waffen-SS
— Leading Personalities
— Weapons
— Misconceptions and Controversies
— Weapons Tables

Price: $19.95

The author is a loyal member of his unit's veterans' group, and his bona fides as a soldier are impeccable. Before The Aberjona Press agreed to publish this book, to the extent possible, his accounts of action against elements of the US Army's 45th and 94th Infantry Divisions were vetted against primary source documents in the National Archives, by examination of published unit histories, and by interviews with American veterans who fought against the author's unit. Especially extensive research has been carried out by Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Foster, US Army (Retired) with hundreds of American survivors of their savage battle against the author's unit at Reipertswiller, Alsace, in January 1945. All of the author's recollections have squared with the available evidence. From every bit of archival and anecdotal information it has been possible to collect, the author's pride in his unit's wartime record and battlefield conduct is fully justified. Apart from the piercing insights into the question of why the German soldier fought as he did, the author's anguished, yet resolute examination of the dialectic between the honorable comportment of his unit and the fundamentally reprehensible conduct of other non-combat groups behind the front lines who wore the same uniform makes this book unique. Size: 6"x9", Soft cover, 224 pages, 22 photos, 8 maps.
(rzm)Price: $19.95

As the Allies arrived at the frontiers of Germany itself in the last autumn of WWII, the Germans responded with a variety of initiatives designed to regain the strategic initiative. While the "Wonder Weapons" such as the V-2 missile are widely recognized, the Volks-Grenadier divisions (VGDs) are practically unknown. Often confused with the "Volkssturm," the Home Guard militia, VGDs have suffered the undeserved reputation as second-rate formations, filled with young boys and old men suited to serve only as cannon fodder. This ground-breaking book shows that VGDs were actually conceived as a new, elite corps loyal to the National Socialist Party and equipped with the finest weapons available. Come follow along with the soldiers of the 272nd VGD's Füsilier Company from their first battles in the Hürtgen Forest to their final defeat in the Harz Mountains . . . learn the enormous potential of VGDs . . . and feel their soldiers' heartbreak at their failure.  Size: 6"x9", Soft cover, 412 pages, 88 photos, 22 maps, 3 illustrations. (rzm) Price: $24.95

This first volume of Fighting Men of World War II offers a comprehensive, full-color look at the clothing (such as boots, pants, helmet, tunic, greatcoat, camouflage, and badges), equipment, weapons, vehicles, and rations of Axis soldiers. Also included are popular items, such as lighters, that were carried by many troops but were not standard issue. The accompanying text describes the items and also compares them to those of other armies. The result is a complete picture of the daily life and conditions of the fighting men of all countries. It is an essential reference work for all military historians, collectors, and general readers. A second volume covering the Allies will be published in Fall 2008. Hardcover, 9" x 12", English text, 384 pages, full color, hundreds of color and b+w photos.(rzm)Price: $49.95

This book proposes a complete study of the variants in the manufacturing of the M1 helmet, illustrated with more than 700 full-color photos and presents a new selection of helmets coming from the woodwork, stemming from private collections and museums.

The technical evolution of the M1 and its paratrooper conversions M2 and M1 C is summarized in the form of plans and clear synthesis boards. The selection of more than 120 helmets evokes, from Normandy to Germany, the battles of the European Theatre of operation.

Numerous photos reveal their peculiarity, pictograms summarize their technical characteristics and legends tell their history. These material witnesses bring to life a conflict which ravaged western Europe. Size: 9" x 12", Hard cover, 216 pages, full color, English text. (rzm) Price: $82.48

Even today, some 60-plus years after World War II has ended, anyone with even a passing knowledge of that massive conflict has heard of the Leibstandarte. The Leibstandarte, which started out as Hitler's personal bodyguard, was considered the elite within the elite of the SS. Even before the war broke out in September 1939, the Leibstandarte had started to expand and take on more and more military duties in addition to its representational function in guarding the Führer at the Reich chancellery, at his mountain retreat in Austria or on his travels and parades. It participated in the occupation of the Sudetenland and then the rest of Czechoslovakia and the annexation of Austria. It started the war as a reinforced motorized rifle regiment and expanded almost exponentially during the conflict, eventually evolving into the 1. SS-Panzer-Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" division and providing much of the cadre for the I. SS-Panzer-Korps and the 12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend". It gained a reputation in fighting that was unequalled among both friend and foe alike. It produced some of the most famous and highly decorated German soldiers of the war and historians still dispute the military capabilities of its long-time commander, Sepp Dietrich.

While numerous titles have appeared concerning the Leibstandarte, this is the first one in English to put a human face on the elite formation. The author has gone to extraordinary lengths to locate and interview surviving members of the Leibstandarte, including the central figure of this narrative, SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Wilhelm Mohnke, who was with the Leibstandarte from the very beginning serving on the first guard mount at the Reich Chancellery in Berlin to the very end when he was in charge of the final defense of the governmental seat of power.

He provides fascinating insights into the inner circle around the Führer and, indeed, Hitler's final moments and what transpired after his suicide. In addition, 62 other soldiers are profiled generally in their own words and represent all of the combat formations of the division: Artillery, Infantry, Armor, Reconnaissance, Air Defense and Engineers.

Also unique among publications concerning the Leibstandarte is the appearance of nearly 700 photographs, 165 images of award documents and more than 70 illustrations, with almost all of the pre war and wartime photographs having been previously unpublished! In addition to never-before-seen candid images of Hitler, Dietrich and a number of other leading military personalities, there are exceptional photographs of the forces in the field and with their weapons and equipment. In all, there are 352 pages, with numerous appendices and extensive footnoting.

While there may be other books in the subject, none comes even close to matching Thomas Fischer's authoritative and definitive treatment of the subject. This is a title to be of certain interest for historians,

Hard bound, 9" x 12", 352 pages, 700 photographs, 165 images of award documents and more than 70 other illustrations. Price: $95.00

This large-format book is an in-depth photographic study covering rare uniforms, tropical jump smocks, Ramcke Brigade jump helmets, and officer's "Meyer" caps. This book provides the first accurate description of the design and development of WWII German jump smocks, each illustrated in large, full-color photographs.

Perhaps one of the best known battles in the Italian campaign was the Battle of Monte Cassino. There was actually a series of four battles, the first starting on 17 January 1944, and the last on 18 May. Monte Cassino was a key to the German defensive Winter Line south of Rome, also known as the Gustav Line. Concord Publications is proud to release a new volume in its Warrior series that is fully devoted to this pivotal battle. The Battle of Monte Cassino involved almost the full spectrum of Allied nations - USA, France, New Zealand, India, Great Britain, and Poland - fighting against their battle-hardened German nemesis. However, the author has selected the final battle as the main focus for this title. While the book's introduction begins with a concise summary of the individual battles, it quickly moves on to a deeper examination of II Polish Corps, which played a principal role in the final bloody capture of the town of Monte Cassino and its famous monastery. The Poles suffered a staggering total of almost 4000 casualties, and it is said that the red poppies that cover Monte Cassino's slopes in spring owe their color to the blood spilt by these Polish soldiers! This work by the experienced writer Gordon Rottman first covers the German forces in a series of black-and-white photos, with many of them featuring Fallschirmjager paratroopers that fought so tenaciously. The coverage then proceeds to the Polish force, including both infantry and armor troops. The photos are well chosen and give the reader a good feel for the conditions at the time, as well as the typical uniforms and equipment that were in use by both sides. The book also contains four color plates by Dmitriy Zgonnik as its centerpiece. These feature three Germans (a paratrooper, Luftwaffe flak unit member and a mountain trooper) and a solitary Pole of the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division. This book will make a very welcome addition to collections, especially as it covers such an important battle and features Polish soldiers that up till now have not received the attention they merit. Size: 8.5"x11", 52 pages, 134 photos, 4 color plates. Price - $16.50

Long before the edelweiss was made famous in "The Sound of Music", this mountain flower was the symbol of Germany's Gebirgstruppen (Mountain Troops)! Especially trained and equipped to operate in alpine regions, these were elite troops of the German army. Incidentally, the common ascription of "Gebirgsjager" actually only refers to "mountain infantrymen". In fact, units were composed of the whole plethora of military occupations such as infantry, artillery, antitank, signals and engineer, for these divisions were self-contained. Gebirgstruppen really had their origin in WWI when fighting against Italian troops in the Alps, and interestingly they still exist today in the Bundeswehr. This latest volume from Gordon Rottman examines the whole range of Gebirgstruppen in a series of fascinating photos. The book is replete with black and white photos showing these German mountain soldiers in all kinds of environments - sometimes in their natural element on snowy peaks, and at other times at lower altitudes. The photos include details of uniforms, weapons and vehicles used by Gebirgsjager. They also give a representative look at the different geographical regions that these mountain troops operated in. Additionally, each photograph is accompanied by a detailed caption that offers insight into how these soldiers operated and were organized. The usual section of four color plates is the centerpiece of the book, and these high-quality illustrations by Stephen Andrew portray typical details of uniforms and personal equipment. A number of Gebirgs-Divisions were created as WWII progressed, and all of the divisions are summarized in the introductory text. The same commentary gives a useful explanation of how these divisions were organized. Following in the successful vein of preceding titles in this Concord series, this book is another very helpful work for modelers and military enthusiasts to have on their bookshelves. In "Gebirgsjager - German Mountain Infantry", these soldiers that proudly wore the edelweiss receive the attention they are due. Size: 11"x8.5",52 Pages, 148 photos, 4 Color Plates. (concord) Price - $16.50

The written account is based on after action reports by the units involved and numerous interviews with veterans of both sides to provide a ground level perspective of the events which led up to and resulted from the failure of KG Peiper. The text is supported through the collection and painstaking analysis of thousands of images from diverse sources. Of the 127 photos in this book, over half are published for the first time but all are placed in their correct historical, chronological and geographical context. The photos are reproduced in large format to maximize their usefulness to the reader and multiple views of many of the wrecked Panthers are included. In addition, over the course of the project the detailed scrutiny of hundreds of images of Panthers has enabled the authors, in consultation with Tom Jentz and Hilary Doyle, to present for the first time a concise and authoritative analysis of the relationship between the assembly plants and the camouflage patterns applied to the tanks they produced. The resulting colour profiles are the most accurate presented to date, and provide a most useful tool in determining the origin of almost any individual Panther of the late war period.  The foreword is by Major General Michael Reynolds CB, author of 'The Devil's Adjutant'. Book Specifications : The book is presented on 170 gsm paper in landscape format (275mm x 210mm), 300 pages with 127 photographs, 9 maps and with colour vehicle profiles illustrating the various Panther factory applied camouflage schemes. (note-this description supersedes the one published in issue 33) (rzm) Price: $110.00