Product Description

Book is 9" X 12" Full Color Material covered in Fw 190 D-9 book by Jerry Crandall, Volume One 1.Foreword by Oberstleutnant a.D. Karl-Heinz Ossenkop JG 26 D-9 pilot 2.Brief story of prototype development 3.Study of the five known types of gun cowls by factory 4.D-9 into service with III./JG 54 5.Pilot initial impressions including Dortenmann s first words... What kind of contraptions are these?! 6.First losses and victories 7.Excerpts of Hans Dortenmann s diary describing his all-Yellow tail W. Nr. 210003 D-9, the first D-9 in service 8.Combat stories of D-9 pilots from III./JG 54, JG 2, IV./JG 3, JG 26, JG 51, and JG 301 9.The distinctive system of tactical markings and colors used by JG 301 10.Approximately 365 black and white photos, plus 40 color photos many previously unpublished, 72 color profiles by Thomas A. Tullis 11.Situation reports of JG 2 Dora 9 activity during March 1945 attacking the Remagen bridge 12.Flugbuch excerpts from Dora 9 pilots 13.Accurate and detailed drawings by Koichiro Abe of the D-9, D-9/R5, and D-9 with the Ta 152 tail

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #888749 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 344 pages

About the Author
As a historian, Jerry Crandall s main interest is WWII, specifically the air war over Europe. Due to his extensive study and the need for this valuable information to be preserved Crandall has created numerous paintings, prints and has written several books on this topic. In his quest for historical accuracy he has interviewed pilots who have served in WWII, Korea, the cold war and post war seeking invaluable first hand information for his research. Through the years he has amassed a large collection of rare photos of WWII aircraft highlighting extremely rare images of Luftwaffe fighters plus he has collected personal interview tapes with pilots and crew members, actual aircraft parts and other aviation related materials. He worked at McDonnell DouglasAircraft Company as an aviation artist; has been a guest on numerous radio and television talk shows including the NBC Sunday show in LA twice, and the Mike Douglas Televisions shows. He was a guest on the Navy Carrier USS Nimitz gathering knowledge of modern day Naval operations. Featured articles about Jerry Crandall and his work have appeared in many magazines; FLIGHT, PRINTS, COLLECTORS MART, SOUTHWEST ART, MAN AT ARMS, AIR CLASSICS, INTERNATIONAL AIR REVIEW, US ART, THE CHALLENGE AVIATION ART SERIES and more. Listed in WHO S WHO IN AMERICAN ART, THE INTERNATIONAL WHO S WHO OF CONTEMPORARY ACHIEVEMENT, and WHO S WHO IN THE WEST, he is also featured in CONTEMPORARY WESTERN ARTISTS. Too, his artwork can be found in many private as well as museum collections such as the CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE, NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM IN D.C.; USAF MUSEUM DAYTON; NAVAL MUSEUM PENSACOLA; MONINO AIR MUSEUM, MOSCOW and at the Headquarters of the ITALIAN AIR FORCE. He is a member of the ASAA, the Luftwaffe Circle, the Luftwaffe Verband, IPMS, FRIEND OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTER ACES, THE GEMEINSCHAFT DER JAGDFLIEGER and many others. Through the years he has arranged for various History Channel and A&E programs to feature and interview n

Customer Reviews

What Jerry says about Dora (He's got photos.....)
After poring over Jerry Crandall's superb new book, Focke-Wulf 190 Dora Volume One, a person might be tempted to conclude that it contains more detailed information about this formidable late war German aircraft than every other source that has come before - put together. And if you're interested in what specific aircraft in specific units from specific factories actually looked like, colors and all, and you made such a claim--you'd be absolutely right. Never before published photographs of the famously camera shy D9 including extremely illuminating color images, are in such abundance in this book you wonder just how many years Jerry Crandall was quietly sitting on his stash before he decided to enlighten us with this thoroughly excellent work.

For Luftwaffe camouflage aficionados (and you know who you are) the notorious and better documented planes of JG 6 such as "Black (blue!) 12" and "chevron punkt" (<. ) receive even greater elucidation. For other aircraft of note such as "Michalski" and "Black 8" which would seem to forever be shrouded in uncertainty as to the nature of their true appearance, we have revelation from all angles, many in color. We also find that despite the governmental directives to the contrary by the RLM, the paint scheme consisting of the grays 74 and 75 was used on late model planes right up to the end of the war. With the D9 the entire aircraft might be painted this way or in numerous other cases just the wings, depending on the place of manufacture. The late war greens and browns are in clear display as well.

Hats off to Crandall's sleuthing ability in garnering so much interesting new material and in presenting it so elegantly. It was about time somebody thought to check out the old film archives in the Library of Congress and elsewhere for glimpses of the Long Nose in black and white and color film clips. Other researchers worth their salt will surely make greater use of this valuable resource. In addition to the photographs, the accounts of some of the men who actually flew the D9 are also fascinating. I highly recommend purchasing Volume One but hold off on Volume Two -- I want first crack at buying Volume Two for myself.

superlative reference
There has been a lot of fuss generated about this book and now that my copy has arrived it's easy to see why. I mean I'm not easily impressed - but put simply Jerry Crandall's book on the Fw 190 Dora (Vol. 1) is a superlative reference work on this late-war Luftwaffe fighter.
Highlights include:
Study of five known types of gun cowls by factory
The story of the D-9's introduction into service with III./JG 54 and accounts of initial operations including all the data from the type's first victories and losses. Some of the pilot accounts are absolutely priceless - fantastically well translated and a great treat to read. The lengthy extracts from Hans Dortenmann's diary are especially fascinating and are complemented by a detailed study of the three known phases of his colorful D-9 with the all-Yellow tail. I have to say thought that some of the artwork here is just a little fanciful for my taste - it is not based on any photographic evidence. There are more great combat stories from JG 2 & JG 26 and a lengthy passage from Roderich Cescotti, Geschwader TO of JG 301 (and a former He 111 pilot during the Battle of Britain) - what a great story he has to tell. He is also not averse to embroidering the tale too - the overall-red Ta 152 has no place in this work - pure fantasy IMHO. The heart of the book are the tremendous artworks from Tom Tullis - with full colour & markings notes from the author - and the selection of beautifully clear photographs expertly reproduced on the sumptuous paper stock - approx 365 B&W photos and no less than 40 in color, many previously unpublished. The larger format certainly helps with the beautifully clear photo and artwork reproduction and helps make this a nicer volume than the two JG 300 tomes - if such can be imagined. The contents are rounded out with situation reports of JG 2 Dora activity during March 1945, Flugbuch excerpts from Dora 9 pilots and accurate and detailed drawings. Congratulations to the author (and Mrs C....) for putting it together so consummately. A 'must-have' for your library

You need this book! This is The book on the Dora!
Jerry Crandall has written The book on the Focke Wulf Dora series with this excellent new first Volume in a planned two Volume set. Jerry has a long history of researching the Focke wulf Dora series of warbirds.
Jerry has been at it longer than many of us have been alive, me included, at 45 years old. He is largely responsible for bringing the worlds only surviving FW 190 D-13 "Yellow 10" to light and life again. This story can be read in his book published by Eagle Editions Ltd. and titled "Yellow 10 The Story of the Ultra Rare Fw 190 D-13" ISBN 0-9660706-3-1.
Back to this book...The book is loaded with new information on the Dora, Excellent photos abound, many in color and previously unpublished, also Tom Tullis has provided 72 beautiful color profiles.
There is a brief history of prototype and development along with a detailed study of the five known gun cowel types by factory.
The book has many excerpts from one of my favorite Dora pilots personal Diary, Hans Dortenmann who flew the same aircraft W.Nr. 210003, this was the first Dora in service, and Dortenmann flew it from the day he picked it up when brand new, until wars end. It includes his touching story of his good bye and the destruction of his trusty bird by his own hand.
This book includes combat stories and first hand accounts of D-9 pilots of III./JG54, JG2, IV./JG3, JG26, JG51 and my favorite JG/301, also included is an explanation of the tactical markings and colors used by JG 301, that has been an area of controversy for many years.
There are many pilot first impressions and Flugbuch excerpts, as well as situation reports of JG2 Dora 9 activity during the March 1945 attacks on the Ramagen bridge.
Koichiro Abe has produced accurate and very detailed scale drawings of the D-9, D-9/R5 and the D-9 with the Ta152 tail.
There are many other surprises included in the book and at 6 lbs....well you get the idea, and this is only Vol I.
Believe me, you will be recommending this book to your friends.
Kevin Weisner