Ploesti-Low Level Strike - Tidal Wave 1943, Some reflection about the book

Corneliu Nastase, Dan Melinte and Razvan Bujor
Ploesti-Low Level Strike - Tidal Wave 1943

3 X 07

This year has been edited in Romania, the book: Ploesti-Low Level Strike - Tidal Wave 1943, written by Corneliu Nastase, Dan Melinte and Razvan Bujor.
Romanian has quite interesting aviation history in XX century. During WW II ARR (or RA) had fought mostly against Soviet but also against Allied air forces. This book is about one of the famous air and land battle, attack on Ploesti.

There have been printed many of books, articles about this topic (great and tragic battle). This is the last title from Romania, written by Romanian authors. Text is bilingual (Romanian-English). The whole book is a photo’s album, packed with few hundreds b&w photos concerning all or around this battle. Reader can find photos form the attack plenty photos of destroyed B-24 and also captured B-24 are ther too. The are also many photos of IAR-80 or Me 109 G (LW + ARR/RA), or Me 110. This is very informative source of photos and plane which fought in this battle from both side. There are also 2 maps which make easier localization of place in this battle.

Book has 90 pages in A-4 landscape size, frankly I do no like such books. This size is not good for my shelves. Explanation about the size of color drawings, which could be better presented in such size, are not credibility for me (editor can put such drawings also in A-4 portrait too, and it is also good).

The main idea was to shown plane, which fought there. So the book is overbalanced by phots + color drawings of the planes. It is pity, that authors had not written much more about the battle and the photos, which they put into this book, like p. 50 “Visible tracks of the Flak” between 2 photos. Such a comments are obvious of course and do not need notes. There is no information, notes for the photos from 62-67 pages (?) - captured Boiler MakerII – Trestieni. Such a notes could be done.
Next “minus” of this book is average quality of reproduced photos. Te standard of photos is not similar with the standard for example Squadron booklets. If the editor put more attention to the quality of printing (maybe other, better paper, or better prepared printing - ?), edited photos would better looked, then they just looking. Any photo’s album need always better editorial and printing “technology. And the value of the many b&w photos was not full explored in this book.
Next my comments are directed to the cover of the book. Whole painting is not good done. Too much dark color, unclear artist’s vision and low visible of the title and authors. If the cover is mostly in black and red tones, letters of the titles, and the authors name should be more visible.

Anyway it is good, that in Romania is printing next, new interesting titles and such titles are done in Romanian-English.

See more about the book:
http://www.tidalwave1943.ro/

The book’s price, without shipping:
Romania 50 RON
Europe 20 Euro
USA 25 Dollar

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński
from Poland

In this context, when referring to the Royal Rumanian Air Force, the RA abbreviation is nonsense. Moreover, in W. W. 2 aviation, RA was short for Regia Aeronautica, i.e., the Italian air force.

Gen. Dénes

P.S. From the list of adversaries ARR fought against in W. W. 2 you forgot the deadliest one: the Luftwaffe...

This post has been edited by Dénes on October 03, 2007 10:59 am

The review for this book was allready posted. See link below.
http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=4016&st=0

But it's good to hear other opinions about the book.
If you don't mind I will answer to some of your questions.

1. Landscape format.
-The authors wanted that some of the color profiles would be nice in big format (foldout) with all that details (nose art, crew nicknames) and being adressed mostly for modellers it's more easy to keep opened on workdesk.

2.[QUOTE]It is pity, that authors had not written much more about the battle and the photos[/QUOTE]
  The text about the battle  is at the begining of the book and the fate of the planes under color profiles. And  the boook as mentioned by the authors is mostly for modellers . The history of the battle was allready published in hundreds of books until now.

3.[/QUOTE] like p. 50 “Visible tracks of the Flak” between 2 photos. Such a comments are obvious of course and do not need notes.[QUOTE]
With this note the authors wanted only to underline that most of the planes were shot down due to flak and not from fighters . I don't know if everybody can make the difference between flak holes(shot angle) and fighter machine guns holes(shot angle) to assume that it is obviously understood.

4.[/QUOTE]There is no information, notes for the photos from 62-67 pages (?) - captured Boiler MakerII – Trestieni. Such a notes could be done.[QUOTE]

  You are right there is no information for the photo 62-67 because there were no information in reality. And what notes could be done if you don't have info. Like you said it's not nice comments like: "Visible romanians near the plane" because it is obviously.

5.[/QUOTE]Next “minus” of this book is average quality of reproduced photos. Te standard of photos is not similar with the standard for example Squadron booklets.[QUOTE]

  Degustibus non discutandum. Personal I don't think that Squadron booklets are better in terms of pictures quality.
Mayby the quality of the pictures in the book are not the best but I saw worst  pictures in other big names editors books.

6.[/QUOTE]If the editor put more attention to the quality of printing (maybe other, better paper, or better prepared printing - ?), edited photos would better looked, then they just looking. Any photo’s album need always better editorial and printing “technology. And the value of the many b&w photos was not full explored in this book.[QUOTE]

Here you have right. But for this you need experience, money and time. Only the second book will be better than the first 

7.[/QUOTE]Next my comments are directed to the cover of the book. Whole painting is not good done. Too much dark color, unclear artist’s vision and low visible of the title and authors. If the cover is mostly in black and red tones, letters of the titles, and the authors name should be more visible.
[QUOTE]

The painting was choosen as a tribute to one of famous and known aviation painter from Romania Mr Ion Tzaralunga. It was unfinished paint due to health problems of the author. The cover was not intended to be hanged in a paintings showroom for critics.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on October 03, 2007 11:19 am

The nice is not true
The true is not nice
Lao Tsy

I know that for any author, any kind of critics (even positive) looks not nice. One wants to be astonish, not critised, :-)
So, I have expressed my general opinion after seeing and reading this book.

My "professional" expirience on this particular filed (I have done, edited about >50 less or more similar subjects: articles + books) tells me, what I had written. I had passed quite similar path of expirience.

For example, for me the cover is as a "woman". Nice cover is for me at least 70% or even more the succes for any of such publication.
Reader looks at the cover and in a few seconds just decieding: good or bad, nice or not ect, take up or leave.
So, we as men, seeing the covers looking at them as "for nice or not so pretty women". Then just deciding.
The cover makes for me rather bad impression, which I had mentioned (1st 5 seconds).
It has no matter, for buyer, if any great and with many titles artists had make it. Cover should be nice, like a "nice woman". This is fundamental and obvious thing for me.
Dan can drop me off line your e-mail, and we may talk about other thing in private mial. For me it is nonsens talking private things on line.

My e-mail is: mirwaw_xl@wp.pl

To DB.
Yes, I think, that some comments done by Denes makes me day much more fun. This time too,

Such expirienced author like you, should well know, that the first name for ARR, from, if I am right 1913, was Romaian Aeronautic, abb. is exactly RA for example, The same as for Italian Air Foce - RA.

It was valid up to 1947, as was valid ARR too. This information had been given by G.C. well know for you resarcher from Romanina, + we had nice and long discation on this topis here a few years ago.

Second, thanks for adding about LW's enemy. In this way Denes you deliberatly (?) had omitted to add that after VIII 44, the Hungary was also deadly enemy of Romania in the air and on land too. I do not know why you have so short memory to ommit this too?
If you want to be so precise and correct you should be so correct up to the end!
I always be happy to see your commnets to my post! You make me fun for a day your very selective, narrow-mainded attiude to the past.

All the best.


Regards,
MirekW

Hi MirekW,
I must say that as a long admirer of Mr Taralunga's work, I see nothing wrong with that cover. Mr Taralunga's style was unique, might not have be to everyone's taste, but it was very effective. You show that book to any Romanian aviation enthusiast, and anyone will say right away "That is by Taralunga".

I first saw that painting when I was 12 when it was first published in Modelism magazine. It was the first time I discovered that Romania was bombed by the Americans and that painting is simply etched into my mind as the most enduring image associated with that whole event. I am sure that many other Romanians share the same experience.

It is a painting that shows how war is more than just "cool" Hollywood imagery, but rather it is all chaos, mayhem, fire, smoke, death. Yes, you are right when you say "Too much dark color" - that sums up Poliesti quite well. It was a dark day indeed.

In my opinion, that painting was chosen simply because of its artistic value and the "weight" that Mr Taralunga has in Romania.

Radu

Is this book still available for purchase ?


This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on March 30, 2011 12:10 pm

Yes, it's still available. Sent me a PM.

I just sent you an PM, thanks!

Rumanian?

What do you mean?

The authors are romanians and the text is bilingual (romanian-english) .

Yes, I know. They are rumanians

I just received it today, and I would like to thank Cantacuzino for this fantastic book, with over 200 black&white and color good quality pictures.
If the book it's still available, just buy it, it's worth it!
Regards!


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Hello,
I am new to this forum and I would like to know if this book is still available for purchase? Any help in securing a copy would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Todd