I want to special honourise all our guest-authors. They shared with us by very interesting stories, informations, anectodes - spending a long time during preparing text, checking dates&facts, finding photos... They made fascinating history of aerial combats in WWII, with brave pilots and their wonderful warbirds, more accessable for great number of aviation enthusiast from whole world!
For that great work - many thanks!
I want also invite everybody, who have some interesting facts in that aviation area, to join us and our site with his own story - this site is always opened for WWII ACE STORIES...
Here is a free tribune, where you can recognize more this people:
Eric Bogomolny. E-Mail: ericbogomolny@sprintmail.com
My name is Eric Bogomolny and I am a naturalized American. I was born in 1964 in the beautiful city by the Black Sea - Odessa. In 1989 my family and I emigrated to the USA. I am an Electronics Engineer and my job is one of my hobbies. My other hobby is, obviously, history of World War 2 aviation. I was fascinated with it ever since I was 12. I am also interested in the general history of World War 2 and Jewish Resistance during World War 2. My wife is a nurse, and when she is at work and I am not, I kill time playing Air Warrior (WW2 flight simulator), building plastic models of WW2 aircraft, researching World War 2 history on the Internet and in books and building my web site, dedicated to my hobbies. We don't have kids yet, that's why I have time to kill. I hope one day to create a page dedicated to my grandfather's story, who is a WW2 veteran. Once, while surfing the web, I found this wonderful site. Ever since then I keep coming back to see if there are any new stories and often I am rewarded with new historic facts published on this site. I am very happy to be able to contribute to this site and hope to be able to do it again.
Becze Csaba. E-Mail: aruns@freemail.hu
"My name is Csaba Becze. I was born in Pйcs in 1975. I have been very interested about military history and because of this I went to the history course in the University of Pйcs. Currently I am studying for my PhD. My favourite theme is the history of the Hungarian Army, especially the Hungarian Air Force during the World War II. This is my PhD topic also.
I hope, that my short articles will help to know our air heroes to foreigners.
My homepage is:
http://www.geocities.com/hungarian_air_force/ "
"I am fascinated by the stories of fighter aces and pilots around the world who made their impact on the events of World War II. In addition to learning about their official missions, I am very interested in their descriptions of combat in the air, on land and sea. The perspective of altitude can be most powerful.
A member of the Golden Gate Wing of the Confederate Air Force, I volunteer my time and efforts to keep alive the spirit of aviators and aircrews who gave their all during World War II. Appreciating the research and writing that occurs on this site, it's my hope that future generations will use this medium to better understand history, to grasp the scope of the conflict and how it continues to mold the world, and to recognize the sacrifices of a generation in trying to make the world safer.
Professionally, I have reported on news for radio and television for more than 15 years, specializing in technology and Silicon Valley. More recently I have been self-employed, providing video production services to high tech firms, though I still file regular reports on new technologies for a Bay Area radio station."
"I have had a lifelong interest in everything to do with aviation, particularly with respect to Australian military aviation and history. I am a member of the "Friends of the RAAF Museum" based at Point Cook air base (the birthplace of the RAAF) near Melbourne and volunteer my time as a host officer at the museum. The museum has a fine collection of aircraft (some airworthy), most of which served in the RAAF as well as a vast range of exhibits which chronicle the history of the RAAF and the many campaigns in which the RAAF participated. I am also interested in scale modelling and enjoy the research involved in building accurate and authentic miniatures.
I work for the University of Melbourne as a medical researcher at one of Melbourne's teaching hospitals. Other interests include nordic snow skiing, computers (member of the Melbourne PC User Group) and watching Australian football.
I am glad to have found Dariusz and Christer's page on WW2 aces and felt that there should be some Australian representation. To this end I have undertaken to write a number of pages on Australian aces. These will hopefully be available over the next few months. Although I have a distaste for war and the suffering it brings, I have an admiration for the courage and dedication displayed by men and women of all backgrounds in a time of conflict. These qualities are especially evident in the brave people who fought alone in the sky during World War 2."
Santiago A. Flores. E-Mail: floresbgkiddo@earthlink.net
"My
Name is Santiago A. Flores,I was born in San Diego California USA
of Mexican parents, I lived part of my life in Mexico. In 1972 I
started to research Mexican military aviation, I have published a
number of articles on Mexican military aviation in Mexico, USA,
England, Paraguay, and Spain to include the Mexican Expeditionary
Air Force, a P-47 unit that fought in the liberation of the
Philippine Islands in 1945. My other interest is fighter aces
from the small air forces of the world, but my interest are those
of Hispanic background like the Spanish pilots of the
"Escuadrillas Azules" that have not received their
recognition in the Russian Front. Not only the ones that fopught
for the Axis but as well for the Allies. I served active duty
with the US Army and presently serving in the reserve, I work for
the U.S. Postal Service Iam married with a baby boy, that I hope
in the future might be interested in what is father does as a
pastime. I would like to hear from anybody with additional
information on the Spanish pilots."
"Hello to everyone!
My name is Octavian Ghita, I am 24 years old and I am an engineer at Centro Richerche Fiat. My home is in Bucharest, Romania, but for one year I was transferred here in " bella Italia ". My hobby is history, all kind, but especially what regard WW II and aviation history. That's how I met Dariusz Tyminski and Christer Bergstrom. Simply, on the Net!
Why about top aces? I think it's simple. All those boys, they had an unique talent to fly. In those times it was more important the personal skills, not the plane. And also because forgiveness is a dangerous desease!
I am very proud to help those nice guys, because in this way I can tell you, people, some stories about my country's history, who isn't very knowed. However, enjoy your visit here and in the other sites connected."
"My name is Ossi Juntunen. I am a middle-aged Finn living in Turku with my wife. I am working for Nokia Mobile Phones as documentation expert.
I have been interested in history and particularly in the history of military aviation since I learned to read.
It is time that everyone interested should know about the brave Finnish Air Force pilots of the II WW. Those men always fought against numerically superior enemy, often with inferior equipment. Their stories have been hidden beyond the language and cultural barriers, but I want to do my bit to overcome that."
Thomas McKelvey Cleaver is a writer and photographer who lives in Los Angeles, California. He learned his love of aviation from his father, who was a pilot and mechanic in the 1930s, and was at one time mechanic for the famous race pilot, Roscoe Turner.
Tom has been involved with The Air Museum, "Planes of Fame" in Chino, California, for twenty years, where visitors can view his model collection, "The Planes The Aces Flew," as well as others in the model gallery.
As an aviation writer-photographer, he has been published in "Air Force," "Air Enthusiast," "Air International" and "Flypast," among others. He is presently Aviation Editor for "Navismagazine.Com" , an online webzine for ship and aircraft enthusiasts, modellers and historians; and the webmaster of "The Aeronut" , a website displaying twenty years of his air-to-air photography of antiques, classics, warbirds and jets, as well as 200 of his 1/48 airplane models.
Tom is a true believer in the power of The Internet. "I never in my life thought I would live to see the day there would be a free flow of information and friendships across borders that used to be made of walls and weapons. I am very happy to be able to present this 'new' information - which I've known all my life - to you who were on the other side of that wall, and in return to get 'new' the information you've known for years. I think the freedom we are all experiencing this way has become unstoppable."
Tom will continue to provide articles on American aces as he can.
Victor Nitu. E-mail: vnitu@pcnet.ro
"My name is Victor Mihai Nitu. I am 19 and in my first year at the university. I love history and airplanes (WWII warbirds especially), but I am studying to become an electronics engineer.
I wrote the articles because I wanted my country's heros to be known beyond our borders. It's no secret that Romanian participation in WWII is not well known neither inside or outside the country and some times even minimized. That's why I decided to use the Internet to make it known and I created a site about the Romanian Army in WWII and colaborated with other WWII history sites."
Please check his sites: The Romanian Army in WWII and The Romanian Royal Aeronautics in WWII !
"My name is Pawel Piwonski. I'm 26 years old. My main hobby is plastic and paper aircraft's modelling. I'm also interesting history and technical development of aviation. I met Darek Tyminski via Internet."
Wilhelm Ratuszynski. E-Mail: ratuszynski@hotmail.com
"Dear fellow aviation
enthusiast.
In my eyes, some of the aircraft of World War II, are the most beautiful machines built by a human being, EVER! I continue view them that way for many years now. Absolutely perfect proportions of a Spitfire (for example), its streamlined shape made of graceful curves and its charming movements in flight, make it a magnificent piece of art. I cherish this sentiment as a very dear thing to me. These aircraft always stirred my imagination, and I wish I was born "in right time" to fly them. On many occasions I did imagine myself in the cockpit of the fighter plane in combat. Being a grown man, I don't do it anymore, but my eyes sparkle whenever I can see one of this beautiful aircraft. In this part I will remain a young boy forever.
As a fifteen year old I became one of the first cadets in Liceum Lotnicze, a Polish Air Force special school. Flying part was fantastic, but a prospect of being a military pilot and fly this modern jet planes, simply did not turn my crank. There was something ghoulish abount them, and disappointing. My heart was longing for Spitfires, Mustangs, Focke-Wulfs, Messerschmitts and so on...After three years of military training I quit. However, my interest in this classic aircraft remained, thus I want to know abount people who flew them.
I live with my family in the suburbs of Montreal, Canada and I just hit 40."
And please visit his own site devoted to: 315 Polish Squadron RAF 'City of Dкblin' .
Bucky Sheftall. E-mail: bucky@tokai.or.jp
Bucky
Sheftall is an English professor and semi-pro modeler originally
hailing from New York City, now living and working in Shizuoka,
Japan since 1987. The first model he can remember building is the
old Aurora "Viking Ship" kit around 1967 at the age of
five. The ship met with a Viking funeral a short while later. He
cut his real modeling teeth in the late 60s and early 70s on
Lindberg armor and planes and Aurora's 1/48 WW1 series (remember
all that funky-colored injection molding?), a trend that peaked
with -- yes -- the mythical "Gotha" kit (and boy, does
he wish he hadn't thrown if off the roof of his apartment
building in 1975!).
Bucky's main modelling interests are WW2 armor, aircraft and figures, especially Soviet for land-based stuff, and Soviet, USAAC and British for air. On occasion, he breaks out the sewing needles and magnifying glass and rigs up a WW1 job. If you want to look at some of his work and even shoot the breeze a bit, drop by his web site at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/6207/index.html .
"My name is Ilia Sheremetiev. I was born in 1969. I live in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I'm married and I have a 6 year old son. I work as a sales manager in Xpress Company, http://www.xpress.ru . There you can see my picture. My main hobbies are bike, badminton, ski, tourism, the history of aviation WWII. I would be glad to answer all your questions.
Меня зовут Илья Шереметьев. Я родился в 1969 году. Я живу в Санкт-Петербурге. Женат. Имею сына 6 лет. Работаю менеджером по продажам. Мою фотографию можно увидеть http://www.xpress.ru в разделе "сотрудники". Мои основные увлечения: велосипед, бадминтон, беговые лыжи, туризм, история авиации WWII. Буду рад ответить на все вопросы, по мере своих возможностей."
Flavio Silvestri. E-Mail: flafede@libero.it
"Hello to everyone!
My name is Flavio Silvestri, I am 31 years old and I am a mechanical engineer.
I live in Rieti, Italy, where I work for a firm leader in the dosing systems.
I am simple very very fond of the top aces from every countries involved in the WW2, from Germany to Thailand! I like to collect their war memoirs, list of victories and personal planes.
I am very proud to tell stories about guys, sometimes only 20 years old, that anyway lost their youngness and thoughtlessness fighting in the skies of WW2. I hope they are never forgotten."
"My name is Grzegorz Slizewski, I was born in 1967. Currently I'm working as a journalist in Polish city Koszalin (near the Baltic Sea). My main area of interests is Polish Air Force, especially fighter forces activity, in WW 2. I'm looking for all informations about it, particulary how it's look from the other - Luftwaffe - side. I would like to compare both sides documents to verify claims and real victories, then if you have some kind of details to support me - I will be most grateful!"
Diego Fernando Zampini. E-mail: dzampini@hotmail.com
"My
name is Diego Fernando Zampini, I born on April 5 1971 in
Suipacha, Buenos Aires province, Argentina; and I am (February
2003) 31 years old.
In the photo I am the first one from the left, with beard and moustache, and the remaining persons in the picture are my dear family: my twin brother Pablo (center, top), my mother (right) and my beloved brother Leandro (center, bottom). The photo was taken in October 2001 when Pablo graduated of English teacher.
I am an military aviation history fan, and I am particularly interested in knowing and to let know to others the deeds performed by all airmen in all wars. In WW2 I recently became interested in Russian and Japanese aces. I am also interested in post-WW2 aerial warfare, since Korea, Vietnam and especially the brave Argentine pilots in Malvinas/Falklands War in 1982.
My website is: http://dzampini.boom.ru/index.htm "