Mapping Techniques

[Richard T Eger]

From 12 O'clock High!:

Hi, guys,

just wanted to tell You about a neat experience I had the other day....

As some of You might know, I have collected a number of losses, claims, mission parameters etc for the airwar in the northern parts of Europe. I visited a friend the other
day, he works with GIS systems (Geographical Information Systems).

Just to try something fun, we loaded my database into his system, and WOW!!!!!!!

Suddenly I had an interactive timeline based overview of my data!!!! I was stunned!! (of course, we didn't have the correct map symbols for e.g. british, american, german,
italian claim/loss, but we used other ones just for the test)

Of course my imagination went into overdrive, and I though of the possibilities a system like this would offer the community when available in a networked environment like
the Internet......

I better not think to much about this, will loose my sleep!

Regards,
Andreas

BTW, hope this isn't off-topic....

[Richard T Eger]

From TOH!:

Simon Kularatne
Missions, OB's, losses and victories, and a thoughts!
Thu Oct 5 19:11:36 2000


Andreas,
Definitely not off topic as far as I am concerned.

I have been using Autoroute Europe to do exactly the same thing for the RAF Berlin raid of 15/2/44. I have traced the location on the map of every loss with a crash site or
a body found. I plan to overlay the route set out by Bomber Command (when I get a copy) I also have the night raid report for that night which gives a lot of detail including
weather. I am now trying to trace who shot who down and most importantly where, mainly from published sources.The problem of course as usual is lack of info on the
Luftwaffe side. I suppose it is a poor man's version of what you are doing.

What I am missing is a map of Northern Germany, Holland and Denmark with longitude and latitude marked. It is also possible to use Autosketch for GIS maps in .dxf
format, I use it at work, this is a relatively cheap programme (under £100).

Simon

[Richard T Eger]

From TOH!:

Jerry Boucher
Lol!
Thu Oct 5 13:56:44 2000


So when will it be ready for us to look at ;-) ?

[Richard T Eger]

From TOH!:

Andreas Brekken
Yeah, right!!!!!
Fri Oct 6 07:17:39 2000


Great one, Jerry!!!!

As a matter of fact, I have already done some preliminary checks regarding the cost of such a project, and the first part (namely buying the rights to use the zoomable
maps covering Europe, most of western Russia and North Africa) isn't THAT expensive (around US $500 here in Norway).

BUT, You've had to add the cost of the other software and also the cost of most probably a subscriber line and a server....

So, at the moment it is out of my financial league as a hobby project...

But the prospect of such a project at http://wwIIairwareurope.org
is interesting.....

Andreas

[Richard T Eger]

From TOH!:

Christer Bergström
Map for 8 USAAF August 17, 1943?
Thu Oct 5 20:33:05 2000


Does anyone have the same kind of map for the famous 8 USAAF operation on August 17, 1943?
Such information would be most valuable to my work on the upcoming biography on Hermann Graf and Alfred Grislawski - "Fighter Ace Duo", due to be published in August
2002.

Best wishes

Christer Bergström
www.blackcross-redstar.com (http://www.blackcross-redstar.com)

[Richard T Eger]

From TOH!:

Rabe Anton
Re: Eighth AF Track Chart 17 Aug. 1943
Sat Oct 7 03:09:35 2000


There is a 90-95 percent chance that the Eighth AF master track charts are included within AFHRA 520.332, 17 Aug. 1943, Eighth AF, Master Mission Reports, 17 Aug.
1943.
Routes for each bombardment division participating will doubtless be in their master mission report files as well.
No problem, Q.E.D.

RA

[Richard T Eger]

From TOH!:

Christer Bergström
Re: Eighth AF Track Chart 17 Aug. 1943
Mon Oct 9 21:45:53 2000


Thank you very much, Rabe.

My only problem (living in Sweden) is how do I get hold on those files?

Best wishes

Christer Bergström