Alex Vanags-Baginskis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alex Vanags-Baginskis was born in Riga in 1927. During World War II he was based in Liepaja-Grobina with the Latvian flying training school Luftwaffen-Legion Lettland which produced most famous combat Latvian Airman such as Lt. Teodors Abrams and Zanis Tamsons. Vanags-Baginskis became an expert on aeronautical matters, specializing on Junkers 87 & 88 aircraft. Vanags-Baginskis' training instructor was a fellow Latvian Indulis Ozols. An earlier classmate was Brunis Rubess, to whom he gave his prized trophy (a Soviet Officers Map-Case). Brunis emigrated to Canada after WWII, becoming a high Executive with Volkswagen Canada and more recently on the Board of Governors of the Bank of Latvia.

After the war, Vanags-Baginskis went to Britain, where after several years he became an editor for the world-renowned Janes Military publishing company. His own work appeared in several books such as; Phoenix Triumphant by E. R. Hooton, and his own book Ju 87-Stuka published by Janes, and Tank Busters, published by Howell Press and his more recent contribution in In The Skies Of Europe by Hans Werner Neulen published by The Crowood Press.

Vanags-Baginskis is a member of The German Philatelic Society in London, England. He has contributed much specialized information on Ostland and on aircraft over the years.