From Ellen, 23 May 2008:

Is the character C. G. Brandt in your novel Potsdam Bluff an actual person or is based on a real person, or is a completely fictional character?

Thanks

Ellen

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Reply from Jack:

Nice to hear from you, Ellen.

Brandt — as are all my central characters in all my novels — is based on a real person. Brandt and the others are sufficiently disguised so as to hide the identity of the real, pattern people. In fact, an old boss of mine (now deceased) served as the model for Otto Heidemann, the squadron leader in The Blue Max. After reading the novel, the boss was very complimentary and gave not the slightest hint that he had recognized himself as “that wishy-washy elitist, Heidemann.”

Thanks for writing!