Carnap scholarship - a curates egg?

I searched on the internet today for a copy of the manifesto
of the Vienna Circle.
Though I failed to find it, I did find an article on the
Vienna Circle in the Stanford Encyclopaedia which looked as
if it might provide something new for me on Carnap.
.
I have noticed of late the huge amount of material on Carnap
which now comes up in a Google search. When I first put up
my modest offering on Carnap (which was not so very long ago,
1998) I was partly provoked by there being almost nothing on
Carnap on the web. The situation is now much transformed.
.
The article at Stanford begins by referring to the great
amount of historical research which has contributed to our
understanding of the philosophy of the Vienna Circle over
the last 25 years, and how this has improved the critical
assessment of these philosophers.
.
I read the introductory general material and then went to
see what he had to say about the analytic/synthetic
distinction. Here I was instantly dismayed, for it seemed
to me that the account (which might possibly be an accurate
account of the contemporary assessment/debate) was
conspicuously lacking in understanding of some elementary
but fundamental points.
.
It has occurred to me in the past, and it does again, what
good painstaking and thorough historical research if those
who undertake it don't actually understand what they are
reading?
.
Possibly I may follow up with some specifics under separate
headings.
.
RBJ