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Found 15 results

  1. Wilhelm Bender with Raupenschlepper Ost on the Eastern Front Orel-Brjansk-Kowel-Warsaw-Danzig (9786155583681) PeKo Publishing This new book from our friends at PeKo is unusual in that it is a pictorial diary of one man’s service to his homeland. The gentleman’s name is Wilhelm Bender and he started the war as a medical orderly attached to an artillery regiment in the German Wehrmacht. He started his war quite gently during the quieter times from a German point of view, avoiding most of the invasions and before the tables turned when they were pushed out of France and the East of Europe. He was quite a shutter-bug, and seems to have carried a camera with him almost all the time, using it frequently to document his journey, colleagues-in-arms and the equipment that they used, which for a great portion of the war was the unusual truck/tank hybrid that was the RSO. After a relatively pleasant first few years behind the front lines, he was sent to the Eastern Front like many of his compatriots, where things got an awful lot harder, including loss of comrades through enemy action as well as unfortunate accidents, loss of equipment that was often destroyed by them as they left one position after another, and finally an almost complete loss of the regiment, leaving them amalgamated into a makeshift unit with captured Russian artillery hardware. It is hardback in landscape format, hard bound with 179 genuine pages plus two blank inner leaves, finished in a cover that is a composite of some of the photos, plus a picture of the man himself, and arriving protected by a layer of shrink-wrap that also helps prevent scuffs and keeps out dirt during shipping and storage. The photos are generally full page, although some are multiples of a similar theme, each caption adding valuable, if brief insight to the photo, which may not be immediately apparent without it, pointing out named colleagues and some of the equipment used. For the modeller there are plenty of diorama possibilities, as well as opportunities to see how the crews actually stowed their gear on their vehicles, how and where they set up their firing positions and hid themselves and their equipment from enemy fire of all calibres in real-world circumstances. There aren’t many photos of the destruction of their gear, but there are plenty of the ruined towns and terrain they passed through and some of their compatriots’ tanks that weren’t so lucky. The photos are from Wilhelm’s private collection, and there is a brief introduction from him at the front as well as a table of contents and a brief list of his assignments from the beginning to the end of WWII. The chapters are broken down as follows: Foreword Securing the German Western Border in the Schnee-Eifel Region With the Troops of Occupation in Poland With the San.Ers.Abt. 12 in Bad Kreuznach At the Reserve Field Hospital, Lörchingen Transfer from San.Ers.Abt. 12 to le.Art.Abt. 849 (RSO) Defensive Combat in the Vicinity of Orel, Brjansk Defensive Combat around Brjansk, on the Dneiper and the retreat to the Ssosch Defensive Combat around Pripjet and White Russia The Battel of Kowel Positional Battles with the 12. Königl. Honvéd-Division in the Sector of Heeresgruppe Nord-Ukraine Disengagement Manoeuvres on the Eastern Front; from the Bug to the Weichsel Refitting in East Prussia and Subordination to Heeres Fest. Art. Abt. 849 Suppression of the Polish Uprising in Warsaw Securing Fortress Warsaw Disengagement Manoeuvres by Heeregruppe Weichsel Refitting As Heeres Art. Abt. 849 Pomerania Defensive Battles in the Danzig Bridgehead and Weichsel Valley On the Frische Nehrung Capitulation While the photos are in black and white for obvious reasons of cost and the low availability of colour stock at the time, the detail in which they are depicted would be an absolute boon to any AFV enthusiast or modeller, especially those wishing to go down the route of realism and authentic settings. Conclusion Whether you have models that you intend to use this book for reference (I do!), or have an interest in the subject, this book will give you all the reference pictures and some besides, as well as some realistic settings ideas for dioramas. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  2. German Support Vehicles on the Battlefield #2 World War Two Photobook Series (9786155583551) Peko Publishing Although the German forces used horses for a lot more of their transport in WWII than most of us would realise, they were also pushing towards heavy mechanisation, using wheeled, half-tracked and fully tracked vehicles to move their troops, supplies, artillery, food and even injured men back and forth from the front lines, behind them, and on the battlefield on occasion. This is a new volume from Peko's World War Two Photobook Series, and as the name suggests it is primarily a book of photos, which isn't too difficult to divine. Although this is Volume 2 of the set it still covers the earlier vehicles with their relatively light armour and armament, detailing all the variations in fit and finish between the main factories that were involved in construction and adaptation of WWII German military vehicles. There are also numerous examples of captured Russian, British and French equipment that was pressed into service, plus a few Ford trucks that had found their way into service with the Nazis, possibly thanks to Henry’s well-documented fondness for Mr Hitler. It is a hardback book in landscape format, hard bound with 112 pages plus two blank inner leaves, finished in an overall white cover, and arriving protected by a layer of shrink-wrap that also helps prevent scuffs and keeps out dirt during shipping and storage. The photos are almost without exception full page, with space left only for the captions, which are in Hungarian and English, each one adding valuable insight to the photo, which may not be immediately apparent without it, especially if your eyesight isn’t too good. For the modeller there are plenty of diorama possibilities, as well as opportunities to see how the crews actually stowed their gear on their vehicles (or otherwise) in real-world circumstances. Seeing how they come apart when blown up is also useful for diorama purposes, but thankfully there are no grisly scenes accompanying the destroyed vehicles. Where the photos are from private collections there are attributions in the corner as appropriate, with a number showing soldiers standing in front of damaged or abandoned vehicles after the fighting is over, plus a number of groups investigating the wreckage after a cataclysmic explosion of the vehicle by enemy action, or demolition by the escaping crew. There are also a number of maintenance scenarios with the hatches or doors open for even more inspiration. While the contemporary photos are in black and white for obvious reasons, the detail in which they are depicted would be an absolute boon to any AFV enthusiast or modeller, especially those wishing to go down the route of realism and authentic settings. Conclusion Whether you have models that you intend to use this book for reference, or have an interest in the subject, this book will give you all the reference pictures and some besides, as well as some realistic setting ideas for dioramas. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  3. Bloody Vienna (March – May 1945) The Soviet Offensive Operations in Western Hungary and Austria ISBN: 9786155583261 Peko Publishing As the might of the Soviet war machine rolled the Nazi troops back toward their own land, it began to look increasingly bad. So much so that even Hitler began to realise that the end could be nigh, and switched the Western front to defensive operations to withdraw troops to hold the Eastern front that was collapsing hard. Two Soviet armies approached the Austrian border, and the opportunity to take Vienna and the last remaining oil sources was too good to miss. Stalin and his generals organised the next assault to take Vienna, West Hungary and the surrounding area, while Guderian battled with Hitler over where to send the troops freed from the West. For once Hitler chose the longer-term solution, which was the oil fields, which Guderian grudgingly agreed with in hindsight. The book is hard-bound in a landscape format, with 212 real pages and a few blank pages at each end. It is written by Kamen Nevenkin, and is an interesting combination of a military history book and a pictorial history, with plenty of reading in between numerous often page-sized photos. From a Western European perspective we’re perhaps not as well-versed in the details of the conflict from an Eastern European standpoint, but this book goes through the history of the various parts of the conflict, taking the story up once the Nazis were in full retreat following Kursk, and ending with their removal from Hungary and the area around Vienna, plus a cameo from the British. Yay! Nebelwerfers! The book is broken down as follows: Chapter 1 – Soviet Military Planning and Preparations The strategic and political background of the operation The plan Chapter 2 – The German Catastrophe at Balaton The Soviet offensive begins The clearing of the Danube bank The fall of Western Hungary Chapter 3 – The fall of Vienna The first battles in Austria Street fighting in Vienna The struggles for Sankt Pölten and its vicinity Battles on the flanks Chapter 4 – Endgame in Austria The Allied advance in Western and Central Austria Capitulation and surrender in Austria The British Participation The photographs are large enough to show the details that might be harder to see at a smaller size, with a lot of them showing the state of German and Russian hardware after battle, some in a sorry state of repair after penetration by enemy rounds, others after they have been retrieved to a dumping ground. A few of the photos have evidence of wear and old age present, while a few have been reprinted from something resembling newsprint style photos, but that’s to be expected of 70+ year old pictures from cameras in the hands of possibly unskilled photographers. There are a few photos with victims of the conflict shown, and while they aren't particularly grizzly in black and white, they could be upsetting to the young or those easily upset. Forewarned is forearmed. Conclusion There are some great photos and some interesting text within the book, and I have again learned more about the subject during my speed read for the review. I’m hoping to go back and re-read it soon, and it’s definitely worth a look and a read. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  4. From Bessarabia to Belgrade (March – October 1944) An Illustrated Study of the Soviet Conquest of Southeast Europe ISBN: 9786155583285 Peko Publishing Once Operation Barbarossa had opened up the Nazi’s second front of WWII, their Blitzkrieg streamrolled the Soviet forces while Stalin vacillated, getting to within viewing distance of Moscow before the tide turned, thanks to a number of factors that stopped and then reversed their fortunes on the Eastern Front. As the Soviets regained the offensive, they also benefitted from the winter conditions that they were used to and the Germans were not. Their new T-34 and KV-1 tanks also began to reach the front line in numbers, having sloped armour, a powerful gun and a drivetrain that was capable of movement during the bitterly cold Russian winters, a task that often took up to 12 hours for the less robust German tanks. Barbarossa had aimed to take control of the oil rich areas in Southern Europe, using their Rumanian allies to assist them, giving them valuable resources that they couldn’t find elsewhere. As they were pushed back various battles ensued, and allies became foes, while some took advantage of the power vacuums left behind. The book is hard-bound in a landscape format, with 152 real pages and a few un-numbered blank pages at each end. It is written by Kamen Nevenkin, and is an interesting combination of a military history book and a pictorial history, with plenty of reading in between numerous often page-sized photos. From a Western European point of view we’re perhaps not as well-versed in the details of the conflict from an Eastern European standpoint, but this book goes through the history of the various parts of the battle, beginning with the initial conquest by the Nazis, what went on during the occupation, and how the area was cleared, ending with who remained in power at the end of the war. The book is broken down as follows: Chapter 1 – Into Rumania Crisis in the Ukraine and Bessarabia Konev StrikesMalinovsky Strikes, Too The Failure of the Soviet Spring Offensive in Rumania The German Counteroffensives The Crimea The Quiet Times The Jassy-Kishinev Operation Chapter 2 – Bulgaria The End of the “Passive Alliance” The Bulgarian Armed Forces The Red Tide is Coming Chapter 3 – The Southeast The Balkan Resistance Movements The Axis Occupation The Withdrawal The Soviet Air Strikes Chapter 4 – The Belgrade Operation The Soviet Offensive Preparations The Attack The Destruction of Group “Stettner” The Assault on Belgrade The Bulgarian Offensive Sources The photographs are large enough to show the details that might be harder to see at a smaller size, with a lot of them showing the state of German and Russian hardware after the battle, much of which in a sorry state of repair after unexpected, sometimes explosive disassembly. There are a few photos with victims of the conflict shown, and while it isn’t in detail and in black and white, they could be upsetting to the young or those easily upset. One of the photos above that I took for the review showed one such page, so I have pixelated it as a precaution. Conclusion There are some great photos and some interesting text within the book, and I have already learned more about the subject during my speed read for the review. I’m hoping to go back and re-read it soon in the hope some of it will stick in my poorly wired brain. Very much worth a look and a read. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  5. War Photographer 1.2 War Photographer Series (9786155583247) Peko Publishing In what is an established series from Peko this new photobook series presents different selections of wartime photos from Battles and operations, looks at military vehicles, or indeed individual photo albums from those who fought in WWII. This third book continues with an album from Oberleutnant d.R Peter Prien who began his army career with the first Panzer-Division in January 1941 and finished the war as CO of Stabskompanie of Pz.Rgt.3 of 2.Panzer-Division. His album contains mostly photos of his time with 2.Panzer-Division around the time of the Kursk. The second part presents a series of photographs of the lesser known 8.8cm Flak 18 mounted on the chassis of the Sd.Kfz.8 half-track officially known as the 8.8cm Flak 18 Sfl. auf schwere Zugkraftwagen 12 t (Sd.Kfz.8) als Fahrgestel (catchy eh!). Most of these are previously unpublished. Bound in a softback cover in landscape format, the book contains 59 pages of printed material. It arrives in a shrink-wrap cover to keep it in good shape and the pages nice and crisp. The book is written by author Tom Cockle with the text in English. Conclusion With a broad variety of photos spread throughout the book and informative text, this makes for an interesting read, as well as a treat for the eyes with the excellent photographs. This series has the potential to be very good providing unique views of service, and showing some of the less frantic sides of war such as training, and even daily activities while deployed on operations . Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  6. Panzerwaffe on the Battlefield #2 World War Two Photobook Series (9786155583323) Peko Publishing Panzerwaffe is German for tank or armoured weapon, which is a broad term that encompassed many, many homegrown and captured types in WWII, which may well have had a hand in their downfall, requiring specialist equipment and knowledge to maintain and repair their many types, which even included British and French types where they were captured in sufficient numbers to warrant pressing into service after modification to their requirements. This series covers many of those types, from the early Panzer Is through to the ubiquitous Panzer IV and the prestigious Tigers and King Tigers, with many more oddities in between such as the top-heavy Bison SPG, various foreign types with guns slapped on top, and other tank killers such as the Wespe, Marder and Hetzer, plus the awesome Jagdtiger. This is a new volume from Peko's World War Two Photobook Series, and as the name suggests it is primarily a book of photos, which isn't too difficult to divine. Although this is Volume 2 of the set it still covers the earlier vehicles with their relatively light armour and armament, detailing all the variations in fit and finish between the main factories that were engaged in construction of WWII German armour. It is hardback bound with 112 pages plus two blank inner leaves, finished in an overall white cover, and arriving protected by a layer of shrink-wrap that also helps prevent scuffs and keep out dirt during shipping and storage. The photos are almost without exception full page, with space left only for the captions, which are in Hungarian and English, each one adding valuable insight to the photo, which may not be immediately apparent without it, especially if your eyesight isn’t too good. For the modeller there are plenty of diorama possibilities, as well as opportunities to see how the crews actually stowed their gear on their vehicles (or otherwise) in real-world circumstances. Seeing how they come apart when blown up is also useful for diorama purposes, but thankfully there are no grisly scenes accompanying the destroyed vehicles. Where the photos are from private collections there are attributions in the top corner as appropriate, with a number showing soldiers standing in front of damaged or abandoned vehicles after the fighting is over, plus a number of groups investigating the wreckage after a cataclysmic explosion of the tank's magazine, or demolition by the escaping crew. There are also a number of maintenance scenarios with the hatches open for even more inspiration. While the contemporary photos are in black and white, the detail in which they are depicted would be an absolute boon to any AFV enthusiast or modeller, especially those wishing to go down the route of realism and authentic settings. Conclusion Whether you have models that you intend to use this book for reference, or have an interest in the subject, this book will give you all the reference pictures and some besides, as well as some realistic settings ideas for dioramas. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  7. War Photographer 1.1 War Photographer Series (9786155583209) Peko Publishing In what is a new series from Peko this new photobook series will present different selections of wartime photos from Battles and operations, looks at military vehicles, or indeed individual photo albums from those who fought in WWII. This second book continues with an album from as yet unidentified German Strumartillerist from Sturmgeschutz-Abteilung 189. The photos show his service in combat from the Balkans and heavy fighting in Greece. This continues with combat photos from the route of his unit in 1941 and 42 including the Russian winter and battle for Moscow. Then we have 1943 and 44 but not as extensively as the earlier years. Bound in a softback cover in landscape format, the book contains 59 pages of printed material. It arrives in a shrink-wrap cover to keep it in good shape and the pages nice and crisp. The book is written by author Vyacheslav Kozitsyn with the text in English. Conclusion With a broad variety of photos spread throughout the book and informative text, this makes for an interesting read, as well as a treat for the eyes with the excellent photographs. This series has the potential to be very good providing unique views of service, and showing some of the less frantic sides of war such as training, and even daily activities while deployed on operations . Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  8. War Photographer 1.0 War Photographer Series (9786155583193) Peko Publishing In what is a new series from Peko this new photobook series will present different selections of wartime photos from Battles and operations, looks at military vehicles, or indeed individual photo albums from those who fought in WWII. This first book in the series is such an album from as yet unidentified German Strumartillerist from Sturmgeschutz-Abteilung 189. The photos show his service from training, through combat in Russia and then to Office Training School. Bound in a softback cover in landscape format, the book contains 59 pages of printed material, plus two fly-leaves inside. It arrives in a shrink-wrap cover to keep it in good shape and the pages nice and crisp. The book is written by author Tom Cockle with the text in English. Conclusion With a broad variety of photos spread throughout the book and informative text, this makes for an interesting read, as well as a treat for the eyes with the excellent photographs. This series has the potential to be very good providing unique views of service, and showing some of the less frantic sides of war such as training, and even daily activities while deployed on operations . Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  9. German Self-propelled Guns on the Battlefield WWII Photobook Series (9786155583162) Peko Publishing In what is now the nineteenth volume of this series Pko bring us a look at German self-propelled guns on the battlefield, with more than hundred unpublished photographs they bring us a look at such guns as the Hummel, Wespe, Sturmtiger, Bison I and more. Bound in a hardback cover in landscape format, the book contains 112 pages of printed material, plus two fly-leaves inside. It arrives in a shrink-wrap cover to keep it in good shape and the pages nice and crisp. The book is written by author Jon Feenstra with the text in English and Hungarian. Conclusion With a broad variety of photos spread throughout the book and informative text, this makes for an interesting read, as well as a treat for the eyes with the excellent photographs. Sometimes SPGs are a little in the shadow of Tanks but with the crews often make for very good diorama subjects. The excellent photos show them in action, resting, being repaired and a variety of settings. This books gives the reader a good impression of German SPGs and their use. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  10. From Leningrad to Narva (9786155583186) Peko Publishing After the horrific siege of Leningrad was broken and the remaining Germans that could escape retreated back toward Nazi held territory using the tactics of collapsing retreat to delay the inevitable, then holding the pre-invasion line around Narva, which they managed to hold for some time. During this period there were numerous battles, offensives and counter offensives with significant casualties on both sides, and it is this process that this book documents in detail, including lots of photos. Bound in a hardback cover in landscape format, the book contains 80 pages of printed material, plus two fly-leaves inside. It arrives in a shrink-wrap cover to keep it in good shape and the pages nice and crisp. The text is in English by author Kamen Nevenkin, and is interspersed with some impressive and poignant pictures of damaged vehicles and at times the crews and soldiers that died with them. The photos are all black and white, which adds to the desolate feeling they evoke, with the information in the captions adding to it, as well as pointing out interesting points that may have slipped your attention on first glance. It is broken down into chapters according to the timeline, as follows: Chapter 1 Page 3: The siege of Leningrad Chapter 2 Page 13: The Leningrad-Novgorod Offensive, January 1944 Chapter 3 Page 33: The Raid of the 16th Tank Brigade Chapter 4 Page 45: The First Battle of Narva, February – April 1944 Chapter 5 Page 66: The Fall of Narva and the German Evacuation of Estonia, July – September 1944 Sources Page 80 The book begins with the German siege of Leningrad and continues to document the initial Soviet attempts to break the deadlock, which was eventually successful in the early part of 1944 once the lake had frozen over. The Germans withdrew to the Estonian border, which was where the original Barbarosa offensive had begun years earlier, with Narva being an important centre of operations. It took the Russians a long hard battle to cross the river's frozen surface, and further hardships to secure the bridgehead that eventually led to the German forces withdrawing and eventually opening the floodgates for the final assault on Berlin in 1945. Conclusion With a broad variety of photos spread throughout the book and informative text around it, this makes for an interesting read, as well as a treat for the eyes, which will doubtless inspire some diorama opportunities. Review sample courtesy of
  11. M40 Nimrod Tank Destroyer & Armoured AA Gun Armour Of The Royal Hungarian Army ISBN : 9786155583148 Peko Publishing Hungary was caught at the end of WWI on the wrong side and was treated harshly by the Allies. Under the 1920 treaty of Trianon they lost nearly half their population and more than 60% of their territory to hostile boarding nations. Which is the reason the joined the Axis forces in WWII, however it would seem they chose the wrong side again! The Hungarian Army knew they had to modernise and they needed a vehicle which could act as a tank destroyer and a mobile armoured AA gun. The solution to this actually lay in Sweden; Hungary was already producing the L-60 tank under licence as the 38M, and they were producing the 40mm Bofors gun under license as well. The L-60 chassis was modified to accept a large open topped turret for a single 40mm gun. As well as firing the standard ammunition types the Hungarians developed their own anti tank round for the gun. This could penetrate 46mm of armour at 100m and 30mm at 1000m. Internally the Nimrod carried 640 rounds. Later as it was found the 40mm gun was not effective against Soviet tanks the guns were all re-designated as anti aircraft units. They would still act in support of troop movements though, and late into the war they were fitted with a rocket grenade round that fitted over the barrel in a similar way to that of a rifle grenade. 135 Nimrods were built. A prototype LEHEL Armoured Ambulance was made from one chassis by removing the turret. The book is A4 hardcover in landscape format and 120 pages long, It is illustrated throughout with large black and white photos on every page showing all aspects o the vehicles operation. Conclusion This book will give the reader a very good look at this unusual vehicle. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  12. Panzer III On the Battlefield 2 World War Two Photobook Series Peko Publishing The Panzer III was developed due to a lack of medium armour by the Third Reich in the mid 30s and as an adjunct to their lighter Panzer I and IIs that were still deemed suitable for the task early on, and they began WWII with predominantly light tanks that were often outgunned and relatively lightly armoured compared to their opponents, with only the III capable of meaningful armour-on-armour combat. Only the Blitzkreig tactics gave them the advantage, and following on from this Hitler became obsessed with the mantra "bigger is better". The Pz.IV was a pre-war development that supplanted the Panzer III, although they were originally supposed to support each other, the Allies advances in armour began to make the Panzer III look increasingly dated, although the chassis soldiered on to the end of the war in the shape of the StuG.III, which is another book entirely! This new volume from Peko's World War Two Photobook Series, and as the name suggests it is primarily a book of photos, which isn't too difficult to divine. As Volume 2 of the set it covers the more mature variants of the Pz.III, beginning briefly with the Ausf.B and carrying on through E to Ausf.N with all the variations in fit and finish between the factories that were engaged in construction of this, and the variations between marks and production batches. It is hardback bound with 112 pages, finished in an overall white cover, and authored by Tom Cockle. The photos are almost without exception full page, with space left only for the captions, which are in Hungarian and English, each one adding valuable insight to the photo, which may not be immediately apparent without it. For the modeller there are plenty of diorama possibilities, as well as opportunities to see how the crews actually stowed their gear on their vehicles (or otherwise) in real-world circumstances. Seeing how they come apart when blown up is also useful for diorama purposes, but thankfully there is only one grisly scene (seen from a distance) accompanying the destroyed vehicles. Quite a few of the photos are from private collections with attributions in the top corner as appropriate, with substantial quantity of soldiers standing in front of damaged or abandoned vehicles after the fighting is over, plus a number of groups investigating the wreckage after a cataclysmic explosion of the tank's magazine, or demolition by the escaping crew. While the contemporary photos are in black and white, the detail in which they are depicted would be an absolute boon to any modeller, especially those wishing to go down the route of realism and authentic settings. Conclusion Whether you have the models that you intend to use this book for reference, or have an interest in the subject, this book will give you all the reference pictures and some besides, as well as some inspiration for dioramas. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  13. Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf.B Construction & Development Peko Publishing The longwinded proper description of the Tiger II, King Tiger, Sd.Kfz.182, or Konigstiger as it is sometimes otherwise known might leave some potential readers a little confused, but the picture underneath the title leaves no doubt whatsoever that this is a book about the King Tiger. The subtitle is the Construction & Development, and this is exactly what the book is about. It arrives in a hard cover with 236 pages of glossy paper inside. Authored by Alexander Volgin, it is a detailed technical reference of the design history, construction methods and manufacturing of the largest and heaviest tank that saw service in WWII. The text starts with the gestation of the type, and traces its roots back to 1941, and the back-and-forth that led to the final design, after which it moves on to discuss the manufacturing in great detail, using German technical documentation, Allied forensic opinion, and lots of unusual photos from the factories that show the process in-depth, many of which I haven't seen before. There are also many technical drawings and general arrangement sketches relevant to the text surrounding them. The initial production is described in detail in chapter 3, and the adjustments to the design are noted in chapter 4, based upon their experience in the field. The problem there was that the whole drivetrain was over-taxed due to the massive increase in weight during design, which was at the heart of the vehicle, so extremely difficult to remedy. Fortunately for the Allies it was never satisfactorily resolved, which led to many King Tigers being abandoned due to breakdowns, rather than enemy action that would have cost lives and tanks. There were other factors holding back production such as the wholesale destruction of Nazi manufacturing by Allied bombers during this period, which is also touched upon, showing some of the factories and the state they were left in after carpet bombing missions by the USAF and RAF. When Allied command heard of the new tank with the 88mm high velocity main gun there were attempts to find out as much about it as they could, which continued after the war with extensive testing of captured examples. The Field Trials section contains information gleaned from these tests, and there are a number of interesting pictures of the vehicles used, as well as some of the weapons tests that were conducted against the armour, with each type of round used being assessed for potency and effectiveness. Tests of the KT's gun were also conducted against their own armour, showing the some catastrophic damage to a Russian IS-3 that was probably kept very quiet at the time. The final page gives a list of references that were used in compiling this very useful volume. Conclusion This is a serious book about the King Tiger, and isn't just about the pictures. There is a lot to read, some of which is quite technical, so will keep you entertained for a while. The photos, diagrams and drawings are of great interest to armour aficionados, and whether you're a modeller or not, it will be a good read. Review sample courtesy of
  14. Panzer IV On the Battlefield 2 World War Two Photobook Series Peko Publishing The Panzer IV was developed due to a perceived lack of heavy armour by the Third Reich in the mid 30s, and they began WWII with predominantly light tanks that were often outgunned and relatively lightly armoured compared to their opponents. Only the Blitzkreig tactics gave them the advantage, and following on from this Hitler became obsessed with the mantra "bigger is better". The Pz.IV was a pre-war development that succeeded the Panzer III, initially with a short-barrelled 75mm gun with lower muzzle velocity, and later with high velocity long-barrelled armament as the war progressed, plus added frontal armour and spaced "schurtzen" plates to the hull and turret in an effort to pre-detonate shaped warheads large or small. This new volume from Peko's World War Two Photobook Series, and as the name suggests it is primarily a book of photos, which isn't too difficult to divine. As Volume 2 of the set it covers the more mature variants of the Pz.IV, beginning with the Ausf.G and carrying on through H to Ausf.J with all the variations in fit and finish between the main three factories that were engaged in construction of this, the unsung backbone of German WWII armour. It is hardback bound with 112 pages, finished in an overall white cover, which was quite difficult to scan well. The photos are almost without exception full page, with space left only for the captions, which are in Hungarian and English, each one adding valuable insight to the photo, which may not be immediately apparent without it. For the modeller there are plenty of diorama possibilities, as well as opportunities to see how the crews actually stowed their gear on their vehicles (or otherwise) in real-world circumstances. Seeing how they come apart when blown up is also useful for diorama purposes, but thankfully there are no grisly scenes accompanying the destroyed vehicles. Quite a few of the photos are from private collections with attributions in the top corner as appropriate, with substantial quantity of soldiers standing in front of damaged or abandoned vehicles after the fighting is over, plus a number of groups investigating the wreckage after a cataclysmic explosion of the tank's magazine, or demolition by the escaping crew. While the contemporary photos are in black and white, even some that were originally taken for American magazine Life in colour, and the detail in which they are depicted would be an absolute boon to any modeller, especially those wishing to go down the route of realism and authentic settings. Conclusion Whether you have the models that you intend to use this book for reference, or have an interest in the subject, this book will give you all the reference pictures and some besides, as well as some inspiration for dioramas. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  15. Su-76 on the Battlefield World War Two Photobook Series Volume 12 Peko Publishing The Su-76 was a Self-Propelled Gun developed from the T-70 light tank, but with an extra pair of roadwheels added to distribute the weight of the 76.2m main gun (or 34mm Anti-Aircraft gun) and crew of four, which started as having an enclosed casemate, twin engines and gearboxes, which were all found to be somewhat unsatisfactory, so a redesign was undertaken resulting in the Su-76M. This had a cut-away open top that helped dissipate fumes during extended firing, and the twin engines were mated to a single gearbox and final drive, saving weight into the process. In this guise the vehicle was much more successful, and coupled with an enlarged fuel tank that gave it additional range, it saw active service from the breaking of the Stalingrad siege to beyond the end of WWII, with over 12,000 manufactured. Many variants were proposed, but only the SPG and AA types were realised partly due to cost and the pressing need for tanks on the front-line at that stage of the war. Only outstripped in numbers in the Soviet inventory by the ubiquitous T-34, the Su-76, known initially by many cruel nicknames including “little Bitch” was a diminutive tank by comparison to its peers, with the driver in a separate compartment that was surrounded on both sides by the 70hp engines pumping out noise and fumes, making his job quite unpleasant. The rest of the crew sat in the main compartment with nothing but sky over their heads, and in winter only a tarpaulin to keep the cold and snow out of the tank. Some fitted insulation panels to the interior to prevent contact burns from the freezing metal, which can be seen in some photos. Lacking in internal crew stowage due to the 60+ rounds that it carried, the Su-76 was seldom seen free of kit lashed to the exterior, and when travelling it was usually festooned with footsore soldiers putting additional strain on the two motors. The Book This is the twelfth book from Peko's World War Two Photobook Series, and as the name suggests it is primarily a book of photos, but has a fact-filled and concise introduction to the type that covers four pages in each language. The photos are almost without exception full page, apart from a small section devoted to the captions, which was in Hungarian and English, and each one adds valuable information to the photo, which may not be immediately apparent without it. The English is natural, clear and unforced, but even though I don’t speak or read Hungarian, I would expect that the same is true there. The book is hard-covered, which should ensure it remains in good condition, and extends to 110 pages plus a few additional un-numbered pages that show the rest of the series as well as what’s up next. Written and compiled by Neil Stokes with assistance from a number of others that are credited on the inside cover, it contains a huge number of mostly candid photos of the Su-76 and Su-76M in the field at various points in its career. Of course the source photos are all black and white, and some are a little challenged by both the photographer's skill, equipment and the ravages of time, but the reprints are as high quality as is possible to obtain. It is nice to see such large prints too, as often crowding several photos onto one page results in postage stamp sized pictures that are little use as a source of detail. There are a few photos where the horrors of war are all-too apparent, which may upset a few, but war is hell and it shouldn’t be hidden away as we don’t want another one. With over 200 regiments equipped with the Su-76M, there were clearly plenty of photos taken and within the pages there are plenty of diorama inspirations, and see if you can spot the young Vladimir Putin lookalike loading the shells into the back of a filthy, winter-distemper covered Su-76M. it shouldn’t be too difficult. Conclusion Whether you are a history buff or a modeller, there's a lot to recommend this book, and with the solid binding, it should give you good service over the years. Review sample courtesy of
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