Illustrated guide to the main armored fighting vehicles used by the Western Allies in the European theater during World War II including sample unit structures, and orders of battles from company up to corps level, providing an organizational context for key campaigns such as the Battle of France and the Normandy landings.
From heavy tanks to self-propelled guns, this highly illustrated technical guide introduces all the main types of armored fighting vehicles used by Germany in World War II--organized chronologically and by type. Each of the 120 featured artworks displays authentic markings and color schemes, while the separate models include exhaustive specifications. This is a key reference for military modelers and World War II enthusiasts.
Packed with 250 full-color images with exhaustive specifications, this compact volume offers a comprehensive survey of Soviet-employed armored fighting vehicles by campaign, and covers the sample unit structures and orders of battle from company to corps level. Organized chronologically, it begins before the German invasion of 1941 and continues through the final defeat of Axis forces, featuring the major and many minor tanks that saw action on the Eastern Front.
"Organized chronologically by type, Russian Tanks of World War II offers a highly illustrated guide to the main armored fighting vehicles used by the Red Army during World War II. The book offers a comprehensive survey of Soviet AFVs, from the prewar T-18 light tank and BT fast tank series to the heavy Joseph Stalin tanks and self-propelled guns of the final months of the war. All the major and many minor tanks are featured, including every significant variation of the T-26 light tank, KV series and T-34 to see action on the Eastern Front. There are also chapters on the many types of self-propelled guns developed by Soviet industry, as well as Allied Lend-Lease AFVs, such as the British Churchill and Valentine tanks and American Sherman and Stuart tanks. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and color schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by exhaustive specifications. Packed with 120 newly commissioned, full-color artworks with exhaustive specifications, Russian Tanks of World War II is a key reference guide for military modelers and World War II enthusiasts."--Publisher's description.
Several factors delayed and greatly hampered the development of an Italian medium tank during World War II. The first was the strategic stance of the country, focussed on a war against neighbouring countries such as France and Yugoslavia, and ill-prepared for a war in the Western Desert. Since these European countries bordered with Italy in mountainous areas, light tanks were preferred as these were deemed much more suitable for the narrow roads and bridges of the Alps. Furthermore, development was hampered by the limited number of Italian industries, whose production was also heavily fragmented. All these factors delayed the development of the first prototype of an Italian medium tank – the M 11 – which would only appear in 1937 and did not enter production until 1939. Although technically inferior to their German and Allied counterparts in 1941–43, the Italian M tanks proved to be quite effective when used by experienced crews with adequate combat tactics. In fact, their major shortcoming actually proved to be their limited production figures. While production was limited, innovation was not and, between 1941 and 1943, several experiments were carried out on the Italian tanks that produced interesting prototypes such as the anti-aircraft semovente.
Allied Tanks of World War II offers a highly illustrated guide to the main armoured fighting vehicles used by the Western Allies and the Red Army from 1939–1945. This volume includes sample unit structures and orders of battle from company up to corps level, providing context for key campaigns throughout the war, organised chronologically.
The Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development prior to World War II also made it prone to mechanical failure. This book examines the Covenanter and the many variants of the Crusader tank, detailing the designs, developments and disappointments of these infamous World War II tanks.
This book lists all the important tanks used in the Second World War, both by the Allied (England, France, Russia and the USA) and Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan). Thomas Anderson, an expert on the history of the Second World War, offers an in-depth volume detailing the vehicles, their use in battle and relevant technical specifications. This comprehensive survey is full of authentic eyewitness accounts as well as being profusely illustrated with many photographs having never been published before.
This lavishly illustrated volume details the design, development and operational history of the British-made tanks in World War II. Plagued by unreliable vehicles and poorly thought-out doctrine, the early years of World War II were years of struggle for Britain's tank corps. Relying on tanks built in the late 1930s, and those designed and built with limited resources in the opening years of the war, they battled valiantly against an opponent well versed in the arts of armoured warfare. This book is the second of a multi-volume history of British tanks by renowned British armour expert David Fletcher MBE. It covers the development and use of the Matilda, Crusader, and Valentine tanks that pushed back the Axis in North Africa, the much-improved Churchill that fought with distinction from North Africa to Normandy, and the excellent Cromwell tank of 1944–45. It also looks at Britain's super-heavy tank projects, the TOG1 and TOG2, and the Tortoise heavy assault tank, designed to smash through the toughest of battlefield conditions, but never put into production.
Illustrated with detailed artworks of German tanks and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, The Essential Tank Identification Guide: Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions 1939-45 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of the Wehrmacht's 28 fullstrength armored divisions. Organized chronologically by division and formation date, the book offers a complete guide to the Panzerwaffe, from the establishment of the 1st Panzer Division in 1935, to the hasty formation of the 130th Panzer (Lehr) Division in early 1944. The book describes in depth the various models of tank in German service during the war with each individual armored division, with listings of the unit commanders and any famous tank aces. Each divisional section is further broken down by campaign, accompanied by orders of battle, a brief divisional history of the campaign, and any specific unit markings. With information boxes accompanying the full-color artworks, all drawn to the same scale for easy comparison, The Essential Tank Identification Guide: Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions 1939-45 is an essential reference guide for modelers and enthusiasts with an interest in the armored divisions of the Wehrmacht.