The idea of a tank destroyer is one that came and went with WWII. The idea was that instead of a towed anti-tank gun, this gun would be placed on a tracked chassis. It would also have minimal armor to allow it to get into position, fire and (hopefully) destroy the enemy tank before speeding off to ambush another enemy vehicle. An interesting proposition, but one that proved to not be quite up to the task provided for it.

There were several reasons for this, the major one being that those units who had tank destroyers really didn't know just how to use them. They either used them for convoy escorts or in amongst regular tanks, a job for which they were not designed. It was also discovered that their additional speed made little difference on the battlefield.

Earlier tank destroyers were the M10 and M36 units, based on Sherman M4 chassis. These didn't have the speed that the proponents thought were needed so an all new vehicle was designed that eventually became the M18. Built by Buick motors, these specifically designed tank destroyers were available in sufficient numbers to allow their use in Europe beginning with the D-Day invasion. The type was also used in Italy and in the Pacific, though not in the numbers used in Europe. It was realized that the tank destroyer was a dead-end (like the German StuG) and so no other of its genre was ever built.

Steve Zaloga is a respected expert on armor and his book gives the fascinating story of the M18 Hellcat from planning to use in combat. Not only were these used in WWII, but several were also operating in the Balkan Wars of the late 1990s.

As with other Osprey books in this series, there are excellent photographs, cut-aways, three-views ,and color artwork of the M18 and several of its more interesting variants. This is a book that is a must for the armor enthusiast.

Available in bookstores everywhere, through Classic Motorbooks at (800) 826-6600 or at www.motorbooks.com. For more on the complete line of Osprey books, visit www.ospreypublishing.com

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