Touted as a technical guide, this book covers both your standard 'tanks' as well as self-propelled guns (SPGs). It also includes AFVs that were supplied by the UK and the US, during WWII. A nice thing about this book is that it provides enough information to qualify as an excellent primer on the subject. In this way, those wanting to know more about a specific vehicle will know enough to make a search for a more in depth book on the subject of their choice. To me, that is a perfect combination.

The book starts with a brief introduction to the subject. It is then divided into major sections covering light tanks, medium tanks and heavy tanks. Then we get into the SPGs and finally those tanks supplied by Lend-Lease (for which neither the US nor the UK have ever been repaid).

I have a real fondness for light tanks and this book helps me to be able to tell the difference between sub-variants, a real help when choosing a kit. This same level of depth is provided for all the other vehicles covered in the book. There is a specifications and data sections that contains things like drawings of all the various sub-variants, production information, a comparison of the specs of all the vehicles covered in the book, losses and so on.

In addition to all this info, you have a rather large number of color profiles as well as some nicely chosen period photographs. I would have to say that for those who know little about the subject and want to know more, this is the book to get. For those who know more but want all the salient information in one source, it is well worth picking up. I enjoyed reading the book and learned quite a bit from it. Highly recommended.

March 2017

Review book courtesy of  Casemate Publishing, where you can order your copy at this link. 

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