Perhaps one of the most widely used tanks of the period was the Panzer III. Initially developed prior to the war, it was in production well into 1943 before it was realized that it simply was unable to be upgraded enough to be effective against Soviet tanks, which was its major opponent. Even then, those in the field were still used and its chassis provided the basis of a number of other types, specifically the StuG III, which was a lot more successful than one would think.

This is the second volume of a growing series of photo compilations of various WWII tanks; mostly German and Soviet. It is fortunate that the German army sent photographers wherever they fought and so we now have a considerable library of photos. In addition, soldiers took their own photographs when the opportunity arose. At the time, German optics were some of the best in the world. This has provided some excellent images for a book like this.

Indeed, many of these photographs came not only from the Bundesarchives, but also from personal collections. The large, landscape format of this book has provided the best way to show these images with each 8.5 x 12 inch page having a single image. There are photos of all versions of the tank in virtually all the theaters of operation. A goodly number are, as you can imagine either behind the front lines or of vehicles that have been destroyed. One does not usually spend time while under fire to take a nice photo of a tank!

The real appeal of a book like this is not only to the enthusiast of the type, but also for the modeler. Not unusually, many vehicles have local modifications made to them. A few images are of pristine tanks fresh off the production line, but most are properly grungy and covered in dust and mud. This makes for a book that is fascinating to page through and a real treasure trove. The book is in both Hungarian and English. A book that I can quite easily recommend to you.

November 2018

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