Military vehicles (WW 2) - Germany: books - history and construction

German Military Equipment WW2 - Catalogue of Enemy Ordnance Material Vol. 1 - German - Brooklands Portfolio

Reprint of the US "Catalogue of Enemy Ordnance Material Vol. 1 - German" of German military equipment collected during WW2 by the Chief of Ordnance - Washington, DC. With supplements updated to June 1945.

Data and illustrations of all German ordnance material as collected during World War II by the office of the Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D.C., including supplements issued up to June 1945.
Covered are full specifications and detailed photographs of tanks, motor vehicles, artillery, small arms, aircraft armament, ammunition and rockets with both German and English nomenclature.

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Handbook on German Military Forces - War Department Technical Manual (TM E 30-451)

Created during WWII by the War Department, the Handbook on German Military Forces was intended to familiarize command staff with nearly every aspect of Hitler's war machine. Originally classified "restricted", the Handbook was created from the best intelligence that the OSS and other military information sources could offer.
It contains comprehensive information and analysis of the German military system, and includes chapters on the organization of Wehrmacht field forces, military and auxiliary organizations (including SS and SA), tactics, fortifications and defenses, movement, supply and evacuation.

It also contains a description of German uniforms and equipment. This includes mechanized forces and weapons from small arms to mortars, artillery, vehicles and tanks, and rocket weapons.
The Handbook's final chapters are devoted to a study of the Luftwaffe, including its chain of command, equipment, training and tactics.

While some of the details within this book may bear review in light of history, it remains one of the most comprehensive compendiums of information about the German forces ever assembled.
Although it was declassified after WWII, it's never been easy to obtain a copy of this book. This high quality reprint includes all the original text, diagrams and photographs from the final, 1945 revised version of the manual.

Geheimprojekte des Heeres 1939-1945

Das Dritte Reich brachte eine Vielzahl von technischen Meisterleistungen hervor, die oftmals im Geheimen in gigantischen unterirdischen Bunkersystemen entwickelt und getestet wurden. Nach Ende des Krieges waren die Siegermächte überwältigt von den Leistungen der deutschen Konstrukteuren. Viele Entwicklungen z.B. bei den schweren Panzern wurden sofort übernommen.

Dieser Band gibt Einblick in den Rüstungskomplex und die Versuchsanstalten des Dritten Reichs. Dabei beleuchtet er mit erstklassigem Bildmaterial die geheimen Entwicklungen des Heeres von schweren und überschweren Panzern, Eisenbahngeschützen, Fernwaffen und Raketen.

The Wehrmacht Weapons Testing Ground at Kummersdorf

The name Kummersdorf is inextricably linked with a wide variety of German weapons, vehicles and equipment. Kummersdorf was involved in every stage of military technical development: research, development, testing and the mass employment of military technology.

Militärtechnik in den Museen Sinsheim und Speyer - Uniformen, Waffen, Panzer, Kraftfahrzeuge, Lokomotiven, Flugzeuge

In diesem reich bebilderten Buch werden die wichtigsten Militär-Exponate aus den Technik Museen Sinsheim und Speyer umfassend dargestellt. Die ausführlichen Texte und zahlreichen historischen Fotografien geben am Beispiel der in den Museen ausgestellten Exponate einen realistischen Eindruck von der historischen Entwicklung der Wehrtechnik, insbesondere während der Zeit des Zweiten Weltkriegs.

Englischsprachige Leser finden jeweils am Ende eines Kapitels eine englische Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Fakten.

Professor Porsche's Wars - The Secret Life of Ferdinand Porsche (paperback)

Regarded as one of the great automotive engineers of the twentieth century, Ferdinand Porsche is well remembered today for his remarkable automotive designs including the Volkswagen Beetle and Auto Union Grand Prix cars.
Yet there is another side to his extraordinary career, for he was an equally inventive designer of military vehicles and machinery. In this field too he excelled. Indeed the sheer versatility of his contribution is astonishing. Karl Ludvigsen's study is the definitive guide.

He tells the complete story, focusing on Porsche's relations with the German armed forces and on the stream of advanced designs he was responsible for. Included are Austro Daimler's pioneering aero engines, the Kübelwagen, Schwimmwagen, Type 100 Leopard tank, Ferdinand or Elefant tank destroyer and the astounding Type 205 Maus tank.
He also describes Porsche's creative work on aero engines, tank engines and even a turbojet for the V-1 flying bomb.

Karl Ludvigsen's account confirms the pre-eminence of Ferdinand Porsche as a brilliant and prolific engineer, one of the most remarkable of his generation.