Panzer III - Allemagne : beaux livres - histoire, types et technique (1/2)

Zu Beginn des Zweiten Weltkriegs im September 1939 kamen bei deutschen Militäroperationen meist Fahrzeuge zum Einsatz, deren Bewaffnung und Panzerung vielen Tanks der Alliierten weit unterlegen waren.
Erst der der Panzerkampfwagen III erwies sich als ebenbürtige Waffe gegenüber den alliierten Kampfpanzern. Vor allem in der späten Ausführung G avancierte der Panzer III in den Jahren bis 1942 zum wichtigsten deutschen Panzer und kam bei der Wehrmacht überall zum Einsatz.

Walter Spielberger dokumentiert in diesem Buch detailliert die Entwicklung dieses Kampfpanzers. Im Vergleich zur Vorauflage mit rund 50 neuen Fotos.

With emphasis on detail this book from the Spielberger series shows in factory, test and combat photographs, and detailed line drawings, all production models, prototypes and modifications of the Panzer III tank. Covers also all variations, including all vehicles that used the Panzer III chassis.

The Panzer III was the mainstay of the German armored force in the early years of World War II, and spearheaded the victories in Poland, Western Europe, and the Balkans. Designed and developed in the mid-1930s, it was originally equipped with a 3.7cm gun and with 30mm thick armor.
Early combat in Poland and France saw the need for this to be upgraded, and later models were armed with a 5cm KwK L/42 gun and had the frontal armor reinforced to 60mm by adding extra plating. This later version proved to be particularly effective during the campaigns in the Balkans and against British armor in the North African desert campaign.

However, in the first months of Operation Barbarossa - the German invasion of the Soviet Union - it became obvious to battlefield commanders that the Panzer III had become obsolete as a main battle tank and it began to be replaced by the Panzer IV as the main front-line battle tank.
The Panzer III was relegated to a secondary role, but its chassis proved the basis for the Sturmgeschutz III, which became the most widespread German armored vehicle of World War II.

This highly illustrated title details the history of the Panzer III throughout World War II, from its early development in the pre-war years through its pivotal role in the Blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland and Western Europe and its eventual obsolescence on the Eastern Front.

When Hitler unleashed Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union in June 1941, the 23-tonne Panzer III was in the vanguard of the German assault. It saw widespread use during the Second World War in campaigns that included Poland, France, the Soviet Union, the Balkans, North Africa and Normandy.

Centrepiece of the Haynes Panzer III Tank Manual is the Bovington Tank Museum's PzKpfw III Ausf L, which has been restored to running condition.
Full coverage is given of the tank's design, construction, war service and the restoration of the Tank Museum's Ausf L version.

The Panzerkampfwagen III, or Panzer III as it is more commonly known, was a fixture in German armor formations during WWII. Initially developed to combat armored vehicles, in time the type evolved into an infantry support tank.
Although production of the Panzer III ended in 1943, the type remained in service through the end of the war.

Through over 160 photos, this volume chronicles the design, development, and deployment of this ubiquitous German tank. This material is arranged in nine chapters, each focusing on a specific production model, or Ausfrung, of the tank. Comprehensive tables reveal the details of the performance and technical specifications of each variant.
A concise, easy-to-read text and detailed captions expose the secrets of this iconic tank.

During the glory years of blitzkrieg the PzKpfw III was the only weapon in the German tank arsenal that really counted. Like Napoleon's vieux moustaches, it did not merely witness history in the making - it made it, from the Channel to the Volga, and from the Arctic to the North African desert. It was the PzKpfw III that brought Hitler to the gates of Moscow and the closest to achieving his wildest dreams.

This detailed study delves into the development and employment of the PzKpfw III, as well as its organisation and battlefield experience, illustrated by an examination of the battles in which it took part.

Contents: Development - Special-Purpose Vehicles - PzKpfw III Described - Organisation and Tactics - PzKpfw III in Action - North Africa.