Tanks (1919-1945): Books - History, Types and Construction

Super-Heavy Tanks of World War II

The super-heavy tanks of World War II are heirs to the siege machine tradition - a means of breaking the deadlock of ground combat. As a class of fighting vehicle, they began with the World War I concept of the search for a 'breakthrough' tank, designed to cross enemy lines.
It is not surprising that the breakthrough tank projects of the period prior to World War II took place in the armies that suffered the most casualties of the Great War (Russia, France, Germany). All of the principal Axis and Allied nations eventually initiated super-heavy development projects, with increasingly heavy armor and armament. Much as the casualties of World War I prompted the original breakthrough tank developments, as Germany found itself on the defensive, with diminishing operational prospects and an increasingly desperate leadership, so too did its focus turn to the super-heavy tanks that could turn the tide back in their favor.

Contents: Introduction - Design and Development - Operational History - Conclusion and Analysis - Index.

Allied Armoured Fighting Vehicles of the Second World War - Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives

Expert author Michael Green has compiled a full inventory of the armoured fighting vehicles developed and deployed by the Allied armies during the six year war against Nazi Germany and her Axis partners. Tank destroyers included the US Armys M18 Hellcat and M36 Jackson, the British Archer and Achilles and the Soviets SU-85, SU-100 and SU-122. Self-propelled artillery vehicles provide indirect fire support.

Examples of these were the British Bishop and Sexton, the US M7 Army Priest and The Red Armys SU-152 Beast Slayer. For reconnaissance the Allies fielded armoured cars and scout cars such as the Daimler Dingo, the US M8 Greyhound and T17 Staghound, and the Russian BA-10, -20 and -64. AFVs such as the British full tracked Universal Carrier and US M3 halftracks were fitted with a range of weapon systems, such as mortars or machine guns.

All these and many more AFVs are expertly described in words and captioned images in this comprehensive work which is the companion volume to the authors Allied Tanks of the Second World War.

Allied Tanks of the Second World War - Rare photographs from Wartime Archives

Expert author Michael Green has compiled a full inventory of the tanks developed and deployed by the Allied armies during the six year war against Nazi Germany and her Axis partners.

There were four categories of tank: Light, Medium, Heavy and Super Heavy. Combat experience proved Light tanks (such as the Stuart and T-26) to be ineffective. Medium tanks (the US M4 series, named Sherman by the British, and Russian T-34) soon dominated with their fire power, protection and mobility.

The later stages of the War required the Allies to answer the Axis Panther and Tiger tanks with up-gunned and up-armoured second generation M4s, T-34-85s and the Sherman Firefly. Totally new heavy tanks such as the M-26, Pershing, Soviet KV-1 series and the British Centurion only saw action in the final months.

"Allied Tanks of the Second World War" covers all these categories in detail as well as the few super heavy tanks such as the French Char 2C and the TOG. For an informed and highly illustrated work this book has no comparable rival.

Axis Tanks of the Second World War - Rare photographs from wartime archives

The German Army used tanks to devastating effect in their Blitzkrieg campaigns during the early years of the Second World War and in the intense defensive battles leading up to final defeat in 1945.

It may be a surprise to many that the Japanese Army had more tanks than Nazi Germany in 1938; these included the Type 95 light tank and the Type 89 and 97 medium tanks. Co-belligerents in the Axis Alliance that built their own tanks included Italy, Romania and Hungary.
The latter was responsible for the Toldi and Turan light tank series.

As can be seen from the descriptions and images in this classic Images of War series work, the Axis powers had drawn on British and, in some cases, French design for their tanks in the period leading up to the Second World War: the Carden-Loyd tankette suspension was used in the Panzer 1 series and the light Italian and Japanese tanks.
German engineering talent resulted in the original and ingenious designs of the Panzer II, III and IV series and, later in the War, the Panther Medium and Tiger heavy tanks.

This latest work by author and expert Mike Green will fascinate and inform historians, engineers and war gamers.