.
.
by Simon Forty and Ian Stewart Spring.
Hardback (7.2×9.9 inches). 288 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Rare German Colour Photographs from the Eastern Front
Ian Stewart Spring’s collection of WWII German color images is indeed impressive. These are color images, not colorized black and white photos. I’m not sure how much image modification the photos underwent, but most of them are sharp. Sure, some clunky blurry ones, but maybe only a dozen or so.
The book contains 289 color photos as well as extensive captions with facts and figures. For example, among the photos of locomotives and train cars, you’ll discover a Type I train consisted of a 28 goods cars (guessing that’s a “boxcar” to us Yanks), 26 flat cars, and a brake car (p43). It could transport 350 men, 20 vehicles, and 70 horses. An infantry division needs 70 trains and a panzer division needs 90 trains. Think about that when you want to get a division transfer via rail across a map. Note that the average infantry march rate was 20 miles per day (p49). And German railheads were located about 100 miles behind the front lines for Armee and Corps supply.
The photos cover a wide range of topics, weather, and locations, including some of wrecks in 1946 Berlin. My favorite photo is of a SdKfz 6 halftrack towing an 88mm AT gun over a narrow rickety bridge that looks like it would collapse at any moment (p161). Certainly one of the passengers seems concerned about collapse or sliding off into the water.
One gaffe: the same photo is on p155 and p167.
Colorized black and white photos are often a best-guess interpretation of color. These are real color photos — a nice reference for all the modelers and miniatures painters out there.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
