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by Steven J. Zaloga.
Softcover (7.25×9.75 inches). 48 pages. 2025.
Here’s another Zaloga WWII tank book. His German Tanks in France 1940: New Vanguard 327 covers much the same ground as this volume when it comes to tank specs, design, and development.
The key difference shows up in the magnificent charts he always includes in his booklets. This is the sort of numerical analysis much appreciated by the wargame community — or at least me. That said, I do have a couple questions about the data…
German tank strength chart (p14) shows German tank strength roughly equal from June 1941 (5,556 tanks and AFVs) to December 1941 (5,487 tanks and AFVs). Yet, he notes that German tank losses were 3,328 from June 1941 to December 1941 — 2,839 on the east front (p42). It is not well explained, but I believe, based on the latter chart, the numbers represent all the German tanks on all fronts, including training? Other charts offer subsets of losses and operational tanks. As the Germans usually held the battlefield, do these numbers include retrieved AFVs and/or those in the various repair shops (local, theater, and Germany)? I don’t know.
And yet, this is the first time I read that Hitler held back replacement tanks from front line divisions as operational tanks dropped to about 30% of TO&E in September 1941. Releases to the front were hard-won concessions from Hitler, who wanted more panzer divisions created.
The booklet contains 40 black and white photos, one color photo, 12 color tank camouflage illustrations, five color insignia, and one color two-page action illustration.
So, perceived hiccups in the chart explanations, a bit of new-to-me information, and a lot of the same information (can’t be helped — specs are specs are specs) from his other booklets. It’s a little more uneven than expected, but ties still go to one of the most prolific authors in the industry.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
