This is book number 1 in Kagero Publishing’s “In Combat” series. This book is the larger A4 or European size with high gloss paper and is 80 pages long that has 12 chapters. The pages are laid out with English on the left side of the page and Polish on the right. The first chapter is about the development of the base Panzer III, then it jumps to Ausf. (model/version) H. Each chapter deals with a different Ausf number up to Ausf N. The detailed about each model is very extensive and a few charts are included that show production numbers. There are two to three photos per page showing the Panzer III version being written about. Some of the photos seem to be computer enhanced to bring out details.

The company OKB-Grigorov from Bulgaria has released early idlers wheels for early T-64 tank models.

There are six two-piece resin wheels included in the bag. The front and back of each idler are molded on one resin plug. The resin is dark gray and feels more like plastic. It is easy to cut the wheels off the plugs because of the thin attachment points and sands up great with little resin dust. They supply six wheels, but you only need two per tank, so you will have enough for thee kits. I did not see any air bubbles, but a few has small resin lines on one of the spokes that need to be removed. Super glue works fine to join the two halves together and pant held fine to the surface without any cleaning beforehand. The idlers have a small pin on the back that might need to be altered depending on what kit you will be mounting them to.

I would like to thank OKB-Grigorov and IPMS for the chance to review these wheels.

Bottom Line Up Front: Even though Tamiya’s “new tool” release of the venerable Panzerkampfwagen IV does not disappoint with nice detail, clever engineering, and three figures that are well rendered in unique and interesting poses. Even though this kit uses the hull and suspension from the 1994 Panzer IV releases, the vast majority of the kit is brand new and up to modern standards. This is not merely a reboxing of an old obsolete kit.

History

The Pz.Kpfw.IV began manufacture in 1936 with the Ausf. A, and went through a number of specifications before what was perhaps the definitive short barreled infantry support variant started production in 1941: the Ausf. F. It had reinforced armor and updated hull designs, as well as an L/24 75mm gun. About 460 rolled off of the production lines, mostly serving on the Eastern front but also in North Africa, Italy, and France.

History

The BM-13-16 was the most numerous example of rocket artillery in the Red Army’s arsenal during WWII. The system included 8 rail guides holding 16 RS-132 rockets. It was a formidable weapon that struck terror in the hearts of anyone on the receiving end. The system was often installed on the chassis of trucks delivered to the USSR under Lend-Lease. In this ICM release, the chassis belongs to the British Fordson W.O.T. 8 4x4.

The Kit

Inside the durable cardboard box are twelve dark green styrene runners, one clear runner, one PE fret, and five vinyl tires. There are no decals included in the kit, which is a shame as it would have been nice to at least have some for the instrument panel dials. There is only one scheme offered in the kit for a Russia 1942 Olive Green sample.

The book covers the Tanks that played a key role in the battlefields of World War II and how they were used and utilized. The book goes into great detail of the tank’s role in all the major campaigns of the war, how the tank was used, the way its role evolved over the war, the different locations it was used in. It goes into great details on unit use and tactics which help you understand how it was used. The unit strengths and makeup are very interesting.

This book increased my own knowledge of tank warfare a lot and helped me understand more its role in battle and tactics of all sides in the conflict. The information shows the speed of progress made with tank design and use during this important war.

The images in the book are excellent and inspire diorama ideas for modelers.

I highly recommend this book to everyone with an interest in WWII especially in armor and tank warfare.