Pen and Sword Publishers has added to their TankCraft Series. Volume Number 7 titled: Panzer I & II – Blueprint for Blitzkrieg 1933-1941 by Robert Jackson.

This softbound book is 64 pages. Included are some nicely done color profiles, many period wartime photographs, a summary of variants and some description of development, along with a section devoted to modeling the Panzer I & II.

The book starts with some background on German armor development but quickly gets into the Panzer I & II design and development. The variants of each model are discussed and photos of many of the examples are included. A separate section includes later war variants which used the Panzer I & II chassis for other vehicles. For example the Marder and Wespe. The book is well illustrated with some photographs I have not seen before. The color profiles were done just for this publication and are a nice touch for the book.

Table of Contents:

The Kits

You get three 1/72 scale kits and a 54 mm figure in one box here. The kits are an 8-ton halftrack, (SdKfz 7) an 88 mm FLAK 18, and a Panzer IV ausf F2. The figure is Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. There are individual instructions for the vehicles, and the painting and assembly instructions for Rommel are included with the 88 mm FLAK.

I built the kits and figure individually and will go through the process of construction and finishing one at a time.

88 mm Gun, FLAK 18

The Hasegawa 88 mm gun can be displayed either on the travel wheels or deployed for action. Since this came with the halftrack, I decided to build it in “road mode”. The wheel assemblies can be removed, and the side stabilizers can be deployed if desired, as these parts are not glued but can be reset for an “action” display.

The book is one of the Squadron Signal series “in Action”. It explores the history and development of the Panther tank and its Variants. I have always loved the Panther design and was very happy to have this book to review. The pictures of the Panther in the book are fantastic.

The book has some extremely interesting and diverse photos of the iconic Panther, there are over 180 photographs included. The photos really show the classic lines and design of this wonderful symbol of the World War 2. The book made me want to build a couple of Panther models out of my stash and start building using the book for valuable reference. The last sections of the variants are an extremely interesting addition to the book.

This book should be in every tank lover’s library and I recommend this book to everyone. The great reference photos are ideal for all modeler’s.

Background

The most important Soviet tank design of the early post WW2 period was the T-54/T-55 series of tanks, and these tanks were exported in large numbers to Soviet client states including Syria and Egypt. The 1967 and 1973 Arab/Israeli wars were disastrous for the combined Arab armies, and Israeli forces captured hundreds of intact examples of the T-54/55 tanks. Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth, the Israeli military developed a procurement program designed to put these captured tanks back into Israeli service. Over the years the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) fielded the Tiran 1, 2, 4 and 5. The Tiran 1 was an unmodified T-54, and the Tiran 2 was an unmodified T-55. The Tiran 4 was a modified T-54 with new jerry can and stowage boxes added to the exterior of the vehicle, as well as a change to the loader’s hatch, and the addition of turret mounted exterior machineguns. The Tiran 5 was the same modification program as the Tiran 4, but for the T-55 tank.

Background

The British Churchill tank was one of the most important tank designs introduced by the British after the start of the Second World War. Following the collapse of the French armies at the hands of the invading Germans utilizing Blitzkrieg tactics, British forces lost most of their front line military equipment in France in May 1940. The British reevaluated their previous views on the purposes and uses of tanks following these losses, and came up with more modern designs, the Churchill tank being a prime example. It was heavily armored, and with the introduction in 1943 of the Mk.VII, better armed, sporting as it did a 75mm main gun capable of firing both high explosive and armor piercing rounds. In preparation for the D-Day Invasion in June 1944, various “specialized” tanks were dreamed up, including a flame throwing version of the Churchill, named the Crocodile.