TankCraft 44, StuG III Assault Gun – German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 breaks the StuG III’s (Sturmgeschütz, abbreviated as StuG, also known as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161) long service life into the closing struggles in the Eastern Front in 1944. Older and newer StuG IIIs and IVs fought side by side on all fronts as the Allied ring closed in on Germany. This book focuses on the StuG IIIs on the Eastern Front, which is fantastic as it complements an already published book of StuGs on the Western Front (TankCraft 19: StuG III & IV, German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe, Western Front 1944-1945) and hints at a StuG IV book.

This 64-page book is outlined in the familiar TankCraft format and is loaded with incredible black and white photographs, color illustrations, supporting text and detailed captions, modeling references and a bibliography in the following chapters:

• Introduction
• The Western Front, 1945 (sic, should be 1944)
• The StuG III Units
• Camouflage and Markings
• Model Showcase
• Modeling Products
• Technical Details and Modifications
• The Kriegsstärkenweissungen (War Strength Predictions)
• Product Contact Details

Author Dennis Oliver does an amazing job highlighting the actions, tanks, and units doing the fighting. This is further highlighted for modelers with 24 StuG III color profiles over 12 pages, three fantastic model builds (over 13 pages), four pages of model manufacturers who modeled late war StuG IIIs, three pages on aftermarket details, and the extensive technical details and modifications. This is a treasure trove of what makes the StuG III Ausf F, Ausf G and Sturmhaubitze 42 (Ausf G mounted with a larger 105mm howitzer – StuH 42) variants unique, and the differences within the sub-variants.

While modelers typically know which models are available, the author and this series specialize in what modelers are looking for in terms of detail. The link that Trumpeter and Hobby Boss are the same company is outlined in the Modeling Products chapter as “Often thought to be separate entities, these Chinese companies are in fact owned by the same corporation, are located at the same address and are essentially the same firm, although different models are marketed separately under the two labels.”

The Technical Details and Modifications chapter is amazing with crisp illustrations and photographs and clearly marked arrows and captions to details. The schürzen section has perhaps the clearest and concise description of the two major types of spaced armor used on the StuG IIIs. The author notes, “The terms Series I and Series II were not used during the war and are in fact my own invention, employed here purely as a matter of convenience.” I appreciate any author that states such a comment, not as a matter of canon, but to make it clearer. This section is worth the price of the book with the differences in manufacturers, dates and modifications. After reading this chapter, the reader can reference the many beautiful black and white photographs and color profiles to pick out the details.

The StuG III and StuH 42 did yeoman’s work on the Eastern Front, holding back the red tide. The Soviet summer 1944 offensive, Operation Bagration, was a

The huge undertaking in fact compromised ten separate offensives, each involving more troops that took part in the Normandy landings. From this time, the Germans could conduct fighting withdrawals at best, taking the offensive just once, in northern Hungary, before the end of the war in May 1945. "It is against the backdrop of these momentous events that this second installment of the Sturmgeschütz III story is set.

This is a great book if you want to learn more about modelling a StuG III or StuH 42 on the Eastern Front in 1944. If you want an easy-to-understand history of the most produced German armored fighting vehicle of the war, inspiration to build a model of this German workhorse, or just want to enjoy great illustrations, this is a good book to start. I know StuG III Assault Gun – German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 will be on my bench when I build my next late-war StuG III. The question is which version? Thanks to this book, the search will be easier; or perhaps it is easier to build more StuGs!

Profuse thanks to Casemate and IPMS/USA for providing the review sample.