Download or read book Matilda Infantry Tank 1938 45 written by David Fletcher and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 1994-01-27 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Matilda was the principal British infantry tank in the early years of World War II. It served with the BEF in France and later in North Africa, where it earned the title 'Queen of the Desert'. Outclassed by increasingly powerful German anti-tank weapons, it still remained a power in the South-East Pacific, and was kept in service until the end of the war by Australian forces. In this title, David Fletcher deals with Marks I to V. Development and operational history are discussed, along with service in other countries, including Germany and Russia. Numerous variants are also covered, including the prototype 'Hedgehog' bunker-busting weapon.
Download or read book Matilda Infantry Tank 1938 45 written by David Fletcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05-20 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Matilda was the principal British infantry tank in the early years of World War II. It served with the BEF in France and later in North Africa, where it earned the title 'Queen of the Desert'. Outclassed by increasingly powerful German anti-tank weapons, it still remained a power in the South-East Pacific, and was kept in service until the end of the war by Australian forces. In this title, David Fletcher deals with Marks I to V. Development and operational history are discussed, along with service in other countries, including Germany and Russia. Numerous variants are also covered, including the prototype 'Hedgehog' bunker-busting weapon.
Download or read book Valentine Infantry Tank 1938 45 written by Bruce Newsome and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-04-21 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Valentine was the most produced and most widely used British tank of the Second World War. The Valentine first saw combat during Operation Compass in November 1941 and remained one of the main medium tanks in British service into 1943. As the Churchill became more prevalent the Valentine was relegated to specialist and tank-destroyer variants, which would remain in service in the Far East to the end of the war. This book describes the evolution of the Valentine design and weighs up its impact on the battlefield. Although widely regarded today as one of the weaker tanks to be fielded during the war, it was exceptionally numerous, with more Valentines produced than any other British tank.
Download or read book Matilda Infantry Tank 1938 45 written by David Fletcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05-20 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Matilda was the principal British infantry tank in the early years of World War II. It served with the BEF in France and later in North Africa, where it earned the title 'Queen of the Desert'. Outclassed by increasingly powerful German anti-tank weapons, it still remained a power in the South-East Pacific, and was kept in service until the end of the war by Australian forces. In this title, David Fletcher deals with Marks I to V. Development and operational history are discussed, along with service in other countries, including Germany and Russia. Numerous variants are also covered, including the prototype 'Hedgehog' bunker-busting weapon.
Download or read book Modelling the Matilda Infantry Tank written by Mark Bannerman and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-06-20 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Matilda tank saw action in almost all theatres of World War II, from Europe to the Pacific. Born in the interwar years, and developed with numerous modifications following combat testing, the Matilda is perhaps most famous for its role in the desert campaigns of 1940-41, thus acquiring its nickname 'Queen of the Desert'. This book provides a detailed guide to modelling the Matilda tank across a variety of types, colour schemes and scales, and features excellent reference photos. Using clearly explained techniques and methods, and featuring the work of several top modellers, this step-by-step guide to building, finishing and displaying the Matilda in European, Western Desert and Australian service presents a creative and enagaging approach to modelling the 'Tilly'.
Download or read book Churchill Infantry Tank written by David Fletcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-08-22 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The NVG covers all seven Marks of Churchill gun tank with variations and the curious self-propelled gun of 1941/42, but not the so-called 'Funnies' or the armoured recovery vehicle variants. It will begin with the prototype tank A20, which has not been covered in any detail before, then go on to look at all seven Marks of Churchill, in particular their different guns. This book will also look at the tank's service in Russia and later with the Irish, Jordanian and Australian Armies. It will also feature on the disastrous Dieppe raid of August 1942, ending with a brief look at the Black Prince or super Churchill which was only developed up to the prototype stage at the end of World War II. The Churchill is an interesting tank, quite different from any other British tank of World War II, built outside the normal process of British tanks and the Department of Tank Design. It was built under the watchful eye of the Prime Minister, after whom it was named, by a firm with no previous experience of tank production. Despite being condemned as unsuitable and more than once being scheduled to be replaced by a better design this never actually happened. It remained in production and ultimately vindicated itself since, although it was slow and noisy it was found to have superior climbing ability and thicker frontal armour than the vaunted German Tiger. Its classification as an Infantry Tank has been extensively criticised although recently one or two authors, notably Americans, seem to have revised their views on this and even Field Marshal Montgomery, who advocated a Universal Tank to fulfil all roles, found the Churchill a useful tank on many occasions, particularly considering its ability to absorb punishment.
Download or read book British Tank Crewman 1939 45 written by Neil Grant and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-11-30 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Great Britain had introduced the tank to the world during World War I, and maintained its lead in armoured warfare with the 'Experimental Mechanised Force' during the late 1920s, watched with interest by German advocates of Blitzkrieg. Despite these successes, the Experimental Mechanised Force was disbanded in the 1930s, making Britain relatively unprepared for World War II, both in terms of armoured doctrine and equipment. This fully illustrated new study examines the men who crewed the tanks of Britain's armoured force during World War II, which was only four battalions large in 1939. It looks at the recruitment and training of the vast numbers of men required, their equipment, appearance and combat experience in every theatre of the war as the British armoured division sought to catch up with the German Panzers.
Download or read book Soviet Lend Lease Tanks of World War II written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-06-29 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Red Army suffered such catastrophic losses of armour in the summer of 1941 that they begged Britain and the United States to send tanks. The first batches arrived in late 1941, just in time to take part in the defence of Moscow. The supplies of British tanks encompassed a very wide range of types including the Matilda, Churchill, and Valentine and even a few Tetrarch airborne tanks. American tanks included the M3 (Stuart) light tank and M3 (Lee) medium tank and the M4 Sherman tank, which became so common in 1944–45 that entire Soviet tank corps were equipped with the type. With these Western tanks, the Soviets were finally able to beat back the German tide in the East. This study examines the different types of tanks shipped to the Soviet Union during the war, Soviet assessments of their merits and problems, and combat accounts of their use in Soviet service using full colour artwork, contemporary photographs and detailed cut-away illustrations.
Download or read book Operation C3 written by John Burtt and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2023-05-29 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When writing his memoirs after World War II, German Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring stated, “Italy’s missing her chance to occupy the island [of Malta] at the start of hostilities will go down in history as a fundamental blunder.” It’s easy to see why this tiny 95 square mile island held such a prominent place in the war’s Mediterranean Theater. Located almost halfway between the British bases of Gibraltar and Alexandria, Egypt, and just 60 miles south of Sicily, her airfields and naval base stood directly in the path of Italy’s (and her German partner’s) line of communication from Europe to North Africa. Operation C3 is a detailed study of the Axis 1942 plan to invade and take the island of Malta. The book examines the future combatants up to the Axis capture of Tobruk, in June 1942. The book then provides a realistic assessment of what would have had to happen if the Axis had decided to launch the invasion. Operation C3 then provides a day-by-day battle narrative of the invasion as if it had occurred on Saturday, August 15, 1942. The battle narrative is based on the combatant’s actual plans from the Italian and Maltese archives. and the realistic appraisal of what could have happened when those plans collide. A Reality & Analysis section is added after the battle narrative to discuss what really happened after Tobruk fell and why Operation C3 was never attempted.
Download or read book British Battle Tanks written by David Fletcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-08-24 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plagued by unreliable vehicles and poorly thought-out doctrine, the early years of World War II were years of struggle for Britain's tank corps. Relying on tanks built in the late 1930s, and those designed and built with limited resources in the opening years of the war, they battled valiantly against an opponent well versed in the arts of armoured warfare. This book is the second of a multi-volume history of British tanks by renowned British armour expert David Fletcher MBE. It covers the development and use of the Matilda, Crusader, and Valentine tanks that pushed back the Axis in North Africa, the much-improved Churchill that fought with distinction from North Africa to Normandy, and the excellent Cromwell tank of 1944–45. It also looks at Britain's super-heavy tank projects, the TOG1 and TOG2, and the Tortoise heavy assault tank, designed to smash through the toughest of battlefield conditions, but never put into production.
Download or read book Sherman Crab Flail Tank written by David Fletcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05-20 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Sherman Crab Flail tank was the powerful culmination of a series of mine-clearing flail tanks developed during World War II. Here, David Fletcher recounts how the Sherman Crabs were among the first tanks ashore on D-Day and as the war progressed they were in constant demand both for formal attacks and more incidental operations. Following the development of the tank and its use in the war, he details the US Army's initial lack of interest in the flail, but how after cooperative actions with the British, they too decided to adopt the type themselves. In addition to its special mine-clearing role the Sherman Crab was also capable of fighting in tank duels, and this book includes dramatic accounts of its use by the famous 79th Armoured Division and the US Army. The author explores the beginnings of the design in the Matilda Scorpion and Baron flails, developed for the Valentine and M3 Grant tanks, through to the Sherman, and particularly the Crab version. This detailed account of one of the most interesting tanks in the Funnies series is a delight for any modeller or tank enthusiast.
Download or read book Crusader and Covenanter Cruiser Tanks 1939 45 written by David Fletcher and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05-20 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development prior to World War II also made it prone to mechanical failure. This book examines the Covenanter and the many variants of the Crusader tank, detailing the designs, developments and disappointments of these infamous World War II tanks.
Download or read book Modelling the Matilda Infantry Tank written by Mark Bannerman and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-06-20 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Matilda tank saw action in almost all theatres of World War II, from Europe to the Pacific. Born in the interwar years, and developed with numerous modifications following combat testing, the Matilda is perhaps most famous for its role in the desert campaigns of 1940-41, thus acquiring its nickname 'Queen of the Desert'. This book provides a detailed guide to modelling the Matilda tank across a variety of types, colour schemes and scales, and features excellent reference photos. Using clearly explained techniques and methods, and featuring the work of several top modellers, this step-by-step guide to building, finishing and displaying the Matilda in European, Western Desert and Australian service presents a creative and enagaging approach to modelling the 'Tilly'.
Download or read book Bolt Action Campaign Battle of France written by Warlord Games and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-11-29 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Battle of France saw German forces sweep across the Low Countries and towards Paris, crushing Allied resistance in just six weeks. From Fall Gelb and the British withdrawal from Dunkirk to the decisive Fall Rot, this new supplement for Bolt Action allows players to take command of the bitter fighting for France, and to refight the key battles of this campaign. Linked scenarios and new rules, troop types, and Theatre Selectors offer plenty of options for novice and veteran players alike.
Download or read book Rommel in North Africa written by David Mitchelhill-Green and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2017-08-30 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Erwin Rommel is the arguably the most well-known German general of the Second World War. Revered by his troops and applauded by his enemies, the so-called Desert Fox achieved legendary status for his daring exploits and bold maneuvers during the North African campaign. In this book, richly illustrated with over 400 images, the author examines the privations and challenges Rommel faced in leading his coalition force. Endeavoring to reach the Nile Delta, we find Rommel's Axis soldiers poorly prepared to undertake such an audacious operation. Much-admired by his men in the front lines, we discover a demanding and intolerant leader, censured by subordinate officers and mistrusted by his superiors in Berlin. Certainly no diplomat, we observe posed interactions with Italian and junior German officers through an official lens. We note Rommel's readiness to take advantage of his enemy's weakness and study his extraordinary instinct for waging mobile warfare. We consider his disregard for the decisive factor of supply and view his army's reliance on captured equipment. We learn how this brave and ambitious commander was celebrated by German propaganda when the Wehrmacht's fortunes in the East were waning. Conversely, analyze why Winston Churchill honored him as a daring and skillful opponent. Finally, we picture this energetic, ambitious, at times reckless, commander as he roamed the vast Western Desert battlefield. This is the story of Rommel in North Africa.
Download or read book Armored Champion written by Steven Zaloga and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2015-05-15 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Armor expert Zaloga enters the battle over the best tanks of World War II with this heavy-caliber blast of a book armed with more than forty years of research.
Download or read book The Second World War Tank Crisis written by Dick Taylor and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2021-06-30 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: British Second World War tanks performed so badly that it is difficult to bring to mind any other British weapon of the period that provokes such a strong sense of failure. Unfortunately, many of the accusations appear to be true – British tanks were in many ways a disgrace. But why was Britain, the country that invented them, consistently unable to field tanks of the required quality or quantity throughout the conflict? This perceived failure has taken on the status of a myth, but, like all myths, it should not be accepted at face value – it should be questioned and analyzed. And that is what Dick Taylor does in this closely researched and absorbing study. He looks at the flaws in British financial policy, tank doctrine, design, production and development before and throughout the war years which often had fatal consequences for the crews who were sent to fight and to be ‘murdered’ in ‘mechanical abortions’. Their direct experience of the shortcomings of these machines is an important element of the story. He also considers how British tanks compared to those of the opposition and contrasts tank production for the army with the production of aircraft for the RAF during the same period. His clear-sighted account goes on to explain how, later in the conflict, British tank design improved to the point where their tanks were in many ways superior to those of the Americans and Germans and how they then produced the Centurion which was one of the best main battle tanks of the post-war era.
