Download or read book Panzer Destroyer written by Vasiliy Krysov and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2010-08-19 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this military memoir, a Soviet Red Army officer recounts his experience fighting against Nazi Germany along the Eastern Front in World War II. The day after Vasiliy Krysov finished school, on June 22, 1941, Germany attacked the Soviet Union and provoked a war of unparalleled extent and cruelty. For the next three years, as a tank commander, Krysov fought against the German panzers in some of the most intense and destructive armored engagements in history, including those at Stalingrad, Kursk, and Knigsberg. This is the remarkable story of his war. As the commander of a heavy tank, a self-propelled gun—a tank destroyer—and a T-34, he fought his way westward across Russia, the Ukraine, and Poland against a skillful and determined enemy that had previously never known defeat. Krysov repeatedly faced tough SS panzer divisions, like the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Panzer Division in the Bruilov-Fastov area in 1943, and the SS Das Wiking Panzer Division in Poland in 1944. Krysov was at Kursk and participated in a counterattack at Ponyri. The ruthlessness of this long and bitter campaign is vividly depicted in his narrative, as is the enormous scale and complexity of the fighting. Honestly, and with an extraordinary clarity of recall, he describes confrontations with German Tiger and Panther tanks and deadly anti-tank guns. He was wounded four times, his crewmen and his commanding officers were killed, but he was fated to survive and record his experience of combat. His memoirs give a compelling insight into the reality of tank warfare on the Eastern Front.

Download or read book Ferdinand and Elefant Tank Destroyer written by Thomas Anderson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-04-20 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the story of the largest and statistically most successful tank destroyer of World War II. The Ferdinand was a true behemoth, and although only 91 examples were built, they took a savage toll of Soviet armour in the Battle of Kursk and subsequent operations on the Eastern Front. This study explores the technical development and combat deployment of this remarkable vehicle, from its' origins in the Porsche Tiger Tank through its deployment under the designation 'Ferdinand' in the Citadel offensive, to its modification and redesignation as the 'Elefant' and final use in the desperate Battle of Berlin. Drawing on original archival material from within Germany, private collections and heretofore unpublished photographs this title is an essential illustrated history to one of the most famous armoured vehicles ever built.

Download or read book Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer written by Dennis Oliver and published by . This book was released on 2018-01-08 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combining the destructive firepower of the 88mm gun with the outstanding mobility of the Panther series, the Jagdpanther is quite probably the best-known tank destroyer of the Second World War. In the vehicle's first action on 30 July 1944, three Jagdpanthers managed to destroy eleven British tanks in a vicious two minute fire fight near the village of Les Loges in Normandy, cementing the Jagdpanther's reputation as a potent tank killer. In his fifth book in the TankCraft series, Dennis Oliver uses contemporary photographs and meticulously researched, superbly presented color and monochrome illustrations to tell the story of these heavy self-propelled antitank guns and the units which operated them in the German defense of the Western Front. As with all the books in the TankCraft series, a large part of this work showcases available model kits and after market products, complemented by a gallery of expertly constructed and painted models. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also explained giving the modeler all the information and knowledge required.

Download or read book Combat History of Sturmpanzer Abteilung 217 written by TIMM. VOSTERS HAASLER (SIMON.) and published by . This book was released on 2020-06-15 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combat History of Sturmpanzer-Abteilung 217 tells the story of the only Sturmpanzer IV equipped unit to see action on the western front. Formed in May 1944, Stu.Pz.Abt.217 fought in Normandy, Belgium, Aachen and the Ardennes Offensive before finally perishing in Ruhr pocket in April 1945.Researched over more than twenty years using hundreds of German and American records, authors Timm Haasler and Simon Vosters have meticulously retraced the steps of the battalion to offer the reader the most comprehensive coverage to date.This 284-page book is illustrated with 183-large-format photographs, ten maps and seven specially commissioned artworks by Felipe Rodna, including interior views. QR-codes feature on a number of pages, just point your smartphone camera at them to see the scene today in Google Maps or Street View.

Download or read book Seek Strike and Destroy written by Christopher Richard Gabel and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the seventy years that have passed since the tank first appeared, antitank combat has presented one of the greatest challenges in land warfare. Dramatic improvements in tank technology and doctrine over the years have precipitated equally innovative developments in the antitank field. One cycle in this ongoing arms race occurred during the early years of World War II when the U.S. Army sought desperately to find an antidote to the vaunted German blitzkrieg. This Leavenworth Paper analyzes the origins of the tank destroyer concept, evaluates the doctrine and equipment with which tank destroyer units fought, and assesses the effectiveness of the tank destroyer in battle.

Download or read book Seek Strike and Destroy written by Christopher Richard Gabel and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the seventy years that have passed since the tank first appeared, antitank combat has presented one of the greatest challenges in land warfare. Dramatic improvements in tank technology and doctrine over the years have precipitated equally innovative developments in the antitank field. One cycle in this ongoing arms race occurred during the early years of World War II when the U.S. Army sought desperately to find an antidote to the vaunted German blitzkrieg. This Leavenworth Paper analyzes the origins of the tank destroyer concept, evaluates the doctrine and equipment with which tank destroyer units fought, and assesses the effectiveness of the tank destroyer in battle.

Download or read book M10 Tank Destroyer vs StuG III Assault Gun written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Allies' M10 Tank Destroyer and the Germans' Sturmgeschütz (StuG) lll were the unsung workhorses of the northwest European battlefields of 1944–45. While their mission was not principally fighting one another, their widespread use ensured their frequent encounters, from the Normandy Bocage, to the rubble-strewn streets of Aachen. The StuG lll was the quintessential assault gun, a low-slung, heavily armoured, turret-less vehicle intended to provide direct fire support for infantry formations, whilst the M10 3in Gun Motor Carriage was originally developed as a tank destroyer. However, by 1944 the 3in gun proved ineffectual against the most thickly armored German tanks, and was consequently relegated to infantry support too. Widely deployed in roles their designers had not envisaged, these two armoured fighting vehicles clashed repeatedly during the 11-month campaign, which saw the Allies advance from Normandy to the heart of the Reich. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this is the story of their confrontation at the height of World War ll.

Download or read book The Combat History of German Heavy Anti Tank Unit 653 in World War II written by Karlheinz Munch and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2005 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hundreds of photos, many never published before, of Germany's rarely seen tank destroyers, including the Ferdinand, Elephant, and JagdtigerColor illustrations focus on unit markings, numbering, and camouflageAccompanying text chronicles the unit's combat operations plus there are personal accounts from the men who rode in these mechanical monstersGerman Heavy Anti-Tank Unit 653 was equipped with the heaviest tank destroying vehicles of the German armed forces. Initially activated as an assault gun battalion and redesignated in April 1943, the 653 received its first Ferdinand heavy tank destroyers (later modified and renamed Elephants) in May 1943 and went into action on the Eastern Front a month later. In 1944, the unit converted to the even more massive Jagdtiger. The seventy-five-ton, heavily armored Jagdtiger was the behemoth of the battlefield and boasted a 128mm gun-as opposed to the Ferdinand's 88-with a range of more than thirteen miles, making it deadly despite its limited mobility. Outfitted with these lethal giants, the 653 saw service in Russia, Italy, Austria, and Germany.

Download or read book The Tank Killers written by Harry Yeide and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2005-01-19 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A fantastic read . . . Whether your interest is armour or history I would highly recommend this book” (Military Modelling). The tank destroyer was a bold—though some would say flawed—answer to the challenge posed by the seemingly unstoppable German Blitzkrieg. The TD was conceived to be light and fast enough to outmaneuver panzer forces and go where tanks could not. At the same time, the TD would wield the firepower needed to kill any German tank on the battlefield. Indeed, American doctrine stipulated that TDs would fight tanks, while American tanks would concentrate on achieving and exploiting breakthroughs of enemy lines. The Tank Killers follows the men who fought in the TDs, from the formation of the force in 1941 through the victory over the Third Reich in 1945. It is a story of American flexibility and pragmatism in military affairs. Tank destroyers were among the very first units to land in North Africa in 1942. Their first vehicles were ad hoc affairs: halftracks and weapons carriers with guns no better than those on tanks, thin armor affording the crews considerably less protection. Almost immediately, the crews began adapting to circumstances, along with their partners in the infantry and armored divisions. By the time North Africa was in Allied hands, the TD had become a valued tank fighter, assault gun, and artillery piece. The reconnaissance teams in TD battalions, meanwhile, had established a record for daring operations that would continue for the rest of the war. The story continues with the invasion of Italy and, finally, that of Fortress Europe on June 6, 1944. By now, the brass had decreed that half the force would convert to towed guns, a decision that dogged the affected crews through the end of the war. The TD men encountered increasingly lethal enemies, ever more dangerous panzers that were often vulnerable only to their guns, while American tank crews watched in frustration as their rounds bounced harmlessly off the thick German armor. They fought under incredibly diverse conditions that demanded constant modification of tactics, and their equipment became ever more deadly. By VE-Day, the tank destroyer battalions had achieved impressive records, generally with kill-loss rates heavily in their favor. Yet the army after the war concluded that the concept of a separate TD arm was so fundamentally flawed that not a single battalion existed after November 1946. The Tank Killers draws heavily on the records of the tank destroyer battalions and the units with which they fought, as well as personal stories from veterans of the force.

Download or read book The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion written by Samuel de Korte and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2022-04-13 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Finalist, 2022 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards The 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was activated on 25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, USA and, like many other tank destroyer battalions, would be sent to Europe. It saw combat in France, where a platoon earned the Distinguished Unit Citation, and later continued to fight gallantly in Germany and Austria until the war was over. However, unlike many other tank destroyer battalions that fought in the Second World War, this unit was crewed only by black soldiers. The men had been subjected to racism from their countrymen during training, although the battalion did eventually win the respect of the white soldiers they fought alongside. When the third platoon deployed their guns on the slopes near Climbach, France, they weren’t just fighting against the Germans, but also against any prejudices that their white countrymen might have had. Having earned the respect of the 103d Infantry Division, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion shared in their triumphs and tragedies. So when the division needed to retreat during a blizzard, or when Task Force Rhine pushed its way across the German plains, or when the division suffered heavy losses at Schillersdorf, the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion was there with them. Included in this book are lists of medals awarded to the men during the war, as well as a list of casualties and those that served in the unit.

Download or read book M10 Tank Destroyer vs StuG III Assault Gun written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Allies' M10 Tank Destroyer and the Germans' Sturmgeschütz (StuG) lll were the unsung workhorses of the northwest European battlefields of 1944–45. While their mission was not principally fighting one another, their widespread use ensured their frequent encounters, from the Normandy Bocage, to the rubble-strewn streets of Aachen. The StuG lll was the quintessential assault gun, a low-slung, heavily armoured, turret-less vehicle intended to provide direct fire support for infantry formations, whilst the M10 3in Gun Motor Carriage was originally developed as a tank destroyer. However, by 1944 the 3in gun proved ineffectual against the most thickly armored German tanks, and was consequently relegated to infantry support too. Widely deployed in roles their designers had not envisaged, these two armoured fighting vehicles clashed repeatedly during the 11-month campaign, which saw the Allies advance from Normandy to the heart of the Reich. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this is the story of their confrontation at the height of World War ll.

Download or read book Tank Destroyer Achilles and M10 written by Dennis Oliver and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2019-04-30 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide that blends the history behind this British World War II tank with resources for military vehicle modeling enthusiasts. In this heavily illustrated volume in the TankCraft series Dennis Oliver focuses on the Achilles—the British variant of the American M10—which was one of the most important Allied tank destroyers of the Second World War. It played a key role in the armored battles fought on the Western Front, in particular in France, the Low Countries, Germany and Italy. Built on an adapted Sherman chassis, with sloped armor, an open-topped turret and powerful 17-pounder gun, it was designed to counter the threat posed by the formidable panzers deployed by the German army toward the end of the conflict, in particular the Panther and Tiger tanks. The book covers the design and operational history of the Achilles in close detail, using rare archive photographs and meticulously researched color illustrations, as well as a detailed, authoritative text. A key section displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined providing everything the modeler needs to recreate an accurate representation of these historic armored fighting vehicles. Praise for Tank Destroyer, Achilles and M10 “Covers the design and operational history of the Achilles in close detail, using rare archive photographs and meticulously researched color illustrations, as well as a detailed, authoritative text.” —Military Vehicles “Gamers will find this book a useful reference and painting guide.” —The Miniatures Page

Download or read book Hetzer Jagdpanzer 38 Tank Destroyer written by Dennis Oliver and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2021-08-04 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By 1944 the German army was on the defensive on all fronts and Allied bombing was putting increasing pressure on the nation's industrial output. Since the earliest days of the war the Germans had experimented with mounting anti-tank weapons on obsolete chassis and one of the most successful of these would prove to be the Jagdpanzer 38, more often referred to today as the Hetzer. Small and unimposing the Hetzer's appearance belied its effectiveness. Armed with the powerful 7.5cm L/48 gun, the same weapon fitted to the Jadgpanzer IV, the Hetzer featured armour sloped armour plates of up to 60mm thickness and was capable of a top speed of 42 kilometres per hour. Almost 3,000 examples were assembled and its low cost and ease of production meant that it was Germany's most important tank killer of the late war period. In his latest book in the TankCraft series Dennis Oliver uses archive photos and extensively researched color illustrations to examine the Hetzer tank destroyers and the units of the German Army and Waffen-SS that operated them during the last months of the Second World war. A key section of his book displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate representation of these historic tanks.

Download or read book JagdTiger Heavy Tank Destroyer written by Dennis Oliver and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2024-06-30 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dennis Oliver uses archive photos and extensively researched color illustrations to examine the markings, camouflage and technical aspects of the Jagdtigers that fought in the last battles of the war. By 1943, confronted by heavier enemy tanks in increasing numbers, German field commanders were asking for a more potent tank destroyer, building on the success of the Sturmgeschütz program. Coincidentally, at this time the Tiger II was well into the development stage and experiments were being undertaking with the huge 12.8cm L/55 gun, originally designed as an anti-aircraft weapon, and the two were eventually combined as the Panzerjäger Tiger ausf B, better known as the Jagdtiger. Going into combat for the first time in January 1945 these massive vehicles were almost impervious to any anti-tank gun in service at the time and the 12.8cm weapon could penetrate the thickest armor. It was the largest armored fighting vehicle to see action during the Second World War and Hitler was so impressed with these gigantic tank killers that he was briefed on the progress of individual vehicles on a daily basis. Drawing on official documentation and unit histories Dennis Oliver investigates the formations that operated these deservedly famous vehicles and uses archive photos and extensively researched color illustrations to examine the markings, camouflage and technical aspects of the Jagdtigers that fought in the last battles of the war. A key section of his book displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined, providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate representation of these historic vehicles.

Download or read book United States Tanks and Tank Destroyers of the Second World War written by Michael Green and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2021-12-30 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive and superbly illustrated book describes in authoritative detail the characteristics and contribution to victory of these formidable American fighting vehicles. Only after the Nazis invaded Poland and France did the United States Government authorize mass production of tanks. By the end of the War American industry had built nearly 90,000 tanks, more than Germany and Great Britain combined. The first big order in May 1940 was for 365 M2A4 light tanks, the initial iteration of the Stuart series, with almost 24,000 constructed. The Stuart series was supplemented by almost 5,000 units of the M24 Chaffee light tank. There was also the failed M22 Locust light tank intended for airborne operations. The M4 series of medium tanks, best known as the Sherman, were the most numerous with some 50,000 in service with not only the American military but British and other Allied armies. It was not until later in the war that the M26 Pershing heavy tank was built. Initially the US Army doctrine saw tanks as primarily for the exploitation role. Later the concept of tank destroyers evolved to counter large scale German armored offensives. These defensive AFVs included the half-track-based 75mm Gun Motor Carriage M3 and the full-tracked M10, M18, and M36. This comprehensive and superbly illustrated book describes in authoritative detail the characteristics and contribution to victory of these formidable fighting vehicles.

Download or read book US Tank and Tank Destroyer Battalions in the ETO 1944 45 written by Steven J. Zaloga and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-03-15 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Overshadowed by the United States Army's armored divisions, the separate tank and tank destroyer battalions had the difficult mission of providing armored support for US infantry divisions in the 1944–45 campaigns. This book details the organizational structures and deployment of these units: the standard tank battalions, tank battalions (light), tank battalions (mine exploder) and tank battalions (special), self-propelled and towed tank destroyer battalions. It also covers the tactics used by these units in their attempts to assist the infantry, as well as providing a listing of all the battalions that took part in the Northwest Europe campaign.

Download or read book American Tanks AFVs of World War II written by Michael Green and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-07-20 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The entry of the US into World War II provided the Allies with the industrial might to finally take the war to German and Japanese forces across the world. Central to this was the focus of the American military industrial complex on the manufacture of tanks and armoured fighting vehicles. Between 1939 and 1945, 88,140 tanks and 18,620 other armored vehicles were built – almost twice the number that Germany and Great Britain combined were able to supply. In this lavishly illustrated volume, armour expert Michael Green examines the dizzying array of machinery fielded by the US Army, from the famed M4 Sherman, M3 Stuart and M3 Lee through to the half-tracks, armored cars, self-propelled artillery, tank destroyers, armored recovery vehicles and tracked landing vehicles that provided the armoured fist that the Allies needed to break Axis resistance in Europe and the Pacific. Publishing in paperback for the first time and packed with historical and contemporary colour photography, this encyclopedic new study details the design, development, and construction of these vehicles, their deployment in battle and the impact that they had on the outcome of the war.