IPMS/USA Reviews

During the summer of 1944 a series of massive Soviet offensives threatened to destroy the entire German army on the Eastern Front. As the Wehrmacht scrambled to hold what ground it could many formations simply disappeared and the available armored units were used to plug the gaps in the front line. One of the most important elements of the defense was the newly raised IV.SS-Panzerkorps which contained the veteran Totenkopf and Wiking divisions. Although both were well equipped their real striking power lay in the battalion of Pzkpfw V Panther tanks with which each was outfitted, perhaps the most effective armored fighting vehicle produced by Germany during the Second World War.

Tamiya has yet again enhanced their venerable line of PzKpfw IV German main battle tank kits, tossing a few new bits into an already brand new Ausf. F(1) release, resulting in the long-barreled Ausf. F(2)/G model. The offering also includes five of the most detailed Tamiya figures to date, as well as a variety of personal equipment and bags to lay around on the upper deck. One thing is for sure - these last two kits are two of the finest armor models ever produced by Tamiya, and that says a lot.

It is arguably safe to assume that most modelers who visit the IPMS Reviews website know a thing or two about assembling models, at least. I think it is also safe to assume that most Armor modelers know that you don't need to start painting until well into the assembly process, many times not until the very end of the build. That is where Mig Jimenez's recent offering starts - he takes the armor modeler from an assembled kit through to the finish line.

The Illustrated Weathering Guide to WWII Late War German Vehicles takes a dive into finishing ten iconic late-war German AFV's, and while no can argue that (one) goal of this book is to market Mig/Ammo products, the information contained between the covers is still both valuable and informative. Let's face it - Ammo by Mig produces (or re-brands) many of the very best products available to modelers, and a 'how-to' book using those very products makes for an excellent great quick-reference guide.

The following appears in the Introduction.

"The 38M Toldi light tank entered into service in 1940. Before that time the Army had its WWI style armored trains, armored cars, and the tiny Italian FIAT Ansaldo tankettes. The 38M Toldi light tank and its Swedish origin the L-60 were the same class as the German Pz. II, the Polish 7TP, the Soviet T-40 and T-60 light tanks, designated for reconnaissance and liaison role. However, at the beginning of the war it was the only tracked armored vehicles of the Hungarians to fight the Red Army in 1941. The 38M Toldi light tank was also the first armored vehicle produced by the Hungarian War Industry during the war".

The 38M Toldi Light Tank Photosniper is the latest book published in the Photosniper series by Kagero Books. This 11.6" (297mm) x 8.2" (210mm) A4 format paperback has 120 pages with 290 black and white photos, 10 painting schemes and is printed on gloss coated paper.

This book covers the story if the Soviet introduction and use of Tanks in World War two and the battles and politics around them.

Chapters

• A Tank Aficionado
• Lost Advantage
• Stalin's Mechanical Corps
• Desperate Counter-Attacks
• Tank City Falls
• The T-34 Escapes
• The Stalingrad Flank
• Save the Oil
• New Tank Armies
• Other Peoples Tanks
• Triumph at Kursk
• Battles for Kharkov
• Victory in the Crimea
• Stalin's Armoured Steamroller
• Punishing Traitors
• Stopped Before Warsaw
• The Road to Hungary
• Beneath the Brandenburg Gate
• Heroes of Socialist Labour

The book goes into extreme detail on the full history of the Soviet formation of the tank units and their use in WWII.

I found this book fascinating and made me aware of a lot of facts I have never heard before when it comes to the development and politics behind tank warfare in the Soviet Union. The writing style is clear and concise. The images included are all ones I have never seen before.