PzKpfw VPanther Ausf.A
Armor PhotoGallery #19
By Wojciech J. Gawrych
Published by Model Centrum Progres, Warsaw, Poland
ISBN 978-83-60672-05-1
Available via: http://www.modelbooks.republika.pl
Review by Terry Ashley
This latest volume from Armor PhotoGallery follows the same format as previous volumes aimed primarily at the modeller with detailed close-up photos of the PzKpfw V Panther Ausf.A which saw 2200 examples produced between August 1943 and May 1944.
The soft cover book has 80 pages with 235 colour photos, 52 B&W photos and 5 pages of 1:48 and 1:35 scale plans with the book covering a single Panther Ausf.A from the Munster Panzermuseum in Germany which was built by MAN in February 1944 with chassis number (Fgst. Nr.) 210767 but doesn't have the Zimmerit applied after restoration.
The book again is split into three parts, the first 48 pages has many superb close-up shots of the Panther's exterior and interior details with the middle section having the scale plans followed by 25 pages with B&W period action photos. Text is kept to a minimum with just a brief introduction and captions with each photo describing the part shown or the vehicle and location in the final section.
The next 30 pages are a detailed close-up walkaround of the hull exterior with every part shown in great detail with many items having multiple photos from different angles to fully show the detail. Examples of this are the hull hatches having 12 photos over 2 pages, the barrel travel lock with 10 photos over 2 pages, 4 pages showing the engine deck details, another 14 photos over 2 pages showing the exhaust pipes and mounting brackets as well as others for the tools storage, head and tail lights as well as the running gear. This is supplemented with 6 pages with interior shots of the driver's and co-driver's stations and central fighting compartment under the turret for a very complete walkaround.
Following this is another 15 pages covering the turret with again multiple shots of most details with 14 photos of the mantlet and gun including 4 close-ups of the muzzle brake, another 14 of the cupola and AA MG mounting (6 photos). All the roof details are covered in extreme close-up as are the various lifting eyes and grab handles, the rear escape hatch, periscopes and aerial posts.
There are also 7 pages of close-up interior shots showing the gun mountings, gun breech and gun controls as well as the wall, floor and roof details that include the periscopes, wiring and inside details of the rear hatch all to good effect.
As a bonus the next 2 pages have 10 photos of the 7.5cm KwK 42L/70 removed from the turret and mounted on a display stand to show some excellent details not usually seen with the gun fitted inside the turret.
Next there are 5 pages with 5 view 1:48 and 1:35 scale plans of the February 1944 produced vehicle included scrap plans showing the additional command vehicle aerial mountings on the hull and turret.
The final 25 pages have 52 B&W wartime action shots and a brief history of the Panther Ausf.A with most shots from the Russian and NW Europe theatres which give some excellent diorama possibilities as well as showing the gun details, camouflage and crew uniforms and also the different pattern zimmerit applied to different vehicles. Many of these photos have been seen in various other publications over the years but it's useful to have them all in one place to compliment the detailed walkaround photos in the first section of the book.
| Conclusion: |
Again the mix of detailed close-up walkarounds, wartime action shots and scale plans should provide useful info with the added text adding nice background info and provides just about everything you would want to know for building a kit of Panther Ausf.A of the period.
If you wanted additional technical information the Panzer Tracts No.5-2 Panzerkampfwagen "Panther" Ausfuehrung A would be the best option and supplements the detailed close-up photos in this book very well.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Wojciech from Model Centrum for the review copy.