Review by Terry Ashley

The format of the book is similar to the MMIR Allied & Axis series with mostly large images, many being just one to a page with the text confined to image captions to maximise the space for the images.

Many of the images are previously unpublished and give an excellent insight into the ferocity of the engagements resulting in the state of the vehicles in the photos and also provide excellent material for the diorama builder with most of the photos being from the European (France to Germany) and Italian theatres.

Each issue will feature specific vehicles/units as well as many individual photos of different vehicles and Issue 1 starts with 12 pages on the modified Panthers of I./Pz.Rgt.26 in Italy late 1944-45. The modifications included metal covers over the air intakes and exhaust louvers on the engine deck and supplementary spaced armour on the turret roof with a number of shots clearly showing this feature.

The second featured vehicle is Jadgtiger “323” of 3.Kp/s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653 abandoned in Neustadt am der Weinstrasse, Germany, March 1945 and has four pages of photos showing both sides and front of the vehicle with one showing half a dozen hits from Shermans and M10s which simply bounced off the thick frontal armour of these monsters.

The third featured vehicle is the Panzer IV/70(A) with eight pages showing several different destroyed vehicles from different angles giving good details of the hull and other details.

Other vehicles included are; Elefant, Pz.IV H/J (several photos), PzIII G/N, Schienenpanzerspähwagen (armoured train), Panthers (several photos, A, G), Grille, StuG III E/G, Tiger II (several photos), Tiger I, Lorraine Schlepper, Nashorn, Marder III M (several photos), Turretless PZ.II (several photos), Flakpanzer 38(t), Flakpanzer Ostwind & Möbelwagen, Brummbar, Sd.Kfz.250 (several photos), Sd.Kfz.251 (several photos), Sd.Kfz.7 and Sd.Kfz.8, RSO, Sd.Kfz.223/233, Jadgpanther and captured vehicles used by German units; Sherman Firefly, M3 Stuart, M8 Greyhound.

Conclusion:
Overall an excellent collection of photos that offer excellent diorama potential as well as conveying the intensity of wartime actions with the size of the photos allowing good details to be shown not only of the vehicles but of the cam schemes including the extensive use of foliage due the Allies air superiority late in the war.
The insightful and informative captions also add to the value of the photos and this series should prove an invaluable reference for the modeller.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Lee Archer of Panzerwrecks for the review book.

Page created 13 March 2005