Tiger Tanks at War

Book Code:  AW0418

Tiger Tanks at War 

 

The first prototype for the Tiger tank was set to be ready for Hitlers birthday on April 20, 1942. The Henschel Company, competing with Porsche, produced the superior model, and by August of that year the formidable Tiger, or Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. H, was in full production. This book takes us behind the scenes with the Tiger tank, reviewing the full history, the design and mechanics, and the mixed record of this machine, which was designed to outgun its Russian counterparts. Military writer Michael Green offers a close-up account, accompanied by photographs, diagrams, and maps, of how the Tiger tank operated, how it was armed, and where it succeeded brilliantly, as well as where it failed miserably. His book fills a fascinating niche in the history of military technology, and of the impact of technology on history itself.

The armour team of Green and Brown are back again with another interesting title covering the Tiger tanks during World War II. The authors start off the discussion with the operational need that led to the development of the Tiger I and Tiger II tanks. While the Blitzkrieg had moved German forces around Europe in very quick time during the early stages of World War II, the early German Panzers had a close call with the heavily armoured French tanks during their push into that country, followed by some close encounters of the wrong kind against Soviet T-34/76 tanks. These encounters underscored the inadequate firepower and armour protection of these early Panzers. In terms of firepower, the only weapon the Germans had on line that was effective against Soviet armour at that time was the 8.8cm Flak gun that had quicky found its niche as an anti-tank weapon in North Africa. The Tiger I would get a variation of this heavy-hitting weapon which was also effective against anything the Allies could get onto the continent. The authors don't cover the intricate details of the Tigers sought by modelers and covered in many other titles. Rather, this title is more of an engineering look at the weapons system from its design, layout, operations and results. The authors have also compiled a very nice selection of photos of the Tiger I and Tiger II tanks in several museums, including the only running examples at the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK. There are some very nice colour shots of both types inside and out. If you're looking for a good overview reference on the subject without wading through hundreds of pages of history and drawings, this is just what the doctor ordered.

 

Michael Green & James Brown

Softcover 128pp