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PANZERWRECKS
Panzerwrecks 5, German Armour 1944-45. By Lee Archer and William Auerbach. Soft covers, landscape format, 8.25 x 11-inches, 96 pages. Contains 155 B&W photographs. ISBN 978-09754-1834-5
A by-product of the advent of the Internet has been the ease with which photographs can be bought and sold, or otherwise disseminated. This in turn has allowed images from private collections, particularly from veterans or their families, to become widely available for viewing, purchase, or publication.
Combine this new availability with a team of dedicated enthusiasts, et voila: Panzerwrecks!
This is the fifth volume in this well-received series and it follows the format set out in the original issue. In fact, the authors have taken the opportunity with this title to "re-visit" Volume 1 with follow-up images that are directly related to photos in that book. This accounts for the first 27 pages and is devoted to coverage of the following vehicle types:
• Panthers Ausf.A and Ausf.G
• Beob.Pz.III
• Pz.Kpfw.III and Pz.Kpfw.IV
• Panzerdraisine
• Tiger II
• Jagdtiger
• Sherman V and VCs captured by the Germans
• Marder III
• Sturmpanzer IV
• Elefant
In this case, what the authors (and their world-wide team of ever-lurking henchmen) have done is find additional images of the same vehicle or scene, which further enhances the understanding of the subject as originally presented. Some of the more interesting items seen in this section include several detailed photographs of the TBF2 periscope seen removed from a Beob.Pz.III for inspection, and some large crisp photos of the captured Sherman VC, as well as the Panzerdraisine.
The book then continues with coverage of the following: Marder II, Bergepanzer III, Pz.Kpfw.IV (several models), Flakpanzer Wirblewind (with a nifty unit emblem), Hummel, Hummel Munitionspanzer, Panther, Bergepanther, Tiger I, Tiger II, Maus (factory yard), various half-tracks (some without bodywork), Jagdpanzer 38, Pz.Kpfw.38(t), StuG.III Ausf.G, Polish TKS tankette and US T48 half-track.
In most cases these are full-page quite detailed photos. Some are of lesser quality as they were taken with low-tech cameras of the era. Some other photo sequences were taken from Soviet newsreel frames, and the quality shows that; however, I feel it is better to have them than not!
So, here we have yet another potpourri of different and unique images from the late war period, all with informative captions. The book itself is printed on coated stock and the reproduction of the photos is as good as the originals will allow.
In short: something for everyone!
Highly recommended.
Frank V. “Curley Stooge” De Sisto
Panzerwrecks publications are available worldwide from their web-site at: www.panzerwrecks.com. Email Bill Auerbach at: bill@panzerwrecks.com, or Lee Archer at: lee@panzerwrecks.com.
