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PANZERWRECKS
Panzerwrecks 8, Normandy 1. By Lee Archer and William Auerbach. Soft covers, 8.25 x 11-inches landscape format, 98 pages. Contains 126 B&W photos and two drawings. ISBN 978-09754-1839-0.
It is always a pleasure to see the latest book from Panzerwrecks. This new title, passed on to me by Mr. Auerbach at the 2009 AMPS Nats is no exception. It continues, in their usual format, to provide mostly new (or less-often seen) images of destroyed and abandoned German AFVs that were photographed in the last years of the war in the ETO, MTO and on the Ostfront. This particular volume concentrates on the detritus left on the field in the wake of the epic battles to consolidate and break out from the Normandy beachhead in the summer of 1944.
There is a brief bit of introductory text on the inside of the front cover, which sets the stage for what is to follow. It also gives proper acknowledgement to the host of henchmen who work behind the scenes to make these books as enjoyable and authoritative as they have become.
The photographic content is divided into three main parts: German Field Guns on the Lorraine Schlepper, 15cm Panzerwerfer 42, and Panzer-Lehr Wrecks During Operation Cobra. The first segment runs from pages one through 49, the second from pages 50 through 67, and the final one from pages 68 through to the back inside cover. The first two segments explain their content in the title. However this can be a bit misleading as segment one also has photos of Panthers, Tiger Is, four- and eight-wheel armored cars, StuG.IIIs, Marder IIs, Wespes, Sd.Ah.116 tank transporter trailers, and Panzerjäger IV L/48s. Segment two also covers various SP field, FlaK and PaK artillery, as well as Panthers and Pz.Kpfw.IVs. The final segment depicts Panther and Pz.Kpfw.IV medium tanks, and Sd.Kfz.250 and 251 half-tracks. In short: lots of variety.
The photos come from a many sources, some official and some from veterans collections. Several images are taken from motion picture film reels. What this means is that the quality of the original will vary due to the different technical means used to capture the images. The authors have used current digital imaging technology to enhance the photographs so that obscure details can be more easily viewed by the reader. This is especially useful when vehicle markings are involved. In fact, two small drawings by Barry Crook enhance one particular section devoted to a Panzer-Lehr Sd.Kfz.251. Be that as it may reproduction is excellent, again taking into account the original sources.
Captions are lively and informative. Indeed, the authors also made special efforts to use the captions written by some of the men who originally created the images. This further adds weight to what the authors deduce, as well as graphically showing that as has been surmised for some time, every German tank encountered was thought to be a Tiger by many of the allied troops who fought against them.
For students and modelers of German AFVs, this series has become highly-prized as a resource for those who are enamored of late-war types. Considering the quality of the product, and the information contained therein, this is as it should be.
Highly recommended.
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.
