Customer Reviews

American Tanks of WWII (Enthusiast Color)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a brief look at the major armored vehicles of the U.S. forces during World War II. It has some interesting data that is not always readily available. The most interesting feature is that all of the photographs are recently taken of vehicles that are presently owned by individuals and museums. This gives the reader an appreciation of the number of vehicles that are preserved today and the excellent condition they are kept in

I reviewed the German twin to this book and as in that one, this is just a limited sampler of a few, and probably more representative U.S. Tanks in WWII.

This book though is more technically specific and less scattered as its German counterpart. The colored photographs are very accurate and the angles taken are documenting very well how these Shermans, Stuarts, Pershings and Hellcats, as well as some half-tracks looked in their glory days.

This is why I gave it a 5 easy stars. It is not so much for the color factor. Almost all vehicles are in dull Olive Drab or Olive Green, so do not expect some fancy camo here, like in the German twin. Rather expect to understand how many variants there were of just one vehicle and the history of its progression throughout WWII.

You actually get pictures of for instance, an M3A1 back to back with its later cousin, the M5A1.
You get the progression of the M2A1 half-track into the M3A2 and its variants, like the M16 (all well documented, with accurate reconstructions of these vehicles and their photos).

In this, the book is totally different in scope from its German counterpart.
While the German one documented the variants of German AFVs, from light to heavy and their various employments on the front, the present one deals more in the fast development of U.S. tanks in response to the German pressure put upon the American industry to respond to a very serious threat, which the German tanks represented.

There are some of the most beautiful pictures ever taken of the M18 Hellcat and M26/T26 Pershing, but also highly detailed interior photos of the M3A1 scout car and Half-Tracks used by the Infantry.

This, together with its "German" counterpart, added to Jean Restayn's highly informative drawings contained in "Tanks of World War Two", should enlighten anybody interested in modeling accurate replicas or just study in detail these "beasts of war".

Highly recommended.

This 97 page referance book, is fill with clear color photos. Gives good information of preserved examples in North America.
Subject cover are Scout cars, Half-tracks, light Tanks and Med. and Hvy tanks that were in use or in deveolpment at the end of WWII. Lots of detail photo that will help both the model builder and restorer alike. A lot of very usefull information is given on each subject. More than one photo is given. Thru out the book you will see commercial Ad's, from American car companys telling Americans which armored vehicles they produced.

IN A NUTSHELL: GREAT CLOSE-UP PHOTOS OF THESE TANKS IN THEIR NEW HOMES: MUSEUMS

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT:

Truly, no tank book has better large scale photos, but this book is more for tank modelers than history enthusiasts. Technical info about the equipment being shown is given, but the detail is lacking for the true tank enthusiast while operational histories, of interest to everybody, are almost completely absent. Also, the photos of the tanks shown are essentially of restored vintage tanks rather than of the tanks in action or during World War 2, when they last saw active service.

To this book's credit, it does show many heretofore unseen or difficult to find photo angles; such as, a Sherman Tank with the forward Glacis Armor plate removed [shows where the driver would be sitting inside the tank], and a variety of different series [M4-A,B,C etc.] of tanks with the same models; such as, a sampling of the different Shermans that were made as the war progressed, clearly showing the new features that evolved within the design [like the 76mm gun, or different escape hatches, cupolas and other details].

BOTTOM LINE:

A nice photo study about some of the American armored vehicles in World War 2 as they appear today.

This is a great book, with detailed photos of painstakingly restored fighting vehicles. The text is very heavy on the details, so you had better be interested in them or you may just end up napping! The author definitely has done his research, noting how headlight lens covers differ from the ones used during the war, and how the restoration crew placed armor rivets 1/2" farther left than the originals. Yes, it's that detailed!