German Combat Equipment 1939-45 (Men at Arms Series, 234) [Paperback]

Gordon Rottman (Author), Ronald Volstad (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Men-at-Arms | Publication Date: April 25, 1991

The field equipment of the German Army in World War II was closely related to that used throughout World War I and earlier, yet it was of relatively light weight, ruggedly constructed, well designed, functional, and generally of a high quality, though this deteriorated in the later war years. A high degree of design standardisation was maintained in most categories of equipment, though materials and their colours often varied widely. There were also many different specialisations for the various arms of service as well as theatres of combat, such as the Afrikakorps in the Western Desert. This title investigates all manner of German combat equipments throughout World War II, from belt buckles to magazine pouches.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Packed with specially commissioned artwork, maps and diagrams, the Men-at-Arms series is an unrivalled illustrated reference on the history, organisation, uniforms and equipment of the world's military forces, past and present.

About the Author

Gordon L Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group until reassigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969–70. He entered the Texas Army National Guard in 1974 and was the full-time Operations Sergeant of 2nd Bn., 143rd Inf., 36th Airborne Brigade until 1980, when he assumed a similar position with Co. G (Ranger), 143rd Inf. Reverting to part-time status in 1986, he is now the Opposing Forces Group Operations Sergeant in the Army Reserve's 75th Manoeuvre Area Command in Houston. He is a civilian contract Special Operations Forces Intelligence Specialist at the Army's Joint Readiness Centre, Ft Polk.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (April 25, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850459524
• ISBN-13: 978-0850459524
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good introduction, July 25, 2004

By 

Michael A Dorosh (Calgary, AB, CANADA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: German Combat Equipment 1939-45 (Men at Arms Series, 234) (Paperback)

While you won't be able to assemble a set of full gear using this as a reference, this is an unbelievably good primer on the basics of German field equipment. Covers all basic items of kit very well, and gives dates of introduction, common colour shades, and extent of issue (ie to whom the items were issued and for what purposes).

Illustrations and colour plates top notch - clear and well laid out, rich with detail. Photos very good also, many unpublished ones, and of a uniformly high quality. Equipment and artifact photos a little poorly done, obviously taken outside in bright sunlight, making for harsh shadows and poor detail.

Overall, possibly the best basic guide out there, certainly for the money. Next step up would be Lee's SOLDAT series, which is more of an investment and lacks the clarity of Volstad's colour plates, but goes into more detail from a collector's point of view regarding variants and how to tell fakes from real items.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Splendid Volume, March 9, 2004

By 

"jpn607" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: German Combat Equipment 1939-45 (Men at Arms Series, 234) (Paperback)

This is an excellent beginner volume that covers all the basics, and in great detail. Perfect for modellers, re-enactors, or those weirdo adults who play with 12 inch dolls. Clear diagrams and pictures, and informed text captions. There is greater detail in the SOLDAT series by Cyrus Lee, and of course this doesn't compare to the now out of print work by Jack Angolia. But most people won't need all that. All the bases are covered with this one - very useful, and at a great price.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great reference, April 16, 2000

By 

Joseph Garcia (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: German Combat Equipment 1939-45 (Men at Arms Series, 234) (Paperback)

I am a collector of GI Joe's and other 12" Military figures and I have to say that this book is a great reference. The color drawings give the position of where most German soldiers put their gear on their harness'. I recommend it to all.