Customer Reviews

T-34 Russian Battle Tank

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The best thing about this book is the number of illustrations, mostly B&W, showing the T34 in its various models. The text explains the history of tank development in the Soviet Union which led up to the T-34, then provides a summary of WWII on the Eastern Front and some perspective on how the T-34 was involved.

However, this is strictly an introductory book. It does not provide detailed information on the differences between the variants of the T-34. If you are a modeler looking for reference material, this book has useful photos but it isn't the source to tell you exact differences in turret hatches between models. Similarly, while it covers the T-34's general employment in the war, it does not provide much in the way of tactical detail or low-level descriptions of combat.

The writing is stilted and poorly edited, but the authors' meaning can be discerned.

This book is a must have for any wwII armor enthusiast. As a crafter of wwII Russian and German military dioramas, I think it's a must have for detailed scale work. have fun.

Authors Hughes and Mann have created a very short, concise, accurate history of the T-34 Russian tank. The first 20 pages review the history of Soviet tank design before WW2, how they came about making the decisions that led up to this war winner. It was not at all inevitable, and it was a classic case of just enough of the right thing at the right time. Prototypes were introduced in 1939.

The T-34 evolved into a war winner, but original designs had serious flaws, along with lack of training, parts, supply and tactics, it would take several years to really take charge of the battle field. An almost perfect blend of protection, firepower and mobility combined with a staggering 40,000 produced led to victory. Many variants were made; many were exported to other countries. It saw service in Korea and other wars as well.

In addition to the text, there are six pages of color diagrams to show the T-34, and two pages of 3D cutaways. There are also photos of the interior of the tank and 3 pages of specifications. The book addresses the armor, weapons, design, and engine of the T-34. It is objective citing the flaws as well as its strengths. Not a perfect book for modelers, but provides a very readable, enjoyable and informative book about the Allies best tank of WW2. Given the size of the book, there really is not much to criticize.

It is more comprehensive than the Squadron/Signal T-34 in Action, but certainly not as thorough as the more recent T-34 Mystical Weapon. Originally priced at $18.00 it was a good buy and a solid addition to the library.