T-34 in action - Armor No. 20 [Paperback]

Steven Zaloga (Author), James Grandsen (Author), Don Greer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1983

T-34 in Action

Product Details

• Paperback: 50 pages
• Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications; 1st edition (November 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897471121
• ISBN-13: 978-0897471121
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steven Zaloga is a senior analyst for Teal Group Corp., an aerospace consulting firm. His professional specialization is the commercial and technological aspects of the international trade in missiles, precision guided munitions, and unmanned aerial vehicles. He also serves as an adjunct staff member with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think-tank.

Mr. Zaloga has published numerous books and articles on military technology and military history. His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He has been a special correspondent for "Jane's Intelligence Review" and is on the executive board of the "Journal of Slavic Military Studies". From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/director for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series "Firepower" that aired on The Discovery Channel in the US.

Mr. Zaloga was born in 1952 and received his BA in history from Union College, Schenectady, NY. He received an MA in history from Columbia University specializing in modern East European history, and did graduate research and language study at Uniwersitet Jagiellonski in Krakow, Poland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars T-34 Soviet war winner, December 23, 2009

By 

cpt matt (tanktown, DE) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: T-34 in action - Armor No. 20 (Paperback)

There have been thousands of arguments over what is the best tank of WW2. Germany's Panther or Tiger, the US Sherman or the Soviet T-34? All tank designs are compromises to achieve the best possible blend of armor protection, firepower and mobility. Add to these, ability to mass produce and maintainability.

The T-34 was just beginning mass production when the Germans invaded Russia. The normal teething problems, having to build new factories while being attacked by German Blitzkreig and poor tactics led to early defeats of the T-34, but as the Russians adapted new tactics, this vehicle was essential to Soviet and Allied victory. The T-34 proved adaptable leading to many varients such as self propelled guns, larger armament (T-34/85) and served in many different nations as late as the 1970's. It was manueverable, survivable and had a great punch. Author Steven Zaloga takes the reader through all of this in brief but informative text.

This book is an excellent blend of narrative, photos(interior, exterior, all fronts and weather conditions), line drawings, cut-aways and 2 pages of color plates. All versions are covered from the early production models to the 1944 version T-44. There may be other, more expensive books on the T-34, but this is perfect for modelers and armor buffs alike. A great addition to anyone's bookshelf, highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Photo Essay on the T-34, March 26, 2003

By 

Gerald P. Owens (Pompano Beach, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: T-34 in action - Armor No. 20 (Paperback)

This Squadron/Signal publication was the first serious attempt to document in photographs the development of the Russian T-34 tank. Author Zaloga is one of the foremost experts on Soviet era armored fighting vehicles, and he did an excellent job considering that this was published before the fall of the Warsaw Pact opened up the Russian state archives. The book has a wide format, and the pictures are well-reproduced on glossy paper. There are also numerous small sketches illustrating vehicle fittings and changes made over the course of production. The centerspread features color drawings of vehicles in period markings. Overall, the book has held up remarkably well over the years, and deserves a place on the bookshelf of all AFV enthusiasts.