The History of the Panzerjäger: Volume 1: Origins and Evolution 1939-42

by Thomas Anderson

Overview

The German Panzerjäger, or Panzerjägertruppe, was one of the most innovative fighting arms of World War II and its story has never properly been told. A few other books have focused on an element of the story—the Hetzer, Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanther—but this is the first time that the whole story of the development and organization of Nazi Germany's anti-tank force will have been covered, from its earliest origins in World War I, through its development in the interwar period, and its baptism of fire in the early days of World War II.

This is the first of two volumes that will trace the story through the glory years of Blitzkrieg and the improvements that were made when Soviet tanks were first encountered, leading to new weapons, tactics, and organization. It is packed with previously unpublished wartime photographs, combat reports, and detailed charts and statistics to give an unparalleled account of this unique arm of the Wehrmacht.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472817587
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	08/21/2018
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	879,304
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.60(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Thomas Anderson is a specialist in the German Armored Fighting Vehicle of World War II. He has spent decades trawling the archives throughout Germany and the rest of Europe to discover little-known facts and never previously published photographs of the might of the Blitzkrieg. A modeler, he regularly contributes to popular modeling and historical magazines across the globe including Military Modelcraft International, Steel Art, Historia Militar, Batailles & Blindes, as well as many others. The author lives in Uetze-Haenigsen, Germany.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

Chapter 1 The Interwar Years 16

Chapter 2 Spanish Civil War 54

Chapter 3 Early Heavy At Weapons 60

Chapter 4 Poland 74

Chapter 5 France 90

Chapter 6 Preparing for Seelöwe 132

Chapter 7 Close-combat Weapons 138

Chapter 8 Technical Changes 150

Chapter 9 Preparations for Russia 166

Chapter 10 North Africa 192

Chapter 11 The Invasion of Crete 214

Chapter 12 The Invasion of Russia 226

Index 300

Editorial Reviews

For someone like myself who was not familiar with the history of German anti-tank development, unit organization, and tactics, this book proved very enlightening. If you have an interest in the subject, but not a great deal of knowledge, then I can highly recommend getting this book for your reference library.” —IPMS

“I still enjoyed Anderson's informative effort. And I look forward to Volume 2. Recommended!” —Cybermodeler Online

From the Publisher