With rare, often unpublished photographs and complete captions, the book "Hitler's Heavy Tank Battalions" provides an excellent record of the Wehrmacht's heavy armored units in operations between 1942 and 1945.
In addition to the heavy tanks Tiger I and Tiger II, these units were equipped with Pz.Kpfw III tanks, Flakpanzer IV, self-propelled anti-aircraft Sd. Kfz 7/1, half-tracks Sd.Kfz 9 and 10, as well as Sd.Kfz 2 and Kettenkrad tractors. The Tigers required significant maintenance, and the armored recovery vehicle Berge Panther played a crucial role.
The heavy tank units fought on the Eastern Front, in Italy, and North West Europe before being pushed back to Berlin for the final defensive battles, and there are graphic photographs and descriptions of vehicles in operations on all these fronts.
Although feared by the Allies in the early years, these units suffered increasing attrition from anti-tank gunfire, air attacks, and mechanical problems.
Modelers and equipment enthusiasts will find this latest book in the "Images of War" series extremely useful and fascinating.
