The Men of the U. S. Armoured Forces, 1918 to the Present.
The pictorial history of America's armoured forces from the use of prototype tanks sputtering their way forward in 1918, to the complex technology of Operation Desert Storm. This book demonstrates just why these lethal troops were known as Hell On Wheels.

Conceived in the closing stages of the Second World War, Centurion arrived too late to see action against the German Panzers that had dominated that conflict. Although designed for warfare in Europe, it was not until 1951 that Centurions first saw combat in a completely different theatre - the rugged hills of Korea. It was not a fair proving ground for any tank but the Centurion was hugely successful. Its impressive performance under difficult conditions led to many overseas sales and the Centurion was destined to fight its major campaigns in the hands of foreign armies.

The Panzer division was the core of the blitzkrieg which devastated the antiquated doctrines of the allies during World War II. With historical record analysis, photographs and cartographic representation, this offers an insight into this devastation and how the tactic was ultimately directed.

Fallen Sentinel tells the story of Australian tanks in World War II, a dismal tale for both tankman and taxpayer. Against the backdrop of the sweeping conquest of Western Europe by Hitler's Panzers, the Australian Government, cash-strapped and resource poor, attempted to field its own tank force to do battle with the Axis forces. Three armoured divisions were created — and all three disbanded before they had seen action. In what became a prodigious waste of time, material, and human endeavour, sixty-six Australian cruiser tanks were produced — the Sentinel tank —none of which would ever take the field of battle. This is a book that portrays governments under pressure and the bureaucratic bungles that saw opportunities lost and precious resources squandered. Fallen Sentinel presents a careful dissection of government process in the crucible of war, a rare gem in an age when most wartime histories focus on the front-line soldier. Peter Beale presents a damning indictment of the frailty of government under pressure, a bureaucracy in crisis and the extraordinary failure of government process at the highest level. Modern-day governments would do well to heed the lessons of this book.

In 1900 a British motoring enthusiast, F. R. Simms, had the idea of mounting a machine-gun on the front of a quadricycle and installing a small petrol engine at the rear. His machine spurred on others to design similar "war cars", and the armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) was born. This book is the story of subsequent developments, and starts with an authoritative history of all types of AFV from from 1900-1945, covering a wide range of wheeled, tracked and semi-tracked vehicles. From the days before radio communication through to the end of World War II, the author highlights the varied roles AFV's have played, as well as how these adaptable vehicles have evolved and developed over time.

A highly illustrated and comprehensive reference guide to more than 60 tanks and amoured fighting vehicles from 1916 to the present day.

The Stuart light tanks were the first tanks taken into combat by US troops during WWII. Production of these vehicles can be broken into two categories: the early tanks powered by air-cooled radial engines, and late vehicles powered by twin V-8 engines. This volume explores the late vehicles with Cadillac water-cooled engines, the M5 and M5A1, as well as the M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage. Widely used by both the US Army and US Marines, as well as many Allied nations, these tanks, though lightly armed and armored, were mechanically sound and were widely used by US forces in Europe and the Pacific, as well as by Allied nations. Through dozens of archival photos, including previously unpublished images, as well as detailed photographs of some of the finest existing examples of these vehicles, this early-war combat vehicle is explored, and its history is explained.

This illustrated history of tanks and other wheeled and tracked fighting vehicles celebrates the vehicles and the work they have done on the battlefield. From early models like pre-1916 Holt and Hornsby tractors to today's self-propelled guns and howitzers, more than 200 vehicles from the United States and Europe are profiled. Featuring full-color illustrations and photographs, this volume is completely up-to-date and includes maps and accounts of major tank battles from World War I to the war in Iraq. This guide is an essential reference for anyone interested in military history and vehicles.

Published to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Normandy Campaign, Panzers in Normandy Then and Now is a detailed study of the German Panzer regiments in Normandy in 1944 as seen from the German side. The book is basically divided into two parts: the theoretical composition of the 1944 model of the panzer regiment, its equipment and personnel, and secondly, individual chapters on the seventeen panzer units which saw service in Normandy. In addition the book contrasts the scenes of the fighting that raged in the countryside and villages in this part of France with comparison photographs of the battleground as it is today. Research for this book also resulted in the discovery of the location of the grave of the most famous panzer commander, formerly listed as missing in action, when a Normandy roadside revealed its secret in 1983 as the last resting place of the victor of Villiers-Bocage, Michael Wittmann.

Tank design bureaus first became involved in the development of very heavy tanks after WWI. In addition to the militaries of Germany and England, the Soviet Union was also fascinated by these monsters. Behind it was the concept of transferring the heavy armament of naval warfare to land warfare. These superheavy vehicles were to move across the land the way battleships moved on the sea, and were to be capable of simultaneously defeating enemy forces from any direction. In this follow-up to his highly regarded work on the Panzerkampfwagen “Maus,” Michael Fröhlich turns his attention to the other superheavy Wehrmacht designs, such as the Grille 17, the Löwe VK 7001, the Räumer S, the Mörser Bär, the E-100 (successor to the Maus), and the 1,100-ton Urling armored howitzer. Fröhlich comprehensively describes their development, technology, and testing, and the eventual fate of those vehicles that were built or only projected. Many rare and never-before-published photographs and drawings of the vehicles complement this unique work.

The Waffen-SS panzer divisions were an integral part of Hitler's last great attack in the West in December 1944 and SS: Steel Rain covers their role in the attack in full. This hardcover reference book also analyzes the reasons why the Waffen-SSpanzer divisions were so successful in their battles. These included the coordination between tanks and mechanized infantry, the initiative shown by junior commanders and NCO's, and the creation of ad hoc battle groups to spearhead assaults. Above all, this book illustrates what can be achieved on the battlefield when highly motivated elite troops are equipped with excellent hardware and led by able and quick-thinking commanders. This book covers all the Waffen-SS's panzer battles in the West, including Normandy, Arnhem and the Ardennes. It includes 15 full-color maps that allow the reader to more fully understand and follow the actions of the Waffen-SS armored formations. It is also illustrated by 150 black and white photographs of Waffen-SS panzer divisions in the West between 1944-1945.