Books - Allied/axis vehicles and troops

[Apache]

Bit of a tall order this. I passed up a book in a second hand shop today because half of it was WW1 based (I might still go and get it for the other half which was all German and WWII).

What I'm after is a book which gives pictures, some specification (not down to viscosity of engine oil), descriptions of how used and by whom, re allied and axis combat vehicles. Infantry units too if possible. Does anyone have any ideas of anything that might fit the bill. Even two books at a push. At least the one I passed up contained tanks, 1/2 tracks and support vehs etc. plus infantry weapons, AT and artillery (a creeping sense of failure hits me as I type this description).

There is one called 'Armored fighting vehicles of WWII' by George Forty, on sale in a 'net' bookshop. Anyone got/seen it?

[This message has been edited by Apache (edited 02-24-2001).]

[Guest Michael emrys]

Originally posted by Apache:

There is one called 'Armored fighting vehicles of WWII' by George Forty, on sale in a 'net' bookshop. Anyone got/seen it?

I have it and it's okay but incomplete, so I wouldn't begin there.

A few selections from my own collection:

British and American Tanks of World War Two by Chamberlain & Ellis.

Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two by Chamberlain, Doyle, & Jentz. This one's a real winner and is out in a second edition now I believe.

German Tanks of World War II: The Complete Illustrated History of German Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1926-1945 by F.M. von Senger und Etterlin.

A series of WW2 Fact Files by Chamberlain & Gander including:

Allied Pistols, Rifles, and Grenades

Machine Guns

Mortars and Rockets

Infantry, Mountain, and Airborne Guns

Light and Medium Field Artillery

Heavy Artillery

Anti-Tank Weapons

Anti-Aircraft Guns

Self-Propelled Anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft guns by Chamberlain and Milsom.

German Infantry and Assault Engineer Equipment 1939-1945 by Chris Ellis. This is especially nice as it gives the complete TO&E of the 1942 German Infantry Regiment too.

German Infantry Weapons of World War II by A. J. Barker.

Russian Infantry Weapons of World War 2 by A. J. Barker & John Walter.

That's just a smattering but these books all contain a fair amount of hard data and most of it seems pretty reliable. I have more, including more books on Soviet, British, German, Italian, French, and American armor, books on artillery, etc. But this list should get you off to a start. Many of these titles may be out of print by now, but they still turn up in used book stores and some collectors publish lists for sale from time to time.

Good hunting,

Michael