Books on WWII tactical tank combat?

[sightreader]

Most of the books I find on this topic are at a grander scale (i.e. books on Patton, Guederian, etc). Are there any books or accounts of individual tank crews and maneuver?

[Panzer Leader]

Panzer Commender by Hans von Lucke is pretty good, although not a lot of combat, and he is a recce commander, it is still good.

[Michael Dorosh]

FLAMETHROWER by Andrew Wilson (?) is about a Crocodile flamethrower tank commander; been awhile since I read it - good stuff about social history, not much on tactics, though the part about how a Churchill gets a Tiger or Panther (quoted also in OVERLORD by Max Hastings) is priceless.

[Slapdragon]

Besides a lot of good autobiographies, there are a number of studies, dissertation, and fact files on tacttical combat.

[Guest PondScum]

"What do the Germans have most of?"

"Panthers. The Panther can slice through a Churchill like butter from a mile away."

"And how does a Churchill get a Panther?"

"It creeps up on it. When it reaches close quarters, the gunner tries to bounce a shot off the underside of the Panther's gun mantlet. If he's lucky, it goes through a piece of thin armour above the driver's head."

"Has anybody ever done it?"

"Yes. Davis in C Squadron. He's back with headquarters now trying to recover his nerve."

"What's next on the list?"

"Tigers. The Tiger can get you from a mile and a half."

"And how does a Churchill get a Tiger?"

"It's supposed to get within 200 yards and put a shot through the periscope."

"Has anyone ever done it?"

"No."

[JonS]

"Against the Panzers" is pretty good. Its a small scale (tactical) study of how the US infantry dealt with Panzer attacks.

Amazon.com

Oh yeah - the books by Ken Tout are good also.

[ 09-26-2001: Message edited by: JonS ]

[ 09-26-2001: Message edited by: JonS ]

[Commissar]

You can try Thomas Jentz's "Germany's Tiger Tanks: Tiger 1 & Tiger 2 Combat Tactics"

Also check out the articles on CMHQ. They have a translation of a German pamphlet on proper armored tactics CMHQ's article

[kipanderson]

Hi,

Tank! By Ken Tout.

In my view, others will differ; the above book is by far the finest account of tank combat ever written. A moving a powerful account of combat from inside a British Sherman tank. You will not be disappointed.

All the best,

Kip.

[Redwolf]

Kenneth Macksey's "Tank Versus Tank".

I covers all periods, but very well. Good book, excellent illustrations, no gunkisser's information but combat explanationss. A few weeks ago in the bargin of B&N, $13 or so.

The only drawback is that it really focuses on tank versus tank and even doesn't handle tank versus tank destroyer.

Various unit histories come to mind as well, not explaining the combat mechanics, but "what happens when?".

[gaffertape]

I second Kip Anderson's recommendation of TANK by Ken Tout.

There's another book that I read recently that was also good - I'll have to check on the title and author.

GAFFERTAPE

[MikeyD]

Let me second commissar on that Jentz book. It also contains in the back 1st person U.S. tanker combat accounts of dealing with tigers.

[sightreader]

Wow! Thanks for the recommendations; sounds like Tout's TANK is the best place to start. I wonder if anyone made any decent movies about the tank experience. I saw some brief moments in "Kelly's Heroes" and there was that 80's propaganda film "The Beast", but beyond that I haven't seen anywhere near the coverage that there is for infantry and aerial combat.

[kipanderson]

Hi,

I have always wanted some one to do a “Das Boot” or “Saving Private Ryan” out of Tank!

One day some one will.

BTW, if you are willing to throw serious money at the problem, and are looking for a WW2 German tank manual with lots of very high quality photos, then Panzertaktik by Wolfgang Schneider is the book to go for.

But still get Tank!

All the best,

Kip.

[Berlichtingen]

Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks by Loza.

Quite an easy read and some very interesting tactics described

[John Kettler]

Try www.tankbooks.com. There, you'll find not only the amazing TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES for free online perusal, but dozens of accounts by combat veterans. If you go to Russian Battlefield (http://history.vif2.ru) you'll find all kinds of juicy stuff on the site proper (read about T-34 development, what the Russians thought of Lend Lease AFVs, Top Secret GRU reports on what the U.S. thought of the T-34 and KV-I, plus so much more), and there are links to Russian veteran sites. www.achtungpanzer.com has boatloads of stuff on the German armor, even sound files on songs sung by the troops. These should occupy you for a few months.

Regards,

John Kettler

[sightreader]

Hey, I noticed that "Tank" by Ken Tout is out of print, but some of his other books are still in print. Are they as good as "Tank"?

[Madmatt]

Death Traps by Belton Cooper. This man has seen more dead and burned up Shermans than any man alive.

Madmatt

[John Kettler]

I can't believe I forgot that, since I own the book!

There's also one by a British tank squadron commander whose name was Thomas, Tompkin or some such. He wrote one about his regular wartime experiences and another, recently released, called DESIGNED FOR DEATH, dealing with the fundamental design flaws of British tanks which doomed thousands of crewmen to death and dismemberment. FAMOUS TANK BATTLES, by Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Icks has lots of accounts from WWI on. BRAZEN CHARIOTS by Crisp is an absolute must read.

The books by Paul Carell (nom de plume for wartime Nazi press official Paul Carl Schmidt) give quite a perspective from the German side. There are two on the war in Russia (HITLER MOVES EAST, SCORCHED EARTH) and one on Normandy (INVASION: THEY'RE COMING!). Because of his direct access to combat troops throughout the war, his books have an immediacy and microtactical feel. He places you in the foxhole, the cockpit or tank turret. It's also a great place to read about

things like the "dead" Russian tank which comes to life in the courtyard of a German divisional HQ, what it's like to look out of your Normandy bunker and be greeted by 5000 ships and battleship fire, or the joys of hiding from the Jabos in the hedgerows while baking in a tank and depositing one's wastes in a shell casing. I think there's another one

covering North Africa.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

John Kettler

[sturmtiger101]

Hey now,

How about " Panzertruppen ", vol. #1 and 2, by T. Jentz? Excellent accumulation of reports written by platoon, company and battalion COs, plus lots of stats and diagrams on tactical formations. First vol for 1939 -42, second covers 1943 -45. Covers both east and western fronts.

Cheers,

Eric Tuggle

[Teamski]

Try this book: Hit Hard. I don't know the author (I'm coming back from the UK and my stuff hasn't got here yet, I'm with the USAF). Anyways, it's an autobiograhy of a Platoon Leader from a Black armored battalion in europe in WWII. Really good reading if you can find an old paper back copy of it. I also have to add my thumbs up for Crisp's Brazen Chariots. A classic!

-Ski

[sightreader]

I seem to remember reading "Brazen Chariots" when I was little; something about Africa, right? I didn't recall getting a lot of strategy out of it, but maybe that was because I was just too young...?

[Berkut]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Kettler:

I can't believe I forgot that, since I own the book!

There's also one by a British tank squadron commander whose name was Thomas, Tompkin or some such. He wrote one about his regular wartime experiences and another, recently released, called DESIGNED FOR DEATH, dealing with the fundamental design flaws of British tanks which doomed thousands of crewmen to death and dismemberment. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The book is called "Death By Design" written by Peter Beale who also wrote "Tank Tracks"

He served with the 9th battalion RTR, from 43 to 45. In Death by Design, he does attack British tank design and training given to the men who would have to go to war in tanks like the cromwell. What amazed me was the break down of the various depts involved in tank design, and the length of time taken to get the tank built.

Ken Touts books are a must have. He wrote three books in all, Tank, A fine night for tanks, and The bloody battle for tilly.

Ian Hogg's tank killing is also worth a look.

[Andreas]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Berkut:

The book is called "Death By Design" written by Peter Beale who also wrote "Tank Tracks"

He served with the 9th battalion RTR, from 43 to 45. In Death by Design, he does attack British tank design and training given to the men who would have to go to war in tanks like the cromwell. What amazed me was the break down of the various depts involved in tank design, and the length of time taken to get the tank built.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Second Tout, again.

Peter Beale was a troop (platoon) commander in 9th RTR (Churchills, NWE), and also wrote the history of 9th RTR, 'Tank tracks' - an excellent history of an ordinary unit.

I just picked up the regimental history of the East Riding Yeomanry 'Forrard' by Paul Mace today (and got to talk to the author, who also signed it - yeah!). Incidentially written by a troop commander, too. Looks quite interesting.

I looked at 'Death by design', and very seriously contemplated buying it (and 'death traps', and the history of the 70th US Tank BN, and whatnot - but they don't pay me enough to afford this hobby )

[Pilsudski's Raider]

"Brazem Chariots" is a good read. Ya gotta have respect for anyone that tools around in a Stuart tank in the open desert when there are German 88's lurking about.