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- Martin Lange
This book is about the build-up, organization, duties & responsibilities, and the action of German tank maintenance units in World War II. For the first time, throughout all of the varied publications covering the Panzerwaffe, the interesting and necessary chapter of the mechanical and technical side of the combat units is highlighted!
No one can possibly attain a complete comprehension of the tank war itself without an understanding of the time devoted to the recovery and maintenance of the combat vehicles because: one hour of tank operation required ten hours of technical service
(Alfred Rubbel, s.Pz.Abt.503)
The book starts with an historical introduction from the Middle Ages through the Reichswehr and ultimately to the Wehrmacht.
The 2nd chapter is about the organization of the maintenance units, from the I-Gruppe to the home-maintenance. Which unit was assigned to which level and how were they equipped with men and transport?
Because of the huge differences between the K.St.N. and reality, not only the theory, but also the reality is shown with the help of many examples, veterans' and POW reports. This is what makes this book special and interesting. Highlighted units include the s.Pz.Abt.503, 506 and 508 and the 8th and 11th Panzerdivisions. Further units included are listed in the index.
The 3rd tells which maintenance unit was charged with which work and how much time was necessary to do each job. A special part concerns spare-parts production and distribution.
The differing combat situations and conditions, attack, retreat, road-marching etc. and what they meant for the maintenance are described in the 4th chapter, beginning with the story behind the famous Tiger 114 of the s.Pz.Abt.503 during the Battle of Kursk, as told by the commander Alfred Rubbel himself.
Of most of the veterans that share their stories with us in the book, a little portrait is made. They show how different their ways were to the maintenance units. An in-depth look is taken at Martin Lange's history, the veteran with whom I've started the whole project. He saw his first action with the first Panthers deployed during the Battle of Kursk. Chapter 6 tells the story of his unit - the 11th Panzerdivision, always from the point-of-view of tank maintenance. The Appendix is a part of the book as any other chapter. Its contents can be seen in the Index. I'd like to point out an article from Volker Ruff about the Strabo crane, of which three different versions can be distinguished. Sketches show how it was deployed and then folded back together again - ready for road-transport. A photo file is added in the style of the Nuts&Bolts magazines. I also included another article with the help of Tiger veteran Alfred Rubbel concerning changing the tracks of a heavy tank step-by-step. The article is complete with amazing shots of Panthers of the 5th SS-Panzerdivision "Wiking".
This book lives from the many stories and examples provided by veterans, many POW reports that were made by the US-Army, diagrams, original documents and the over 220 photos, of which many have never been published before.
I'm sure that the text will also be understandable by readers that are not very familiar with the German language, once one knows the technical terms that consistently repeat.
I wish everybody an interesting reading,
Yours truly,
Lukas
Where do you have this all from? That's exactly how it was!
This book is not good, it is very good!
The book was so interesting that I've read it in 2 days
I've bought the book just because of the photos and never had the intention to actually read it. But then I've read it within days. Congratulations on how you achieved making such a thrilling book out of this dry subject.
Tamiya Model Magazine International, no. 123 Scanned reviewArriving recently at the TMMI office, this newly published book is the type of publication that will actully, physically make your mouth water if you are into WW2 German armour and its trappings. Contained with the 200+ pages is an irresistable array of images of German vehicles (Tigers, StuGs, Panthers, Famos and trailers and lots more), in carious states of recovery, repair, replenishment and ruin, all of which present some fascinating details and diorama ideas for the modeller.
This book describes the organisation, deties and deployment of German tank maintenance units during the Second World War, making it rather unique in that respect. It's impossible to gain a full understanding of the tank war itself without an appreciation of the resecources and time devoted to the recovery and maintenance of combat vehicles - it was a massive and vital undertaking, with on average one hour of tank operation requiring ten hours of maintenance.
The test is entirely in German so it's a little difficult for us non-German speakers to find out the background to the images, but the book is still an Aladdin's cave of information and should be snapped up by anyone who likes to paw over previously unpublished black and white photographs of vehicles being fixed... We love it!
Large format, hardbound, 208 pages, over 220 photos, most of them unpublished, plus diagrams, charts and documents.
Price 35.00 Euro or 55.00 CHF (Swiss Francs) plus shipping.
