German Assault Guns and Tank Destroyers 1940 - 1945

by Anthony Tucker-Jones

Overview

The assault guns and tank destroyers deployed by the Wehrmacht during the Second World War are not as famous as tanks like the Tiger and Panther, but they were remarkably successful, and they are the subject of Anthony Tucker-Jones's wide-ranging photographic history. As the conflict progressed, the German army had to find a use for its obsolete panzers, and this gave rise to the turretless Sturmgeschütz or assault guns designed for infantry support. From 1944 onwards they played a vital role in Nazi Germany's increasingly defensive war.

A selection of rare wartime photographs shows the variety of turretless armored fighting vehicles that were produced and developed – various models of the Sturmgeschütz III, the Sturmhaubitze, Jagdpanzer, Panzerjäger, Marder, Hetzer. Often a lack of tanks meant that these armoured vehicles were called on to fill the panzer's role, and they proved ideal during the Germans’ defensive battles on the Eastern Front as well as in Italy and Normandy – they were instrumental in delaying Germany's defeat.

This highly illustrated account provides is a fascinating introduction to one of the less well-known aspects of armored warfare during the Second World War.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473845992
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	11/24/2016
Series:	Images Of War
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	1,015,813
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Anthony Tucker-Jones is a former defense intelligence officer and a widely published expert on regional conflicts, counter-terrorism and armored and aerial warfare. He is the author of over thirty books, is security and terrorism correspondent for intersec – The Journal of International Security, and has freelanced for Channel 4 News.

Table of Contents

Introduction: An Independent Weapon 7

Photograph Sources 11

Chapter 1 Sturmgeschütz III Ausf A, B, C/D and E 12

Chapter 2 Sturmgeschütz III Ausf F and F/8 24

Chapter 3 Sturmgeschütz III Ausf G 39

Chapter 4 Sturmhaubitze 42 54

Chapter 5 Sturmgeschütz IV and Jagdpanzer IV 64

Chapter 6 Panzer IV/70(V) and 70(A) 74

Chapter 7 Panzerjäger Marder I, II and III 85

Chapter 8 Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer 102

Chapter 9 Panzer or Assault Gun? 114