Introduction

This offering from Pen and Sword as part of their Tank Craft series and is on this occasion looks at Panther Tanks German Army Brigades Western and Eastern Fronts 1944-1945. This book as with all of the titles in this series are I feel an attempt to offer the modeller a combination package covering both reference on the vehicles and a look at the models available to replicate the Panther as a scale model.

The following portion of the introduction is from the Pen and Sword website:
In July 1944, with the Eastern Front crumbling and the first cracks appearing in the Normandy defences, Hitler ordered the creation of a new type of unit based on the ad-hoc Kampfgruppen which the Germans used so successfully throughout the war. Hastily assembled and short-lived these independent Panzer brigades nevertheless served on both fronts in some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict. The real striking power of the initial units would a battalion equipped with the Pzkpfw V Panther, perhaps the most effective armoured vehicle produced by Germany during the Second World War. In Dennis Oliver's latest volume in the TankCraft series he uses archive photos and extensively researched colour illustrations to examine the Panther battalions of the Panzer brigades that fought to hold back the Allied advance during the last months of 1944. A key section of his book displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate representation of these historic tanks.

Review

This offering from Pen and Sword is authored by Dennis Oliver; Dennis Oliver has authored nineteen of titles in this series and is at home covering both Allied and Axis armour. This is a soft backed book with a good card cover protecting 64 pages of semi gloss paper. The contents of this title are laid out as follows:

Introduction
The First Generation Panzer Brigades
The Second Generation Panzer Brigade
Camouflage and Markings
Model Showcase
Modelling Products
The Third Generation Panzer Brigades
The Other Panzer Brigades
Technical Details and Modifications
Product Contact Details

This offering from Pen and Sword for the most part covers what units got what panthers and when. You are provided with a brief outline of where the panther equipped units were if known and so is a useful reference to quickly find what units you wish to represent and where you intend to display that model you spent hours building and detailing. The photographs are well chosen and for the most part are a decent size, they also provide some interesting situations that the tanks found themselves in or ended their days and I really like that. The photographs are provided with captions and these are very well written.

What I think of as the modelling sections of the title starts with the camouflage and markings and this shows a number of Panther tanks from two aspects covering either the left or right side only, something I wish was not the case. Looking at these drawings does make me think that the green used is too green and this has been pointed out previously, but I can forgive this attribute as it still shows the patterns used in various cases. The models covered here are basically just builds and while it shows what can be achieved it does not explain how to get there. The models are as follows:

Panther Ausf A, 1/35th scale, by Alexander Pedan
Ersatz M10 Panther Ausf G, Panzer Brigade 150, 1/35th scale, by Eric D Wisdom
Panther Ausf G, Panzer Brigade 106, 1/35th scale, Du Wei Jie

The models and aftermarket offerings are reasonable well covered and I was surprised and pleased to see Meng and RFM model offerings covered in the title. Looking at what is provided will give any modeller at good look at what is available at there at this time.

Conclusion

This offering from Pen and Sword as part of their Tank Craft book series is I believe the fourth book in the series covering the Panther tank. This offering is the equal of those that have gone before and meet my expectations of the series as a whole. I appreciate that the photographs are a decent size in most cases which increases their value. The only down side I can think of is that the green in the drawings is too green in my opinion.