Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G, H and J 1942–45

Osprey New Vanguard #39

by Hilary Louis Doyle, Thomas L. Jentz, Tony Bryan (Illustrator)

The Panzerkampfwagen IV was one of the most numerous and successful German tanks of World War II. Despite the introduction of the Panther and Tiger tanks, the PzKpfw IV remained the backbone of the German armoured units until the end of the war. This book details all of the variants of the Panzerkampfwagen IV with the long guns 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43 and L/48. Until 1942 armed with a short 7.5cm KwK L/24, it was used primarily in an infantry support role. However with the upgrading to the long 7.5cm it became the main battle tank of the Panzer Divisions.

Genres: Military History, World War II

48 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2001

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little book on the later marks of the Pz IV, the workhorse of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS in WWII. Hilary Louis Doyle, an Irish WWII Armour expert, and Tom Jentz with a similar profile in the USA, go over the story of the Panzer IV- up gunned to a long 75mm for AT power. They start by letting the reader understand that the F1/F2 nomenclature, we have previously heard for the first models to have their low velocity 75mm replaced is incorrect. All F1s are Fs- and all F2s -are in fact early G models. That correction /simplification done- they get on with giving us the goods on the modernised versions of a tank the Nazis began the war with. This book, published in 2001, is number 39 in Osprey Publishing's New Vanguard Series, so it is filled with b/w pics, diagrams, tables and those excellent colour plates by Tony Bryan in the style of that company

These tanks were produced as is for the first year, but later G, and most of the Hs and Js were covered in low cost added armour skirts on Turrets and hanging off the sides called schurzen. They were also often covered with an anti magnetic paste/paint called zimmerit. In this book we see this develop and change to wire screens as the war progresses. Some tanks were also shared with Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, the Nazi's allies in WWII. Doyle and Jentz give us a narrative of another 1930s design that was stretched and improved over its lifetime to compete into the 1940s, although it was aging by the end of the war. A compelling package on one of the workhorses of the war.

There are few adult themes, and no graphic injury descriptions, so this is a good book for the Junior Reader over about 11/12 years. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast, this book is a good resource, although it is more gear oriented than combat history oriented. The Gamer gets some clarifications and lots of material about protection and gun capability. The Modeler gets a book on a type that will figure in many build and diorama development, if one is a WWII armour buff. For the Military Enthusiast, an closer look at one of the real iconic WWII tanks, one that was used as late as 1967, by the Syrians in the Six Day War. I was psyched when I found this book in a Thrift Shop- and glad I got a chance to read it.

[William Paley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid little book on a World War II German tank that was the workhorse of their forces.