The Panther

By Matthew Hughes and Chris Mann

Book Overview

In the early years of World War II the German panzer divisions swept aside all Allied opposition as they swarmed through Poland and France in the Blitzkrieg campaigns. However, during the German... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0760308411
• ISBN13: 9780760308417
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Motorbooks International
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.7" x 11.5"

Customer Reviews

Spotlight On An Overlooked Weapon

Almost anyone with a casual interest in WWII tank history is liable to be under the impression, fostered by popular movies, that the backbone of Nazi panzer units was the massive Tiger tank. Not so. While the Tiger was arguably the most powerful armored vehicle of the Second World War, the Panther was probably a more well-rounded weapon, nearly as well-armed and armored as its legendary cousin and significantly lighter and more mobile. Produced in far larger numbers than the Tiger, the Panther was the true mainstay of German armor during the second half of the war. "The Panther Tank," by Drs. Matthew Hughes and Chris Mann, is a solid, well-researched and handsomely illustrated showcase for one of the best armored vehicles of the 20th-century. Complete with scale drawings, cutaways, and full specifications of the Panther--including its several variants, such as the fearsome Jagdpanther tank destroyer--and all its major rivals (the American Sherman, Russian T-34, etc.), this book gives a complete general history of the Panther from the development stage to the last stand at Berlin. However, the word "general" is key. While Hughes and Mann have compiled a wealth of information, most of it is conveyed in very broad strokes. As a strategic guide to the overall place of the Panther in the ground war for Europe, "The Panther Tank" is exceptional. But the lack of tactical specifics is a distinct drawback. More first-hand accounts from German Panther crews, or even from allied tankers who had to confront the Panther, would have made this a much better book.Still, Hughes and Mann have made a valuable contribution to tank scholarship. As a guide to the Panther's overall role in the German war effort or an introduction to a weapon often eclipsed by the mythical Tiger, "The Panther Tank" is an outstanding value.