I am trying to expand my library as best I can with a limited budget. One way I do this is to buy used books, the other is to do my best to research my purchases before making them. I am an armor geek, I know this because I thoroughly enjoyed Zaloga's Armored Thunderbolt. Every page. I look forward to some of Jentz' books on the Panther and Tiger, when I can afford them. To the point. What armor books do you all recommend? I'm not talking general history or tanker's memoirs but good, full of fact, well researched stuff like Hunnicutt's Sherman...(yeah, I know not many reach that level) or Jentz' Panzertruppen. I always hope I will come across something full of good info that I haven't seen in a bibliography or book list yet.
The Spielberger series is pretty good/thorough on German gear. Often seem to be reasonable prices on US eBay too. Some issues with translation cloud a few of 'em (eg; Panzer I & II vol, volume apparently translated by someone with no knowledge of technical German), but overall they're pretty impressive/useful (Careful while searching, as he also wrote a few bellona pamphlets with similar titles to the main series). Jentz/Doyle's 'Panzer Tracts' series are superb, but not really books in the full sense. I'd advise having a proper look before buying as the production values have disappointed a few. On my own main interest area of British armour, the in-depth coverage has been sadly pretty thin for years, David Fletcher's HMSO/Tank Museum series standing out as genuinely worthwhile (essential) and overdue a reprint - I bang on about 'em, but they are that good. His recent-ish book on the Churchill is also very good. He not only knows his stuff, but has that rare ability to write on technical development with a bit of style: Mechanised Force. The Great Tank Scandal. The Universal Tank. Mr Churchill's Tank. Some of these can go for silly money, but crouching on eBay for a couple of years pays off. Good luck, few things more satisfying than picking up a solid armour book on eBay that nobody else noticed . ~A
Armor, either history of development and/or use. I know titles like Faint Praise, T-34 Mythical Weapon, Sherman: History of the Amer Med Tank, Armored Thunderbolt, Panther: Quest for Armored Supremacy and the like. I like to learn about the design stages of tanks, their combat employment and the results of it. I like books on tactics (planning on getting the Nafziger books), comparisons of tanks (like the Osprey series.) Hope that helps. Thanks.
I'd second VP's opinion of the HMSO/tank museum books - they are sometimes a little short on the exciting, but chock full of facts and incredible detail. They do however churn out some books which are essentially an abridged version of the service manual of the tank with a few pages of history as an intro - excellent if that's what you want and not badly priced, but be aware not the same as the Fletcher ones if looking online
For development in the early years I would recommend "On Armor" Gudmundsson. To follow that I would recommend "The Roots of Blitzkrieg" James Corum. Both of those add some good quality to any library on the early development of armored doctrine and tanks. Some nice additions to your research library that are free if you know where to look and download are: Nachrichtenblatt der Panzertruppen Tigerfibel and Pantherfibel Just use freetranslation.com for ease of use, cut and paste whole sentences.
Well I have his 'Panther versus Sherman" , "M4/76mm", "Lorraine 1944", The Siegfried Line 1944-45", Operation Cobra 1944" and Kasserine Pass 1943" books.
