The Tank Book

Pivotal to modern warfare, tanks have dominated the battlefield for over a century. Get up close to more than 400 military colossuses with this definitive visual guide to armoured vehicles. In 1916, the British built a vehicle that could pound the battlefield impervious to enemy fire, crushing obstacles and barbed wire in its path. The first tank, or "Mother" as it was known, had arrived. In The Tank Book you can view it in detail, along with other iconic models including the German Panzer, the legendary Tiger, the Vickers Medium Mark II, the Centurion, and the Hellcat - the fastest armoured fighting vehicle ever. This comprehensive volume takes you through the most exciting story in recent military history with the development of heavy artillery, anti-tank weaponry, and the men - such as Mikail Koshkin and Sir William Tritton - who designed these awe-inspiring beasts. Produced with The Tank Museum, The Tank Book traces the tank's development in response to two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War and many other conflicts. It shows each model in detail, highlighting details such as their performance, specification, armour, weaponry, and much more. If you are interested in modern warfare, The Tank Book is truly unmissable reading.

From the birth of the tank to unmanned vehicles and the tanks of the future, The Tank Book offers a truly definitive look at over 400 different tanks, produced in association with The Tank Museum. Take an up-close look at British, US, Russian, German, and French tanks, meet key designers such as Mikhail Koshkin and Sir William Tritton, and discover the ground-breaking technology behind such vehicles as the Centurion, Hellcat, SV Scout, and T-14 Armata, and the legendary Tiger tank Incredible photographic tours take you inside a variety of tanks, putting you in the seat of some of the most formidable vehicles to ever go to battle in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. Perfect for anyone with an interest in military history, The Tank Book is the ultimate guide to tanks and their role on the battlefield.

From the birth of the tank to unmanned vehicles and the tanks of the future, The Tank Book offers a truly definitive look at over 400 different tanks, produced in association with The Tank Museum. Take an up-close look at British, US, Russian, German, and French tanks, meet key designers such as Mikhail Koshkin and Sir William Tritton, and discover the ground-breaking technology behind such vehicles as the Centurion, Hellcat, SV Scout, and T-14 Armata, and the legendary Tiger tank Incredible photographic tours take you inside a variety of tanks, putting you in the seat of some of the most formidable vehicles to ever go to battle in World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. Perfect for anyone with an interest in military history, The Tank Book is the ultimate guide to tanks and their role on the battlefield.

A detailed history of France’s development of tanks and the combat the tanks served in during World War I, by an armored warfare expert. The French tank corps was an essential part of the French army from 1917 onwards, yet its history has been strangely neglected in English accounts of the Western Front. Using information derived from the French military archives at Vincennes—much of which has never been published in English before—author Tim Gale describes the design and development of the tanks, the political and organizational issues that arose between the French military and civilian bureaucracy, and the record of these pioneering fighting vehicles in combat. All the major engagements in which French tanks participated are depicted in graphic detail, often quoting directly from recollections left by individual tank commanders of their experience in battle, and each operation is assessed in terms of its impact on French tactics in general and on tank tactics in particular. The Nivelle offensive and the battles of Malmaison, the Matz, Soissons, and Champagne are featured in the narrative, and the actions of the French tanks serving with the U.S. army are covered, too. Much of the material in Tim Gale’s study will be entirely new to non-French speakers. The story will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in the Great War, the French army, military innovation and the history of armored warfare. Praise for French Tanks of the Great War “Gale’s book . . . is very easy to dip into.” —Military Modelling “It is a wealth of information and I would definitely recommend it.” —Forgotten Weapons

World War II is captured in hundreds of compelling images, presenting the people, places, and politics involved in the epic conflict. Enter the story during the lead up to war, be in on the strategies and outcomes of major military battles around the world, and understand the aftermath of a conflict that still influences and impacts our world today. You'll meet the key players in thought-provoking profiles and discover their experiences firsthand, from national leaders sounding the orders to combatants on the front line and civilians left behind. Standout moments, including Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and the D-Day landings, are revealed in rarely seen color photographs and unforgettable eyewitness accounts. Explosive photography, international maps, accessible text, and supporting timelines combine to show the most destructive event ever known in fascinating depth and detail. World War II: The Definitive Visual Guide provides an unparalleled account of this devastating conflict, so we never forget and continue to learn from the past.

Experience the world's most significant battles through bold, easy-to-grasp maps. Covering everything from the battlefields of the ancient world to the bomb-scarred landscapes of World War II and beyond, this ebook includes engrossing maps telling the story of history's most famous battles. Using brand new, in-depth maps and expert analysis, see for yourself how legendary military milestones were won and lost, and how tactics, technology, vision, and luck have all played a part in the outcome of wars throughout history. Additionally, historic paintings, photographs, and objects take you to the heart of the action; profiles introduce famous commanders and military leaders and analyze their achievements; and the impact of groundbreaking weapons and battlefield innovations is revealed. Bursting with lavish illustrations and full of fascinating detail, Battles Map by Map is the ultimate history ebook for map lovers, military history enthusiasts, and armchair generals everywhere.

Colorful and spellbinding, this is the combat autobiography of Sergeant Ralph "Zippo" Zumbro and the rarely told story of tank warfare in Vietnam. Zumbro's unit was the most highly decorated of the war, and his story is gripping reading for those interested in the Vietnam war and military nonfiction.

THE NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, LOS ANGELES TIMES, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER “A band of brothers in an American tank . . . Makos drops the reader back into the Pershing’s turret and dials up a battle scene to rival the peak moments of Fury.” —The Wall Street Journal From the author of the international bestseller A Higher Call comes the riveting World War II story of an American tank gunner’s journey into the heart of the Third Reich, where he will meet destiny in an iconic armor duel—and forge an enduring bond with his enemy. When Clarence Smoyer is assigned to the gunner’s seat of his Sherman tank, his crewmates discover that the gentle giant from Pennsylvania has a hidden talent: He’s a natural-born shooter. At first, Clarence and his fellow crews in the legendary 3rd Armored Division—“Spearhead”—thought their tanks were invincible. Then they met the German Panther, with a gun so murderous it could shoot through one Sherman and into the next. Soon a pattern emerged: The lead tank always gets hit. After Clarence sees his friends cut down breaching the West Wall and holding the line in the Battle of the Bulge, he and his crew are given a weapon with the power to avenge their fallen brothers: the Pershing, a state-of-the-art “super tank,” one of twenty in the European theater. But with it comes a harrowing new responsibility: Now they will spearhead every attack. That’s how Clarence, the corporal from coal country, finds himself leading the U.S. Army into its largest urban battle of the European war, the fight for Cologne, the “Fortress City” of Germany. Battling through the ruins, Clarence will engage the fearsome Panther in a duel immortalized by an army cameraman. And he will square off with Gustav Schaefer, a teenager behind the trigger in a Panzer IV tank, whose crew has been sent on a suicide mission to stop the Americans. As Clarence and Gustav trade fire down a long boulevard, they are taken by surprise by a tragic mistake of war. What happens next will haunt Clarence to the modern day, drawing him back to Cologne to do the unthinkable: to face his enemy, one last time. Praise for Spearhead “A detailed, gripping account . . . the remarkable story of two tank crewmen, from opposite sides of the conflict, who endure the grisly nature of tank warfare.” —USA Today (four out of four stars) “Strong and dramatic . . . Makos established himself as a meticulous researcher who’s equally adept at spinning a good old-fashioned yarn. . . . For a World War II aficionado, it will read like a dream.” —Associated Press

Soldiers that fly! Tanks that fly! Cruisers that . . . sink! What Fight Have Been My Tank Is Fight! contains a humorous and exciting examination of twenty real inventions from World War II that never saw the light of day. Each entry includes full technical details, a complete development history, in-depth analysis, and a riveting fictionalized account of the invention's success or failure on the battlefield. Lavish color artwork and technical illustrations are falling from the pages of this book like toenails from a trench foot. Dive under the Atlantic in the turreted U-Cruiser, or rule its surface from an aircraft carrier made out of ice. Shred bomber formations in a high-performance flying wing fighter and then rocket to your untimely end from the cockpit of your very own suicide missile. We've got a pair of German armored land vehicles for you that are so large they had to be powered by naval engines! My Tank Is Fight! delivers the thrilling action of the Second World War as it might have been with a touch of humor and a lack of class. Only the slow-witted are reading this anywhere other than in line at the cash register. Ask an adult to help you if you're still not sure you want to buy the book.