The author of the bestselling Panzer IV at War delivers a highly illustrated look at “a key element in the German Blitzkrieg” during the Second World War (HistoryOfWar.org). In the aftermath of the Great War, which saw the introduction of the tank, the more far sighted military leaders realized that the future of warfare hinged on a balance of mobility, firepower and protection. Tanks would need to be accompanied into battle by supporting arms, specifically infantry, artillery and engineers. An all fully-tracked field army was thought to be too expensive, so the semi-tracked support vehicle (commonly called a halftrack) was born. The halftrack concept was embraced by France, the US and most notably Germany. The Germans commissioned numerous types of half-tracked tractors, which were classified by the weight of their towed load. These vehicles were designated Sonderkraffarzeug (special motorized vehicle), abbreviated as Sd.Kfz. These front-wheel steering vehicles with tracked drive transformed the fighting quality of the armored divisions. They carried the infantry alongside the advancing panzers and brought guns and pontoon-bridge sections. The halftrack also became the preferred reconnaissance vehicle. This latest addition to the highly successful and collectable Images of War series has a superb collection of rare images, supported by detailed captions and text, of the many Sd.Kfz variants in diverse theatres of war. It is worth reflecting that, without half-tracks, there could have been no Blitzkrieg.

Following in the best traditions of German ingenuity in design and construction of armoured vehicles, the SdKfz 251 firmly realised the concept of a competent cross-country tactical vehicle for armoured infantry units. So successful was this half-track that not only did a modified version of it remain in use with Czech forces well into the 1980s but also, ironically, the armoured infantry tactics that the Germans pioneered with it were adopted by Allied forces in the Second World War and helped them to achieve the eventual defeat of Germany. This book covers the genesis and development of the SdKfz 251, and details the numerous modifications and variations that sprang from combat experience.

From heavy tanks to self-propelled guns, this highly illustrated technical guide introduces all the main types of armored fighting vehicles used by Germany in World War II--organized chronologically and by type. Each of the 120 featured artworks displays authentic markings and color schemes, while the separate models include exhaustive specifications. This is a key reference for military modelers and World War II enthusiasts.

Explores the crucial role of motorcycles in the Nazi war machine, enhancing mobility and tactical effectiveness during WWII. The success of fast-moving Blitzkrieg tactics by the Nazi war machine depended on high mobility. With their on- and off-road capabilities, motorcycles became an important component of the Nazi war machine’s arsenal making a particularly significant impact in French and Russian campaigns. The motorcycles were used in a variety of roles including patrolling, intelligence gathering, and police duties in occupied Europe. Motorcyclists could be found in every unit of an infantry and Panzer division including headquarters which had a motorcycle messenger platoon. Their versatility also enabled them to survey enemy positions until coming under fire before reporting back with vital intelligence relating to enemy locations and strengths. The German industry produced wide range of motor-bikes for military use. By 1938 some 200,000 motorcycles were produced in Germany and occupied territories. The principal makes included BMW, DKW, NSU, Triumph, Victoria, and Zundapp. Sidecar combinations, often mounted with an MG34/42 machine gun, also made the bike a very effective weapon. By describing in words and contemporary images the role of the German motorcycle and motorcyclists during the Second World War, this Images of War book fills an overlooked gap in coverage of Nazi military capability. It emphasizes that the German military perfected the use of motorcycles and employed them more widely than any other army.

One of the most significant innovations in modern warfare has been the appearance and development of air power, a technology which demanded technical and financial investment on a whole new scale and which ultimately changed the fundamental nature of war itself. This book covers the history and development of the German air force from 1935 to 1945, with descriptions and illustrations of almost all of the Luftwaffe's airplanes, including fighters, jet fighters, dive-bombers, ground attackers, medium and heavy bombers, jet bombers, seaplanes, flying boats and carrier planes, transport and gliders, reconnaissance and training aircrafts, helicopters, and many futuristic projects and other rarities.

A rare collection of personal photographs following Nazi Germany’s airborne soldiers on their missions through the Balkans, Crete, and Russia. The photos in this book are taken from an unpublished album that belonged to a member of the elite German Paratroopers. First Sgt Wilhelm Plieschen served with Fallschirmjager Machine Gun Battalion 7, which suffered very heavy losses in the invasion of Crete, then saw bloody conflict as Hitler’s “Fire-fighters” on the Russian Front and later put up fierce resistance in places such as Monte Casino. The revealing images that Jon Sutherland has compiled for us depict these struggles in dramatic detail, ranging from photographs taken en route to Crete of the paratroopers in a JU52 to 20 May 1941, when Plieschen was dropped over Crete. Some show other paratroopers drifting down and others feature formations of German aircraft amidst flak. Additionally, Sutherland has included amazing images depicting Germans on the deck of the badly damaged and abandoned HMS York in Souda Bay. There are photographs showing Major Erich Schulz decorating paratroopers on Crete and the then Commander of the Fallschirmjager, General Kurt Student, inspecting the troops. We later pay witness to Plieschen in Russia, where outstanding rare photos of paratroopers in heavy winter camouflage clothing portray the men enduring the heavy fighting that occurred in the region. “This intriguing book for the military historian consists of 125 contemporary photographs of the German Elite paratrooper regiment the Fallschirmjager during World War II.” —HistoryOfWar.org