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Books on Armor

Started by Jarhead0331, May 21, 2021, 08:34:49 AM

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Jarhead0331

I just finished reading Spearhead by Adam Makos and its reinvigorated my interest in Second World War U.S. and allied armor. I went to my home library and was shocked to find dozens of books on panzer divisions, the panzerwaffe, panzer tactics, panzer commanders, Tigers, Panthers, Panzer IIIs and IVs, etc., but hardly anything noteworthy devoted to U.S. tanks or AFVs. I do have one great book on the Sherman published by Casemate, and another great volume on Soviet tanks in WWII, though these are the only exceptions.

Can anyone recommend a good resource title that covers U.S. and/or allied armor forces from approximately 1940 - 1945? I'm interested in a large overview of all tanks, including light, medium and heavy and I like a lot of technical data, photos and information on organization and tactics.  I recently ordered this one from amazon, but it has not arrived yet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1782009310/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Pete Dero

Into the Breach: The Life and Times of the 740th Tank Battalion in World War II
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Breach-Times-Battalion-Revised-ebook/dp/B075832XTL

Tank Commander: From the Fall of France to the Defeat of Germany: The Memoirs of Bill Close
https://www.amazon.com/Tank-Commander-France-Germany-Memoirs-ebook/dp/B00GS8A3UA

The Tank Killers: A History of America's World War II Tank Destroyer Force
https://www.amazon.com/Tank-Killers-History-Americas-Destroyer-ebook/dp/B0041D8342

American Knights: The Untold Story of the Men of the Legendary 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion
https://www.amazon.com/American-Knights-Legendary-Destroyer-Battalion-ebook/dp/B01BY306IC

US Tank and Tank Destroyer Battalions in the ETO 1944–45
https://www.amazon.com/Destroyer-Battalions-1944-45-Battle-Orders-ebook/dp/B01BY3AJUW

US Armored Divisions: The European Theater of Operations, 1944–45
https://www.amazon.com/US-Armored-Divisions-European-Operations-ebook/dp/B01BY3AJUM

US Marine Corps Tanks of World War II
https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Corps-Tanks-World-Vanguard-ebook/dp/B01BY34ACA

French Tanks of World War II
https://www.amazon.com/French-Tanks-World-War-II-ebook/dp/B01BY34M9Q

British Battle Tanks: British-made tanks of World War II
https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/british-battle-tanks-british-made-tanks-of-world-war-ii

British Battle Tanks: American-made World War II Tanks
https://www.amazon.com/British-Battle-Tanks-American-made-World-ebook/dp/B07FS9KJV2

Sherman: The M4 Tank in World War II  (this is probably the one you mentioned)
https://www.amazon.com/Sherman-Story-Casemate-Illustrated-Special/dp/1612007392

M4 Sherman Tank Owners' Workshop Manual: An insight into the history, development, production, uses, and ownership of the world's most iconic tank
https://www.amazon.com/Sherman-Tank-Owners-Workshop-Manual/dp/0760342946

Sherman Medium Tank 1942–45
https://www.amazon.com/Sherman-Medium-Tank-1942-45-Vanguard/dp/185532296X

Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II
https://www.amazon.com/Armored-Thunderbolt-U-S-Sherman-World/dp/0811704246

The definitive visual history of tanks and armoured vehicles
https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/the-tank-book

TANKS - The History of Armoured Warfare
https://tankmuseumshop.org/products/tanks-100-years-of-armoured-warfare


Jarhead0331

Well, thanks. I've come across most of those in my own searches. Not exactly what I'm looking for. Most of those are narrative type books.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Pete Dero

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on May 21, 2021, 09:57:49 AM
Well, thanks. I've come across most of those in my own searches. Not exactly what I'm looking for. Most of those are narrative type books.

I knew that but I don't know if much more exists on what you are looking for.  This is what I have in my collection. 
More people are into German tanks and books must sell.

I'm sure you know Osprey also has some publications that touch this subject : https://ospreypublishing.com/store/military-history/period-books/world-war-2?filterSeries=New%20Vanguard

Jarhead0331

The problem with the Osprey collections is that they are so compartmentalized. You know, "British light tanks in the North Africa 1941-1942"...I need to buy 20 books to get a solid resource on the topic. But, yes, they are nice and I do have a number of them.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


demjansk1942

Read, Tigers in the mud by Otto Darius and you can get the full audio version right here
https://youtu.be/zrZCIiXg7wQ

This guy has full audio on books through tube

Jarhead0331

Quote from: demjansk1942 on May 21, 2021, 02:52:22 PM
Read, Tigers in the mud by Otto Darius and you can get the full audio version right here
https://youtu.be/zrZCIiXg7wQ

This guy has full audio on books through tube

Have it. I'm specifically looking for technical resource books on Allied and US Armor. I have more than enough on German tanks.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Pete Dero

https://www.amazon.com/Weapons-Tankers-American-Armor-Battle/dp/0760323291

Not books but resource material :

https://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~dbertuca/miniatures/ref-ww2.html (World War Two Reference Guide for Gamers and Modelers )

https://history.army.mil/documents/ETO-OB/ETOOB-TOC.htm (Order of Battle of the U.S. Army, World War II, European Theater of Operations, Divisions)
https://history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/resmat/ww2list.html (Online Bookshelves - Books and Research Materials - World War II)

Jarhead0331

Quote from: Pete Dero on May 21, 2021, 03:18:09 PM
https://www.amazon.com/Weapons-Tankers-American-Armor-Battle/dp/0760323291


I saw that one too. Makes me nervous. Only 128 pages. I want something beefy. Something like this for instance, which is a three volume set:

https://www.amazon.com/History-Panzerwaffe-1939-42-General-Military/dp/1472808126

Each one is at least 300 pages and they are filed with great technical information on the men, vehicles, OOB, tactics, etc.

Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Tripoli

#9
Battle lessons from a British armoured division (WWII)  Can be downloaded from the Command and Staff War College site here: https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4013coll8/id/4359/rec/5


There are other documents there you may find interesting

"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln



ArizonaTank

For technical information, this might work for you: American Tanks & AFVs of World War II, by Michael Green

but this book would not cover tactical and organizational info.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Tanks-World-General-Military/dp/1782009310/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1621694463&sr=1-11
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Jarhead0331

Quote from: ArizonaTank on May 22, 2021, 09:55:42 AM
For technical information, this might work for you: American Tanks & AFVs of World War II, by Michael Green

but this book would not cover tactical and organizational info.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Tanks-World-General-Military/dp/1782009310/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1621694463&sr=1-11

That's the one I linked in the first post. It's on order,
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


bobarossa

#14
Have you tried the War Thunder wiki on ground vehicles?
https://wiki.warthunder.com/Ground_vehicles
Select the country you want to research and you'll get a tree of vehicles in war thunder.  Click on the vehicle image and you get a page of technical data with references at the bottom.   They did a ton of research on the vehicles in their game.

And following the reference link on the M3 (105) Sherman led me to this site
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/us/m4_sherman

and eventually I found this: 
British and American Tanks of World War Ii; The Complete Illustrated History of British, American and Commonwealth Tanks by Peter Chamberlain
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0668018674/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=tankencyclope-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0668018674&linkId=641259c9721e4e97a7a60f052d371457
Reviewers say lots of technical detail. Only available used.