Panzer I & II

Visual Modelers Guide

Steel Series Vol. 4

 

 

 

Book Specifics:

Authors: Daniele Guglielmi and Mario Pieri

ISBN  798-84-17846-31-2

Price: $27.99

Soft cover 11.5"x8.5"  74 pages, over 190 high quality images.

 What's Inside

This is a visual guide to the German Pz.Kpfw I and Pz.Kpfw II light tanks aimed at giving modelers a series of walk-around images to aid in adding detail to our builds. The book is presented in English, Spanish and French and separated into sections for the following main versions of the subject matter:

PZ I Ausf. A

PZ i Ausf. B

Panzerbefefehlswagon I Ausf. B

PZ I Breda

PZ II Ausf. C

PZ II Ausf. F

PZ II Ausf. L (Luchs)

 

Each major vehicle's sections starts out with a history section and period photos and line drawings of the subject.

 

After the history section there is a listing of technical specs and production figures, including known variants, again accompanied by period photos.

Once we're past the specs we are on to the main event, full color large and lovely photos of the various tanks from museums around Europe.  The Pz. Is are from Madrid (in colorful Spanish Civil War makings) and Munster, others tanks throughout the book are from Bovington in England and Saumur in France 

The major versions have 8-10 pages of photos, focusing on things that modelers want to see, like engine decks, running gear, fenders, turrets, vision ports etc.

The radio tank has fewer pages, but they still do a nice job of covering the unique features of the unique superstructure.

The Breda version of the Pz. I is the one deviation from the inclusion of modern photos (I suspect none survive).  This version has a couple pages of small period photos in black and white and a history in each language.  There is a discussion of the scarcity of reference photos, but I suspect the recent Ammo by Mig version of the tank in 1:16 scale might have something to do with this inclusion.

The Pz.Kpfw. II receives similar treatment as the Pz. I.  It begins with history and technical data with a list and production numbers for all variants.  This is accompanied by period photos, including samples of many of the variants.  The book then proceeds to museum photos of the Ausf. C and Ausf. F, each version getting a similar close-up view of details                                

 

 

 

The Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. L, aka the Luchs, gets a similar treatment with it's own historical write-up and photos of two vehicles from France and England.  Differences between the two are mentioned in a couple captions.

 

 

 

The book finishes with 4 pages of color profiles of the tanks in the book with sample markings (with the Breda Pz. I getting a large disproportionate number of plates).  The plates are nice and give a good flavor of the types of marking and colors these vehicles might have worn.  

 

 

Conclusion:

 While it should be noted there are no interior shots (and most hatches are closed ), this is a nice survey book geared for most modelers.  There are sufficient photos to cover a lot of basic details, although the more exacting modeler will want to look for more in depth resources.  The photos and art are very clear, large and well presented. For each tank they show, they identify the source vehicle and have a little story of it's specific history and how it got to it's home museum.  Every photo has detailed captions that often highlight details of note.  I was pleased to see that, although I believe the original text throughout was in Spanish, the English translations are smooth and don't have any of the problems that translations sometimes have.   I can't speak for the quality of the French text.  Although museum samples can sometimes have issues with the changes in paint and fixtures over the years, the basics remain and I'll be looking here for future builds for initial research.

 

Highly Recommended for Beginner to Advanced builders of this early German series of tanks..

Thanks goes out to Ammo by Mig Jimenez for this review sample.

Reviewed by Dave Mckenny

 

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