Ampersand is preparing three new books in their line of Visual History. They will cover the M10/Achilles tank destroyer, German Motorcycles of WWII and Panzer II.

A Visual History of the U.S. Army's WWII Tank Destroyer
In 1942 and after some months of development a design was finalized for a vehicle sharing the suspension, lower hull, and engine with the M4A2 but with an upper hull made up from thinner, but sloping, armored plate. Initially designated T35E1, when the design was standardized it was redesignated M10. In addition to the 6,700-plus Diesel-powered M10 tank destroyers, a further 1,700 M10A1 vehicles were built, these being driven by Ford GAA gasoline engines.

While the 3-inch weapon of the M10 was superior to that found on earlier U.S. tank destroyers, it was inadequate against the ever-increasing weight of German armor. The British addressed this by rearming some of the 1,700 M10s that they received with the superb Ordnance Quick Firing 17-pounder antitank gun. These vehicles were designated by the British as 17-pdr. SP M10 Mark 1c. After the war the name Achilles was given these vehicles.

The book has 128 pages and its photo coverage includes plentiful period shots and copious amounts of detail photos of the M10, M10A1 and Achilles.

German Motorcycles of WWII, Part 1
The Germans developed and used the motorcycle as an instrument of offensive warfare, perhaps more than any other nation in WWII. The major tasks of these units were mopping-up for the following troops and employment as an advance guard, surprise raid-like attacks against an opponent’s flanks and rear, as well as pursuit of the opponent. A wide variety of machines were deployed for these tasks, both impressed and adapted civilian models, as well as variety of purpose-built military motorcycles. This distinctive reference combines rare vintage photographs with photos of superbly restored German WWII motorcycles. The first of a multi-part series on the subject, this volume features large, full-color detail photos of the BMW R4; R12; R35; R71; R74 and Zündapp KS750. Only the very finest examples of these motorcycles were sought out for inclusion in this title.

German Panzer II
The Panzer II was Germany’s first cannon-armed tank in the post World War I era. Designed and initially produced under the code name of 100-horsepower Farm Tractor, owing to the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, the Panzer II remained in production, and in the field, well after it had been surpassed by better engineered, more heavily armed and armored vehicles, and indeed played a key part in the early victories achieved by the Blitzkrieg.

The third in the expanded Visual History series, with 168 pages, features nearly 200 scarce wartime photos with detailed captions. Coverage includes the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. A; Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. B; Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. c and A-C early; Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. c, A, B, C modified Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D; Pz.Kpfw. II (F) Ausf. A & B; Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. F; Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. G; Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. J and the Pz.Kpfw. II “Lynx.” There are also many "Panzer rarities"