Introduction

This offering from Pen and Sword as part of their Tank Craft series and is on this occasion looks at Tiger 1 and Tiger 2 Tanks German Army and Waffen SS Normandy Campaign 1944. This book as with all of the titles in this series are I feel an attempt to offer the modeller a combination package covering both reference on the vehicles and a look at the models available to replicate the Tiger 1 and Tiger 2 tanks as a scale model.

The following portion of the introduction is from the Pen and Sword website:
In spite of the relatively small numbers involved, the Tiger I and Tiger II tanks of the German Army and Waffen-SS heavy Panzer formations played a central role in resisting the Allied invasion of France in the summer of 1944. British and American tank crews found to their dismay that the Tigers could survive numerous hits while a single round from one of their 88mm guns was enough to penetrate the strongest armour. In his latest book in the TankCraft series Dennis Oliver uses archive photographs and painstakingly researched, exquisitely presented colour illustrations to examine the part these powerful tanks played in the Normandy battles and also the units that operated them. As with previous titles, a large part of this book showcases available model kits and aftermarket products and accessories, complemented by a gallery of skillfully constructed and painted models. Descriptions of technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also provided giving the modeller all the information and knowledge required to recreate authentic miniature representations of the Panthers that fought in the fields and hedgerows of Normandy during the summer of 1944.

Review

This offering from Pen and Sword is authored by Dennis Oliver; Dennis Oliver has authored Twenty of the titles in this series and is at home covering both Allied and Axis armour. This is a soft backed book with a good card cover protecting 64 pages of semi gloss paper. The contents of this title are laid out as follows:

Introduction
The Normandy Battlefield
The Tiger Units
Camouflage and Markings
Model Showcase
Modelling Products
Technical Details and Modifications
Product Contact Details

This offering from Pen and Sword for the most part covers who, where and when and does the job well in concise bullet points for the reader; the result is that a modeller can decide they wish to replicate a tank from a certain unit and then depict it in an accurate setting using the details from this title. While the book is a stand alone offering this book can be considered as a part of a series covering the Tiger 1 and 2 specifically. The result of this is an affordable number of books that provide great details for the modeller and a pleasing diversion for those interested in the tanks generally.

What I think of as the modelling sections of the title starts with the camouflage and markings and this shows a number of Tiger 1 and 2 tanks from from the left or right aspect aspect. Looking at these drawings does make me think that the green used is too green and this has been pointed out previously, but I can forgive this attribute as it still shows the patterns used in various cases. A nice inclusion with these drawings are a number of period photographs showing either specific areas of the tank or the tank replicated. The models covered here are basically just builds and while it shows what can be achieved it does not explain how to get there. The models are as follows:

Tiger 1 - Schwere Panzer Abtielung 503 - 1/35th by Lester Plaskitt
Tiger 2 - Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503 - 1/72nd by Patrick Lapalu
Tiger 1 - Schwere SS Panzer Abteilung 101 - 1/72nd by Steve Shrimpton
Tiger 1 - Schwere SS Panzer Abteilung 101 - 1/48th by Glenn Bartolotti
Tiger 1- Schwere SS Panzer Abteilung 101 - 1/35th by Naomasa Dairaku
This build does show a number of improvements made by the modeller in order to improve the base kit which depicts Wittman’s last ride.

The models and aftermarket offerings are reasonably well covered and I was surprised and pleased to see Meng, Takom and RFM model offerings covered in the title being reasonably new players to the field where these tanks are concerned. Looking at what is provided will give any modeller at good look at what is available at there at this time.

Conclusion

This offering from Pen and Sword as part of their Tank Craft book series is I believe the fifth book in the series covering the Tiger 1 and Tiger 2 tank. This offering is the equal of those that have gone before and meets my expectations of the series as a whole. I appreciate that the photographs are a decent size in most cases which increases their value. The only down side I can think of is that the green in the drawings is too green in my opinion and I wish the text was kept together rather than split by the modelling sections. The book does a fair job as a stand alone offering, but its value is increased when combined with the other titles covering these specific tanks.