IPMS UK Armour TAS Book review
By Ian Sadler
The latest title from M Hobby of Russia is the Unknown T34; this is in A4
portrait hardback format. ISBN no is 5-94038-013-1 published by Ex Print
Publication, PO box 26, Moscow, 121552, Russia. Price in the UK is £14-95 but
this will vary country to country so check with your local importer.
Printed on high quality gloss paper, it has crammed into its 181 pages the
following 271 black and white photographs, 22 black and white line side profiles
some to scale others not. Text is in Russian with English captions to the
photographs. The all four centre pages are given over to full colour profiles of
tanks and tank crew, there are 4 pages of technical listings on hulls, guns and
comparisons with foreign tanks etc. Lastly the last 16 pages are given over to
very high quality scale 1/35 drawings of the development of the T34.
It starts with the development of the pre T34 series of tanks and goes on to
show all the various ideas tried out, some fanciful and bizarre others which led
on eventually to the successful T54 series of tanks.
It opens up a whole new insight into the production of the T34 series of tanks
and with over 50 percent of the photographs new to us in the West. It will start
new and interesting debates and hopefully answer a great deal of the questions
still hanging around.
It begins with the Christie tank and then on to the B T series and the A20, then
the A32 and lastly the T 34 series. Not to be missed out are the SU series and
the T43 and T44.
Among the new and fascinating tanks on show are the Bridgelayer, external fuel
tanks in the wheel centres; concrete additional armour. It also proves that the
factories did produce differing turrets at the same time, not as some have
stated in the past.
A note about the quality of the photographs, you have to take into consideration
the conditions and the period in which they were taken. The editor has done a
wonderful job of printing them to the very best quality that he can, so showing
detail that has been lost in previous publications because they were printed too
dark.
Contrary to facts told over many years the Russians did speculate and try other
ideas in conjunction with the mass production. To single just one out on pages
83 and 84 the T34 -85M has an extended rear hull and is angled similar to the
American M 36. We will only know the reasons when a translation comes available.
Printed in Russian for the main text is to be honest its only let down. Had it
been published in English it would be a stand-alone book on the Unknown T 34.
That said as I tell people at model shows: drawings, photographs and plans need
no translation.
As a foot note as this review was being compiled a friend who has studied the T
34 for as long as I have; phoned me up to tell me I must get a copy as it was in
his words. " It is an Information Gold Mine about the T34." He was on the phone
for at least 30 minutes, and it was only when he took breath that I was able to
tell him I agreed with him completely and I compiling this review.
I look forward to the next two in the series the BT Tanks and the IS Tank.
I bought my copy from an UK book dealer as soon as I knew it was available.
In conclusion Alexander is to be congratulated on bring together in one volume
all the information about the Unknown T 34 series of tanks. Go out and order
your copy today you will not be disappointed.
Ian Sadler 2001©
