introduction

Model Centrum Progres from Poland publishes some of the finest AFV detail books available today. The Armor PhotoGallery series concentrates on a single vehicle and contains detailed color photos of an existing specimen. The PzKpfw IV Ausf. G is the topic of #22 in this series. Written and compiled by Wojciech J. Gawrych, this volume includes 239 color photos of the preserved Ausf. G at the Panzermuseum Munster, Germany and 48 b&w period photos within its 72 pages. Also included are 1/35 & 1/48 scale drawings by Krzysztof M. Zurek. Full text is in English only.

a look inside

Photo Gallery:
The first 44 pages comprise the Photo Gallery of the preserved Pz. IV. Most pages contain 4 - 7 images, with even the smaller pictures highlighting the details perfectly. Some details have a series of images, such as the fuel filler which shows the access port closed, opened and even with the cap removed. Interior photos of the crew area and turret are included, along with a couple of shots of the Maybach HL 120 TRM engine displayed outside the vehicle.

The top corner of each page in this section indicates which area of the tank the photos are related to, and each photo is numbered which corresponds to the caption. On the topic of captions, these are some of the most descriptive captions that I have read and are the true highlight of this publication to me. Well written, descriptive and educational sums it up.

The Scale Drawings:
Three pages of scale drawings are included, showing left side, top, front and rear for both 1/35 and 1/48 scale. These scale drawings represent vehicle FgSt Nr 83072 as it most likely appeared when it left the production line in 1942 (based on archival photography).

Photo History:
The final 22 pages contain the period photos with captions, along with the history of the Ausf. G. This text will have you going through the pages as it is interspersed between the photos...not overly annoying although it may have been better to dedicate it to its own one or two pages. I'm sure the reasoning behind this was the size of the period photos and using the 'empty' areas between them.
This text outlines a short overview of the Pz. IV, Designation, Production, Production changes, Post-issue modifications, Deployment and Organization. All in all, well written and to the point...exactly what I like.

The black and white period photos are, for the most part, clear and show a variety of Ausf. G's. Once again, the captions are very descriptive, with a good amount of them stating division, date and location. Two pages of photos are of the vehicle that is now residing in the Panzermuseum , which this book is based on. Noted in the caption is what items have been replaced on the museum specimen.

conclusion

The more I browse through this book, the more impressed I am with it. The photos are excellent, the scale drawings are well done and the captions are exceptional. Although this volume concentrates on the Ausf. G, I can see it being a help with other variants of the Pz. IV. Highly recommended.