T-34 SHOCK THE SOVIET LEGEND IN PICTURES

A WELCOME DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF THE ICONIC TANK

Authors: Francis Pulham and Will Kerrs Publisher: Fonthill Price: £40

The Soviet T-34 medium tank needs no introduction. It remains a perennial source of fascination and is hugely popular with readers and publishers alike. This engrossing study by two self-confessed T-34 nerds really deserves the subtitle ‘definitive guide’; instead ‘The Soviet Legend in Pictures’ rather undersells it. Clearly a labour of love, the book is lavishly illustrated with excellent photos, colour plates and scale drawings.

The authors meticulously catalogue every type of T-34-76 and T-34-85 ever built, including the post-war foreign copies. Interestingly, they discuss in some detail whether China actually built the T-34 as the Type 58 in the 1950s or simply repairedsoviet supplied ones. Their conclusion is the latter. They expertly guide us through the myriad of variants and upgrades. In addition, they also cover the assault guns and tank destroyers based on the T-34 chassis, which were built to emulate the success of the German Sturmgeshütz.

In the name of being balanced, the authors rather side-step the issue of whether the T-34 was the best tank of the Second World War. Their view is that there were so many production variants built at different stages of the war it is unwise to generalise. Nonetheless, this is a minor gripe. On the basis of the array of photos alone this book is well-worth purchasing. For any tank enthusiast, restorer or modeller this volume will make a very fine addition to their shelves.