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| Home > Reviews > Germany WWII > Nuts & Bolts 17: "Marder III" |
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Published by Nuts & Bolts c/o Heiner F. Duske, Nikolaus-Otto Str. 10, 24536 Neumünster / Germany, no ISBN, 128 pages. |
This third volume on the Marder III completes the story with the Ausf.
H and also covers the Pak 40 anti-tank gun for good measure. I don’t
know how the team manages to make each successive book better, but they’ve
done it again with this one. Looking first at the colour sections, the
front and back inside covers showcase an excellent model by Tony Greenland
from the Italeri kit, showing just what can be done with it, and there
are six colour profiles by David Parker – the photographs used for
reference are in the book too.
Need I remind you that all the text and captions are in English and German?
Consider it done. Now, how about this – the Nuts & Bolts team
have some new documents giving more information than was available for
volume 17, and they’ve taken the trouble to update the charts from
that book and reprint them here. So there’s no need to refer back,
everything known about Marder III M and H monthly production and allocation
to units is given in this book. The unit examples begun in the earlier
volumes are completed here with PzJag Abt 38 of 2 Panzer Division, whose
combat history is given from 1935 to 1945.
After the 12 pages of text and tables there are 24 pages of photographs
showing not only the Marder III H at the factory and in service but also
its Praga engine out of the vehicle. Here we’re getting a total
of 62 of the Marder, 8 of the engine, and even 2 of the gearbox plus a
view into the engine bay of a Pz 38(t). All to a good size and as clearly
reproduced as the originals will allow - not all WWII soldiers were expert
cameramen. A five-view 1/35-scale plan is next, followed by three isometric
drawings that admirably clarify the layout and by a bibliography.
Now we come to the detailed closeups that Nuts & Bolts does so well.
These are of preserved vehicles at Saumur and in the Henriquez Collection,
and first there are 12 general views of them to aid in visualising where
the parts in the closeups actually are on the vehicle. 53 pages of closeups
follow, with at least three large photos on each page showing everything
from the jack block mounts to the driver’s compartment – and
the fighting area and gun of course.
But that’s not the end. There are 7 pages of text on the development
of the 7.5 cm Pak 40, its combat use and its technical specifications,
followed by another 7 of wartime photos of it in service. Then a 5-view
1/35-scale plan and finally 13 pages of detailed photographs of the preserved
Pak 40 at Munster.
Once again, this is a must-buy book.
Very highly recommended!
John Prigent
To buy copies of this title please contact Heiner F. Duske, Nikolaus-Otto Str. 10, 24536 Neumünster / Germany; Tel +49 4321 957936 / Fax +49 4321 957937 / E-Mail: hfd.duske@t-online.de
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