German Panzer I Book Review
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | May 2016 | Title | German Panzer I |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | David Doyle | Publisher | Ampersand Publishing |
| Published | 2016 | ISBN | 978-1-944367-05-3 |
| Format | 170 pages, hardbound | MSRP (USD) | $28.95 |
First Look
The Panzer I was a light tank developed by the German Army to train its troops in armored warfare in the 1930s. The term Panzer is shorthand for PanzerKampfWagen (armored fighting vehicle) and the Panzer I was designated as the Sonderkraftfahrzeut (Sd.Kfz.) 101 or special purpose vehicle. No matter what you called it, the Panzer I didn't stay in the training role for long. It was pressed into combat during the Spanish Civil War and later took part in the Blitzkrieg into Poland, France, North Afrika, and the Soviet Union. Armed with a pair of machine guns in the turret, the Panzer I would serve in the infantry support role while the Panzer II had the firepower to engage the lightly armored vehicles used around Europe in the late 1930s.
Author David Doyle as compiled another terrific photo reference for the Panzer I which is well-illustrated with period photography which nicely illustrate the vehicle in peacetime as well as in combat. Those photos are supplemented with two full-color photo walk arounds of two restored examples on display. The variants covered in this title include:
- Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.A
- Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B
- Leichte (Funk) Panzerwagen
- Sd.Kfz.265 Kleine Panzerbefehlswagen
- Pz.Kpfw.I Variants:
- Schulfahrzeug
- Recovery vehicle
- Ambulance
- Ladungsleger
- Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.C
- Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.F
This is a great compilation of photos with detailed captions to help understand the various details and context for each of the photos presented. Whether you're a military historian or armor scale modeler, this title is a great addition to any military library. Definitely recommended!
My sincere thanks to Ampersand Group for this review sample!