Panzer 38(t) vs BT-7: Barbarossa 1941 Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Classic WWII light tanks square off in the 78th volume in Osprey's acclaimed "Duel" series.

Subtitled "Barbarossa 1941", Panzer 38(t) vs BT-7 recaps early Russian Front fighting through the technical, tactical and political prism of both vehicles – in just 80 pages.

Contents follow the publisher's familiar format. After a brief introduction and chronology. author Steven J. Zaloga capably covers design, development and technical specifications for both vehicles.

Subsequent sections on "Combatants" and the "Strategic Situation" couch competing technologies in human and historical terms. Then Zaloga's chronicle hits climax with "Combat" coverage.

There he recounts clashes between 7. Panzer-Division PzKpfw 38(t)s and Soviet 5th Tank Division BT-7s in Lithuania during the first few days of Operation Barbarossa.

The book's "Statistics And Analysis" section confirms Germany's early, lopsided victories – and Soviet Russia's dreadful equipment losses. These included a staggering 20,500 tanks out of 22,000 in 1941 alone – including most operational BTs.

PzKpfw 38(t)s suffered losses, too. But I hardly think those totaled "over 800 tanks out of the starting strength of fewer than 700 at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa". Do you sense a typo?

Extended captions and sidebars supplement the study. Period photos and superb color illustrations also augment the account. Armor modelers will love Jim Laurier detail artwork. And a selected bibliography and index complete contents.

Consider this a typical "Osprey-Zaloga" production. In other words, it's terrific.

And roundly recommended!

My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!