Panzerwrecks has now reached the 10th book in a series published under the common thread of portraying pictures of abandoned and shot up German AFVs at the end of the Second World War, and looks like continuing even further as more photographs are discovered.

Number X - or 10 - has what the author's term, 'a pastiche of the oddest and most unusual AFV s they could find'. They don't go too far, however, and there are a lot of well-known and identifiable types featured in what is a photographic feast for modellers and enthusiasts of German and other Axis AFVs. Nearly all the subjects are presented one per page, full frame, nice and large for maximum clarity of detail.

As always, quality varies and where some are very crisp and clear some are a bit blurred, but included for their historical interest. Each photograph has an informed and detailed caption, drawing the viewer's attention to details and points of interest that would perhaps go unnoticed by the casual observer. See if you can pit your wits against the authors' expertise in such matters and discover something that hasn't been noticed or mentioned.

Pages 12 - 30 revisits a photographic occasion begun in Panzerwrecks 2 where war booty in Yugoslavia in 1945 was discussed and there is even more of it here - captured Italian vehicles in addition to the German types. Panzers at Pilsen Airfield (Plzen in Czechoslovakia) reveals something that you'd think Dragon Models would do - a PzKpfw IV chassis mounting a 8.8cm FlaK 37! Pilsen revealed some very unusual types and configurations.

For those who like the nuts and bolts approach to their modelling photos from within the MNH factory in Hanover is going to offer something special on Panthers and Jagdpanthers.

The remainder of the book is a journey of the unusual and the unexpected, revealing many 'gems' and rounded off with a 'freaks and antiques' section that reveals some interesting subjects, including gas powered PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II chassis put to good use in 1945, albeit in a tank driving school, more or less confirms that the Germans never threw anything away they couldn't afford to!

Reproduced by kind permission of Military Modelling (opens in a new window)