Oliver, Dennis Tiger I. German Army Heavy Tank. Eastern Front, Summer 1943

The "Tiger I" tank, probably the most famous German armoured vehicle of the Second World War, might have been a war-winning, break-through weapon if it had been produced in sufficient numbers and if it had been introduced earlier on the Eastern Front, before the balance of strength had tipped towards the Soviet Union. At the Battle of Kursk there were not enough "Tigers" to make a decisive difference and thereafter the Tiger was forced to play a mainly defensive role as the Wehrmacht struggled to withstand the advances of the Red Army. And it is this period in the "Tiger" tanks short history that Dennis Oliver concentrates on in this, his third book on the "Tiger" in the "TankCraft" series. He uses archive photos and extensively researched colour illustrations to examine the tanks and units of the German armys heavy panzer battalions. A large part of the book showcases available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate representation of the "Tigers" of 1943.