Oliver, Dennis StuG III Assault Gun. German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units Eastern Front, 1944

Since its introduction in 1940, the assault gun of the German army played a decisive role in the campaigns of the Blitzkrieg era, in the gigantic battles in Russia and in the last defensive battles. Developed from a mobile bunker-buster armed with a short-barrelled howitzer, the Sturmgeschütz III was armoured and upgraded. By 1943, its ability to destroy tanks was widely recognised. In 1944, the Sturmgeschütz IV was put into service, which was primarily intended as an emergency solution. By the end of the war, over 10,000 of both versions had been built. Although not as well known as the Tiger or Panther tanks, they were among the most commonly encountered German armoured vehicles, and as the Wehrmacht's resources continued to dwindle, the assault guns were used in every operation, increasingly replacing main battle tanks in official units. In this volume of the 'Tank Craft' series, which focuses on the Sturmgeschütz III and IV, Dennis Oliver uses official records and unit histories to examine the formations that utilised these vehicles. Using archive photographs and extensively researched colour illustrations, he examines the markings, camouflage and technical aspects of the Sturmgeschütz III and Sturmgeschütz IV, which were deployed on the Eastern Front during what was undoubtedly the decisive year of the war. An important part of his book shows available model kits and retrofit products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully built and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications made during production and in service are also explored, providing everything the modeller needs to create an accurate representation of these historic vehicles.