Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Books/Tanks/Russia products

Kinnear, James/Popsuevich, Sergei: Soviet MT-LB Tracked Multipurpose Armoured Vehicle & Variants 24,95 €

Sun, 24 May 2026 08:30:08 +0200

A volume in the "Technology @ War" series. The MT-LB armored multi-purpose tracked vehicle entered service with the Soviet Army in 1964. The primary role of the MT-LB was to serve as an armored artillery tractor, towing the 100mm MT-12 anti-tank gun as well as other artillery pieces, while housing the gun crew and ammunition under armored protection. However, the vehicle proved to be extremely versatile and was subsequently utilized extensively as a chassis for a wide range of specialized vehiclesincluding variants adapted for operations in snow and swampy terrain, artillery reconnaissance, technical maintenance, and mine clearance. The MT-LB family was expanded with the introduction of the enlarged MT-LBu series, which served primarily as a platform for a variety of 1V-series artillery command and control vehicles (NATO designation: ACRV). In the post-Soviet era, the MT-LB underwent further modernization and combat upgrades, evolving into an infantry fighting vehicle (BMP) for use in low-intensity conflicts. Equipped with armament comparable to that of the Cold War-era Soviet BMP-2, the MT-LB found a renewed purpose in the 21st century. The MT-LB played a significant role in the Soviet Army, the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact, and the post-Soviet armies of the former Soviet republics. Total production across all variants exceeded 55,000 vehicles, making the unassuming MT-LB one of the most widely produced Soviet armored vehicles of all time. The MT-LB was exported on a massive scale and saw combat service in numerous conflicts worldwide; Most recently, it has been deployed by both sides of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Written and illustrated based on original Russian and Ukrainian sources, this book offers a detailed examination of one of the most widely producedalbeit often overlookedSoviet armored vehicles of all time.

Kinnear, James: Soviet BTR-50 Tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier & Variants 24,95 €

Sun, 24 May 2026 08:30:08 +0200

A volume in the "Technology @ War" series. The BTR-50 was the first tracked armored personnel carrier to enter service with the Soviet Army. Based on the same chassis and powertrain as the amphibious light tank PT-76, the BTR-50 was designed as an armored personnel carrier andinitiallyalso as a gun-carrying vehicle, enabling medium-caliber divisional and anti-tank guns to be fired directly from the vehicle during offensive operations. Changes in nuclear doctrine led to the replacement of the originally open-topped BTR-50P by the fully enclosed BTR-50PK, a transition that saw the abandonment of its original role as a gun platform. However, the BTR-50 family evolved far beyond the standard personnel carrier configuration; for instance, the BTR-50PU series was widely deployed by the Soviet Army as a command vehicle, alongside other specialized variantsincluding the MTP maintenance vehicle and the UR-67 mine-clearing system. Moreover, the BTR-50 was the specific tracked armored personnel carrier used by the Soviet Army to train in combined arms tactics. This provided the trainingand subsequently the combatexperience that ultimately led to the development of a new class of armored fighting vehicles: the BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle, in which the crew was able to engage in combat from within the vehicle before dismounting to fight on foot. The BTR-50 series remained the backbone of the Soviet Army's tracked armored personnel carrier fleet until it was superseded by the BMP-1 in the late 1960s. The BTR-50 was exported on a large scale and saw combat in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia; surprisingly large numbers remain in active service to this day. This book was written and illustrated based on original Russian and Ukrainian sources.

Zaloga, Steven J.: Russian and Soviet Tanks 1915–1945 34,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

In this first of two richly illustrated volumes on the history of Russian and Soviet tanks, Steven J. Zaloga focuses on Russian tank development from Tsarist Russia to the Soviet era. The beginnings of Russian tank development were based on other armored vehicles such as armored trains and armored cars. However, by World War II, the Soviet Union was at the forefront of tank development worldwide, producing 30,000 tanks between 1920 and 1939. Much of its tank production was lost in the war, and the tank industry experienced a rebuilding phase after 1941. Drawing on material from the Osprey series, including "New Vanguard," "Duel," and "Campaign," and richly illustrated with historical photographs and detailed illustrations, "Russian and Soviet Tanks 19151945" examines the concepts and production of tanks such as the T-34 and the KV. It describes the experiences of the crews in combat, the performance of the individual tanks in battle, and how the Russian and Soviet armored vehicles fared compared to the enemy tanks, as well as the most important insights gained from the battles that led to new concepts and technological breakthroughs.

Pulham, Francis: Tanks on the Battlefield: T-34 31,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

This is the first book in a photo series presenting original, unpublished photographs of tanks and military equipment taken on the battlefield by active soldiers, mostly from opposing forces, with captions providing historical context and important data and information. And where better to start than with the T-34? The venerable Soviet workhorse of the Second World War was arguably the most iconic tank ever produced, gaining a reputation on the battlefield that was matched only by legends such as the Sherman and the Tiger. This book details the production and combat history of the T-34 and includes photos of German, American and Israeli soldiers who all encountered the T-34 in combat in various theatres of war.

Kinnear, James: Soviet & Russian Airborne Forces Combat Vehicles 26,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

A volume from the series Europe @ War. The Soviet Union was a pioneer in the deployment of airborne troops. The first airborne brigade was formed as early as 1932, and Soviet military exercises in 1935 already included the practice of airborne deployment of heavy support vehicles and weapons. During the Second World War, Soviet airborne operations were limited, but suffered heavy losses due to dispersion on the ground and a lack of heavy support weapons against enemy ground forces equipped with armoured vehicles. Based on combat experience during the war, the Soviet military concluded that airborne troops needed integrated armoured fire support, and even before the end of the war, the first prototype of an armoured vehicle designed specifically for airborne troops was developed. Immediately after the war, specialised armoured vehicles were introduced into Soviet airborne divisions, primarily as tank destroyers. The leading role in this work was taken by Plant No. 40 in Mytishchi, headed by light tank designer N. A. Astrov. As a direct result of the combination of pre-war experiments and wartime experience, during the Cold War the Soviet airborne troops became the most heavily armed and equipped airborne troops in the world, with special armoured vehicles and artillery that could be deployed by airborne operation or parachute drop. After a hiatus in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the development of specialised airborne vehicles continued in the Russian Federation, so that modern Russian airborne troops still enjoy the Soviet-era reputation as the most heavily armed airborne troops in the world. This is the history of these special vehicle developments, written entirely from original sources.

Kinnear, James: Soviet BRDM-1 & BRDM-2 Armoured Cars & Variants 26,95 €

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:50:10 +0200

A volume from the Europe @ War series. When the BRDM-1 armoured vehicle was put into service in 1959, it was a unique, specially developed reconnaissance vehicle with all-wheel drive. The BRDM-1 met the typical requirements for an armoured vehicle in terms of armament and armour appropriate for its intended use, but was a particularly versatile, technically advanced vehicle that was fully amphibious, propelled in water by a hydrojet propulsion system and equipped with track-driven auxiliary wheels to facilitate exiting rivers and traversing rough terrain. The BRDM-1 quickly became the standard reconnaissance vehicle of the Soviet Army, with the chassis also being used to mount a new generation of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), enabling the relatively light BRDM-1 to engage and destroy main battle tanks well beyond the typical range of tank guns. The development of these ATGM systems progressed so rapidly that the BRDM became the mounting platform for subsequent generations of anti-tank missile systems. The original BRDM-1 was eventually replaced by the reconfigured BRDM-2, which was equipped with a turret-mounted 14.5 mm KPVT machine gun and a rear engine. In addition to standard and special modifications for radiation and chemical reconnaissance, the BRDM-2 was also used as the base chassis for several ATGM anti-tank missile systems and an air defence missile vehicle. In addition to their use in the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, the BRDM-1 and BRDM-2 were exported extensively and used in combat by numerous foreign operators, with the BRDM-1 and later the BRDM-2 being among the most widely used armoured vehicles of the Soviet era. In the post-Soviet era, the BRDM-2 was modernised by several countries, including the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine, extending the latter vehicle's service life to the present day, almost 70 years after the original BRDM entered service with the Soviet Army. This book was written and illustrated based on original Russian and Ukrainian sources.

Cristini, Luca Stefano (Hrsg.): The Weapons Encyclopedia. Tank, Aircraft, AFV, Ship, Artillery, Vehicles, Secret Weapon. Volume 46: Russian Medium Tank T-34 27,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The T-34 represents a family of Soviet medium tanks that were continuously produced from 1940 to 1958 and formed the backbone of the Soviet Union's armoured forces during the Second World War and beyond. The influence of the T-34 was both profound and lasting. It radically influenced combat operations on the Eastern Front and established a new design concept for tanks that served as the precursor to the modern main battle tank (MBT). Its development led directly to the T-44 and later to the T-54, T-55 and T-62 series, which still form the armoured core of many armies today. Its longevity is evident in the fact that, after massive exports in the post-war period, more than 80 units remained in active service in some countries until at least 2023.

Zubov, Dmitry: Stalin's "Wonder Tank" 31,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The Soviet T-34 tank is undoubtedly one of the most famous symbols of the Red Army and its fight against the Third Reich in the Second World War. It is therefore not surprising that over the years a considerable number of books and films have been dedicated to Stalin's so-called miracle tank. Many historians, especially in Russia, summarily refer to the T-34 as the best tank of the war. In doing so, they often refer to the authoritative opinion of Heinz Guderian and other German generals. Von Kleist, for example, is said to have once described the T-34 as the best tank in the world. But was this really the case, as Dmitry Zubov attempts to investigate in this book? The reality of the summer of 1941, after Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, showed that it took the Wehrmacht only a few months to turn Stalin's tank fleet into little more than a pile of scrap metal. Despite this unfavourable start to combat operations, the myth of the invincibility of the T-34 was already emerging. Dmitry Zubov argues that this development was driven in part by the Soviet propaganda machine, but also by the enemy itself. In the course of the fighting, the Germans became increasingly entangled in endless operations to protect their flanks from the mythical counterattacks of Stalin's Red Army, which by this time had already lost most of its fighting power. However, in order to conceal the consequences of Hitler's incompetent leadership, German generals had to explain the collapse of Operation Barbarossa with the incredible resilience of Soviet soldiers, the appalling Russian winter and, finally, the enormous superiority of the T-34 tank, to quote Guderian. Hitler's commanders argued that these factors had ruined their excellent plans. These facts motivated the author to investigate the true history of the development, production and combat use of Stalin's miracle tank. Beneath the numerous layers of Soviet secrecy, myths, propaganda and outright lies, he uncovered a bitter reality. The T-34 tank was not a masterpiece of Soviet engineering, but in reality a design based on plans that the Soviets had borrowed from Western designers. Stalin's miracle tank was manufactured in incredible haste by unskilled workers and was often an easy target for German tanks and anti-tank guns, becoming a battlefield grave for its Soviet crews.

Kinnear, James: Soviet Artillery Tractors of World War II 34,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

The development of artillery tractors in the 1930s was an essential part of the Soviet Union's industrial development. The tracked vehicle factories in Chelyabinsk, Kharkov and Stalingrad were built specifically for the industrialisation of the Soviet Union and the mechanisation of the Red Army, particularly the artillery. This study by Russian tank expert James Kinnear tells the story of these artillery tractors. How they suffered terrible losses in the first months of the war, but continued to be built and their numbers augmented by Lend-Lease tractors, mainly of American origin. At the end of the war, the same slow and cumbersome artillery tractors that had served the Red Army in the dark days of 1941 pulled their heavy artillery guns at a steady pace into the streets of Berlin.

Kinnear, James/Sewell, Stephen L.: T-72 Main Battle Tank 34,95 €

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:00:10 +0200

The T-72 is one of the most famous tanks in the world. It was produced in large numbers and saw action in numerous conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, as well as in the Yugoslav Wars and the current conflict in Ukraine. In this study, renowned Russian tank experts James Kinnear and Stephen Sewell tell the whole story behind this legendary tank, drawing on extensive primary sources from Russian archives, many of which are appearing in English for the first time. The T-72 was originally developed in the late 1960s as a lower-cost alternative to the recently introduced T-64 main battle tank and entered service with the Soviet Army in 1974. From the 1970s until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was the most widely used tank in the Warsaw Pact. A total of over 22,000 units were built for domestic use and export. This new study contains over 300 photos detailing the history of the vehicle, as well as tables and data on the weapons and systems used. It also covers related vehicles and systems such as artillery systems, engineer vehicles, bridge layers and recovery vehicles, as well as the unique heavy infantry support vehicles.

Ulsamer, Stefan: U-Boote der Welt 39,90 €

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:30:41 +0200

Conventional submarines were extremely important for maritime security and strategic deterrence during the Cold War. Amid growing geopolitical tensions, they are now experiencing a renaissance in global fleet planning. Stefan Ulsamer, editor of the trade magazine Navy-Ops, offers a comprehensive overview of the world's active conventional submarines: from the modern diesel-electric submarines of the German 212A class to the latest developments in the Russian 636 fleet and the fleets of smaller nations. Includes a chapter on conventional submarines in films.

Fleischer, Wolfgang: T34 39,90 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

It is the most widely produced battle tank of World War II. When the Soviet Union deployed the T-34 against the Axis powers in 1941, it was superior to all of their tanks. Later, when the Germans were able to counter it with the Panther, Tiger, and King Tiger, its sheer numbers were still overwhelming. Even after the war, the Warsaw Pact countries were equipped with advanced T-34 variants. Wolfgang Fleischer examines the legendary Russian battle tank from all angles: its design, development, technology, and, last but not least, its use in the Great Patriotic War.

Rönnicke, Frank: Russlands schwere Hauber 29,90 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The political upheaval brought about the end of the old USSR, but not of its trucks: they have shaped the image of Eastern European truck manufacturing to this day. In this volume, Frank Rönicke devotes himself to the heavy Soviet trucks that characterised the NVA's fleet in the GDR.

Cristini, Luca Stefano (Hrsg.): The Weapons Encyclopedia. Tank, Aircraft, AFV, Ship, Artillery, Vehicles, Secret Weapon. Volume 42: Russian tanks KV1 & KV-2 27,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

The heavy KV-1 tank was one of the most famous and controversial vehicles of the Red Army in the Second World War. Its development arose from the urgent need to modernise Soviet tanks after the failure of the multi-turreted Leningrad monsters, which were equipped with guns of different calibres. The tank's historical significance became clear during its first field trials in the Winter War against Finland (19391940), where early KV-1 prototypes demonstrated remarkable resilience compared to their predecessors despite persistent technical problems. Later, a variant equipped with a Bol'shaya Bashnya (large turret) was put into service as the KV-2, a heavy artillery tank designed to support attacks. The KV-1 and KV-2 were more than just weapons of war; they embodied the Stalinist doctrine of armament: mass production and robustness at any cost a philosophy that would shape the Soviet arms industry for many years to come.

Schunkow, Victor: Armored Forces of Russia and the Soviet Union 59,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:35:09 +0200

This is a remarkably comprehensive illustrated history of the Soviet and Russian tank industry. Readers will learn about virtually every tank and armoured vehicle used from the First World War to the present day, including some obscure prototypes. Tank enthusiasts will gain a comprehensive insight into the technical details and deployment of these vehicles in the Russian Civil War, the Second World War, the Cold War and the conflict with Ukraine in the 21st century. The inclusion of the advanced T-14 Armata ensures that this book is up to date with the latest technology. In addition to hundreds of historical photos (both black and white and colour), each vehicle entry includes a large colour profile of the type. This book is a useful reference work for historians, model builders and wargamers alike.

Hiestand, William E./Noon, Steve (Illustr.): Soviet Tanks at Stalingrad 1942–43 14,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:35:09 +0200

The Battle of Stalingrad is generally considered the turning point in World War II. The 22 divisions and 250,000 troops of the German 6th Army were surrounded and destroyed, while the desperate defence of the city by the 62nd Soviet Army and the suffering of the starving German troops have received much well-deserved attention. Here, Soviet armoured expert William E. Hiestand draws attention to the less well-known aspect of the battle: the reborn Soviet armoured and mechanised corps that dealt the deathblow to Hitler's hopes. He explains how Soviet armoured forces failed to realise their potential in the summer of 1942. Although equipped with excellent T-34 and heavily armoured KV-1 tanks, the newly formed Red Army armoured corps were unable to coordinate their tank advances with supporting infantry and artillery, and their disjointed attacks were repeatedly crushed. However, by 19 November, the Soviets had developed their organisation, command and control, training and tactics to the point where the 5th Tank Army was able to launch the decisive breakthrough of the Romanian 3rd Army. Packed with rare archive photos and profiles of the tanks involved, this book shows how the Red Army's armoured spearhead at Stalingrad developed into a force capable of dominating the Eastern Front.

Ledwoch, Janusz: Messerschmitt Bf 108 "Taifun" 17,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:25:24 +0200

Development, construction, technology and use of the German four-seater light aircraft Messerschmitt Bf 108 from the 1930s.

Zaloga, Stephen J.: Soviet Tanks in Barbarossa 1941 14,95 €

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:20:07 +0200

Contrary to popular belief, the largest tank battles of the Second World War did not take place during the Kursk Campaign of 1943, but during Operation Barbarossa in the summer of 1941. The Soviet armoured fleet was huge - around 24,000 Soviet tanks faced around 3,500 Axis tanks. But despite the stark numerical imbalance in their favour, the campaign in the summer of 1941 was a disaster for the Red Army. In this book, renowned tank expert Steven J. Zaloga uses documents not previously published in English to analyse why the Red Army fared so badly at Barbarossa. During the summer months, the Red Army lost around 15,000 tanks, including most of its best new tanks such as the T-34 and KV, and by winter most of the pre-war arsenal had been lost. It was known as the "Tankoviy pogrom": the tank massacre. Illustrated with archive photographs and detailed original illustrations, the work examines the organisation and doctrine of the Red Army in 1941 and the main types of tanks, including information and illustrations of unusual and little-known types such as the multi-turret T-28 and T-35 heavy tanks.

Tarasov, Alexey: Red Army Self-Propelled Guns of the Second World War. Photographic History of the Red Army’s Second World War Self-Propelled Artillery 38,95 €

Fri, 01 May 2026 07:40:13 +0200

Of all the types of armour used by the Red Army during the Second World War, the self-propelled gun is probably the most overlooked and misinterpreted. Attention has focussed on the tanks used by the Red Army against the Germans on the Eastern Front, particularly the T-34; the self-propelled guns, which played an increasingly important tactical role after the shocking defeats of 1941 and 1942, have been neglected. In this detailed, comprehensive and very richly illustrated history, Alexey Tarasov describes how the Soviets took up the challenge of developing a range of self-propelled guns under extraordinarily difficult wartime conditions, and he evaluates and illustrates all the types they produced. He also discusses the organisation, training, tactics and combat operations of the self-propelled artillery units. When the Germans invaded, the Soviets had no self-propelled artillery, believing that tanks and field guns would be sufficient to support their infantry. However, the effectiveness of the German assault guns convinced the Soviets that they needed to design similar armoured vehicles, which they quickly did. As the author shows, towards the end of the war, after an intensive process of improvisation and development, they had self-propelled guns, in particular the SU-76, SU-122 and SU-152, which were equal to the German guns in terms of performance and far superior to them in terms of numbers on the battlefield. Alexey Tarasov's photographic history is essential reading for anyone interested in Soviet tanks and armoured warfare in general, and is a valuable resource for modellers.

Rönicke, Frank: Frontlenker aus Russland. GAZ, MAZ & Co 29,90 €

Thu, 14 May 2026 06:55:07 +0200

In this volume, Frank Rönicke describes the front-wheel-drive models with which the former USSR sought to connect to the world market. He presents not only those that were built in Russia, but also those that rolled off the production line in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Belarus. The variety of types, models and model series was as huge as the country itself, making it almost impossible to document every variant. And there are hardly any documents left. But successful author Frank Rönicke has once again succeeded in bringing clarity to the maze of model series and generations and portraying the most important models.