Read n' Reviewed: Panzer Tracts No.3-3: Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N, from Panzerwrecks Publishing

We continue our look at the revised, expanded & updated Panzer Tracts series today, this one featuring the latter models of the Panzer III in "No.3-3; Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N". See what we found out about the book (& the tank) in our review...

Read n' Reviewed: Panzer Tracts No.3-3: Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N
From Panzerwrecks Publishing
By: Hilary Doyle & Thomas Jentz
102 Pages
Perfect bound, softcover, portrait format : (280mm x215mm)
76 period photos
40 pages of 1/35th & 1/10th scale CAD drawings
Price: £23.99
Product Link on the Panzerwrecks Website

Panzer Tracts: what's it all about?
With us for review is the latest copy of the re-invigorated series of Panzer Tracts. This issue is No.3-3, and it features the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N variants. Updated, improved & selectively revised by Thomas Jentz, Hilary Doyle & the Panzerwrecks team, this book enables the reader to accurately identify the variants of these Panzer III's -  particularly variations in the vehicle's timeline, identified in this book using alternative or overlapping methods. The history of the vehicles are expanded on by great period and research photographs and some painstakingly accurate CADs in scale to help restorers and modellers create a facsimile with absolute confidence.

If you have the original, what has been changed in this revision/reprint?
Originally printed in 2009, and featuring the Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.J, L, M und N development and production from 1941 to 1943, this updated version has an expanded one hundred and two pages, which is fourteen more pages than the first version. In those extra pages we see the seventy-six original photos that have been reworked for clarity and tonal quality, with five completely new images also added. These images are clearer than the originals, and the accompanying captions added to the new photos and some of the older ones have been reworked to give a better understanding for the reader. Of course, with this new content & increased page count the layout has been changed a little also.

The book's physical form and make up:
The perfect bound, softcover book in a portrait format sports a glossy white cover, with pages inside of a semi-matte appearance and thick enough feel as to not be opaque. On the pages the text is in English (although there is plenty of German terminology of course). The book's photos are all black and white images, of which there are seventy-six of them in great quality as we have mentioned. There are seven chapters in the book where you will find each machine and the illustrations.

Panzer Tracts No.3-3: Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N chapter contents:

1. Introduction
2. Panzerkampfwagen III (5cm) (Sd.Kfz.141) Ausf.J
3. 8.Serie/Z.W. (Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N)
4. CAD Drawings
5. Panzerkampfwagen III (5cm Kw.K.39 L/60) (Sd.Kfz.141/1) Ausf.L
6. Panzerkampfwagen III (5cm Kw.K.39 L/60) (Sd.Kfz.141/1) Ausf.M
7. Panzerkampfwagen III (7.5cm Kw.K. L/24) (Sd.Kfz.141/2) Ausf.N
   

OK, so that is it in the book's upgrades and make up. I will go through each of the chapter's contents to give you the real feel of what's inside.

The book, page by page

The chapters start with  a helpful introduction explaining the benefits of this book and how it helps you better identify the vehicle in an image that you have from the recognition of the vehicle's characteristics. The introduction also documents how the data pulled from German sources didn't always give the researchers enough to go on, whilst the research the British undertook during the war helped identify the Ausführung (model) and date of the tank you are examining.

This introduction leads into the first historical research chapter featuring the Panzerkampfwagen III (5cm) (Sd.Kfz.141) Ausf.J. In each of these chapters, the authors take us  - with block text mainly - through the development and identification markers  of the vehicles. This chapter explains in easy to understand detail the make-up of the chassis, superstructure armour and armour thickness, turret and the major components inside - powerplant, suspension controls, weapons and ammunition. Simply by reading this you can better understand the workings and composition of this variant to a high degree.

The book includes large and clear photos of the internal detail (in black and white) that are so hard to source anywhere else.

In the next chapter, we look at the 8.Serie/Z.W. (Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J, L, M & N) in detail. Block text again explaining the production history with detailed Fahrgestellnummer Serie (chassis number band) shown as a kind of ready reckoner, with several charts showing the numbers, factories and monthly totals completed. The block text describes the internal machinations between the high ups & the factories in communications and even an interesting directive that speaks of the high command's integration of the Panther and StuG III into these factories in favour of the Mk.III. Details like this immerse the reader into the history & engage you to read more on the development. They also teach you as you read by applying layers of understanding of the machines. 

In this chapter we read about the modifications to the Ausf.J production variants. These changes are detailed with block text, and are enhanced with accompanying photos that show the details that are being discussed in a great show and tell style. It is another layer of understanding, they keep piling up!

CAD Drawings; In amongst the photos there are also forty pages of CAD images of the machines featured in the chapters of this book. The drawings themselves have been meticulously researched and measured against surviving Panzerkampfwagen III, and created in 1/1 scale first, then printed in precise detail in this book 1/35th scale. The tanks (with hull and turret variations). Featured in this book are the CADs of three Ausf.J's, four Ausf.L's, one Ausf.M and four Ausf.N 's. All in that35th scale that, after reading and understanding the research & measurement hat has gone into these. I would say that I trust these drawings above any other for Panzer III's.

Included over twelve pages within the forty pages of CADs are illustrations of smaller components, parts, hatches, fittings and fixtures of the tanks are detailed in 1/10th scale. These are accompanied by often both English & German names for each part. Everything you can think of is includes. These drawings in combination really help the modeller and the historian understand the workings, dimensions & make up of these tanks.

The next chapter features the Panzerkampfwagen III (5cm Kw.K.39 L/60) (Sd.Kfz.141/1) Ausf.L variant. The form following what we have seen already to a large amount. In this chapter we learn about the addition of the 5cm Kw,K L/42 gun (against initial opposition, or lack of belief that it could work Vs the behest of Hitler). The benefits of the new gun, and then the 5cm Kw,K L/60. We talk about the production of the tank, and again, look at each of the Ausf.L modifications listed and explained in textual detail. the clear and excellently chosen photos to illustrate some of the finer and more important modification along the way.

We have plenty of internal photos with indexed captions to explain just what is what, along with several (coming a bit more often in this chapter) photos of these tanks in the wild as it were, with the changes explained effectively by the authors.

Next, a chapter on the Panzerkampfwagen III (5cm Kw.K.39 L/60) (Sd.Kfz.141/1) Ausf.M, is a shorter one, but it documents this type's modifications clearly, with the reader easily understanding through the block text the changes, production numbers & factory locations. We see more photos of the interior of the Ausf.M and more of the tank in the field.

The last chapter is a little larger, and details the Panzerkampfwagen III (7.5cm Kw.K. L/24) (Sd.Kfz.141/2) Ausf.N variant. the form of this chapter again follows those that have come before it, with  development and the improvements of this model, production and the details of the modifications. Details of when modifications were made, plus the orders to change these are highlighted again italics to identify them easily. Included are more interior photos with indexes, and two in particular photos with captions showing these larger-gunned Ausf. N's in Tunisia and at the end of the war at their surrender in Norway.

And that my friends, is all they wrote - revised. What did we think?

Before reading these I had no idea why they were held in such high esteem, by not only modellers, but historians and people who are actually  repairing and restoring these tanks (true story). But I can see by taking the time to read these books what a benefit they are to the reader in applied layers of knowledge, historical context and accuracy. the drawings are of the highest authority in their accuracy, the research I do not think can be questioned. 

They are the top of the tree and first place to look for the correct knowledge on the Panzer III latter variants. If you are interested in the type or are modelling a kit (see below), this book should be your first port of call.

Adam Norenberg

Thanks to the team at Panzerwrecks for sending me this book to read and to review. You can purchase this book (along with others in this series getting the same updated & reprinted treatment) from the Panzerwrecks Website directly...

Reference in this book helps the reader for these model kits:
Academy 13531 German Panzer Ⅲ Ausf.J
Academy 13545 German Panzer Ⅲ Ausf.L
Airfix 1378 Panzer III Ausf.J
Das Werk 16002 Panzer III Ausf.J 3 in 1
Dragon 6394 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J
Dragon 6474 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N
Ryefield Model 5070 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J
Ryefield Model 5072 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J
Takom 08005 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N
Takom 08011 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N with Winterketten
Tamiya 35290 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.N
Tamiya 35215 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.L