World War II Tanks and AFVs

The British invention of the tank during World War I revolutionized land warfare. Twenty years later, tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) played a key role in the major theatres of World War II. The German Tiger, the American Sherman and the British Churchill are all names that have become legendary; but there were also many other key vehicles used by the land armies as they fought for supremacy in two hemispheres. Bren gun carriers, armoured personnel carriers and many other combinations of gun and mobility were invented to fight in different terrain. The desert of North Africa, the frozen plains of Russia and the rolling countryside of central Europe all presented different challenges. This book provides an introduction to the most famous weapons and gives technical specifications of armour, engine and ammunition, together with performance figures for each vehicle featured.