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Achung PanzerSeries
The Achung Panzer series these well-illustrated books have the main
text in Japanese but the captions to all the illustrations in English
as well as Japanese.
Achung Panzer No2 Panzerkampfwagen III ISBN 4-499-20578-6
This 72 page book covers the Pzkfpw III from Ausf A through to the Ausf
N, and also the Pzkfpw III command tank Ausf E, H and K and the Pzkfpw
III Observation Tank.
The first few pages cover Ausf A – D with their different suspensions,
with some clear pictures of the early Ausf’s. The book is then
split into chapters covering each of the different Ausf from E –
N. Through out the book are some excellent colour pages covering the
Pzkfpw III F reworked model at the Saumur Armour Museum, and the Pzkfpw
III J/L at the Aberdeen proving grounds. There are 1/35th 4-way scale
plans for the Ausf G, L as well as single side views of the Ausf D,
F, H, J early, J late, M with schurzen and without and the N. The last
few chapters cover the Command Tank and the Observation Tank showing
how the were modified from the gun tank.
Achung Panzer No3 Panzerkampfwagen IV ISBN 4-499-22621-X
This 96 page book covers the Pzkfpw IV from Ausf A to J, with colour
sections covering the Ausf D at Aberdeen, Ausf G at Munster and Ausf
H at Koblenz and the Ausf J Saumur.
Each chapter covers a different Ausf and most have a 1/35th 4-way scale
plan (these plans don’t show details just major components) and
some excellent B & W in action pictures. The first colour section
is of the Ausf D at Aberdeen proving grounds with 2 pages covering exterior
details The next has 2 pages of interior detail of the Ausf G at Munster
Panzer Museum. Next we have the Ausf H Middle at Koblenz, with the sections
covering both interior and exterior of the Ausf J at Saumur.
Achung Panzer No4 Panzerkampfwagen V Panther ISBN 4-499-22775-5
This 100-page book covers the Panther from Ausf D – G, the Panther
Ausf F and II, the Jagdpanther and also the Sturmpanzer IV Brummbar.
The first chapter covers the Ausf D and includes a 1/35th 4-way scale
plan, B & W in action pictures and colour pictures of the Panther
D from the town of Breda in the Netherlands.
Next is the Ausf A is covered in a short chapter that includes a 1/35th
4-way scale plan, B & W in action pictures. The next chapter deals
with the Panther G housed at Koblenz Museum Germany, with 10 pages of
excellent colour pictures of both the interior and exterior. Next up
are a couple of pages covering the Panther G at the Patton Museum in
the USA. The Panther G is dealt with in detail in the next 18 pages
with a 1/35th 4-way scale plan, B & W in action pictures and details
of the Infrared night fighting equipment. Both the Panther Ausf F and
the Panther II are covered in the next chapter with a 1/35th 4-way scale
plan of the Ausf F, and 7 pages of colour pictures of the Panther II
prototype at the Patton Museum. The next chapter is the Early-Model
Jagdpanther at the Imperial War Museum UK, followed by a couple of pages
of the Early-Model Brummbar at the Kubinka Museum Russia. Then it’s
back to the Jagdpanther to be dealt with in detail with a couple of
B & W in action pictures and a 1/35th 4-way scale plan. The last
few chapters deal with the Brummbar in detail with B & W in action
pictures and a 1/35th 4-way scale plan, and also colour pages of the
Mid-Model Brummbar at the Aberdeen proving grounds and the late-Model
at Saumur.
Achung Panzer No5 Sturmgeschutz III ISBN 4-499-22654-6
This 120-page book covers Sturmgeschutz III O-serie – Ausf G, the
Sturmgeschutz IV and the Sturminfanterigeschutz 33.
The first couple of pages have some excellent in action B & W pictures.
Then the O serie is covered in a 2-page chapter followed by the Ausf
A in a similar fashion. Next up is the Ausf B, which has a 1/35th 4-way
scale plan, B & W in action pictures. Then the Ausf C and D in the
same chapter, The Ausf E is dealt with next with a 1/35th 4-way scale
plan, B & W in action pictures. This is followed by 3 pages of colour
images of the Ausf D at Axvall Museum Sweden, then images of a Ausf
E recovered near St Petersburg Russia, a couple of pages of the Ausf
F/8 at Kubinka Museum Russia and then the early Ausf G being restored
at Munster Museum Germany. The Ausf F is next with a chapter with a
1/35th 4-way scale plan, B & W in action pictures, followed by the
Ausf F/8. Next we have the Ausf G witch is split up in to 3 sub chapters
Early, Mid and Late, intermingled with these are colour images of different
Ausf G’s covering both interior and exterior and ending on a 1/35th
4-way scale plan of a Final Ausf G.
The next chapter deals with the Sturmgeschutz IV with a 1/35th 4-way
scale plan of a Early Model and a couple of B & W images, Then we
have the Sturminfanterigeschutz 33 witch as some B & W images and
some colour images of the Sturminfanterigeschutz 33 at Kubinka Museum
Russia followed by a couple of pages explaining the different on vehicle
storage.
Achung Panzer No6 Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger ISBN 4-499-22706-2
This 156 page book covers the VK45.01 (P), VK45.01 (H), Tiger Ausf E
very Early, Early, Mid and Late, The Sturmtiger 38cm, Panzerjager Tiger
(Ferdinand), Panzerjager Tiger (Elefant), Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf
B Porsche-Turm, Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf B Henchel-Turm and the Panzerjager
Tiger Ausf B Jagdtiger.
This book opens with 12 pages of images from each of the Schwere Panzerabteilung
from 501st – 510 and also the SS-Panzer regiments. The first chapter
deals with the Experimental Tiger Series and includes some B & W
images of the 12.8cm Sf. L/61 (Pz.Sf.V) at Kubinka Russia. Then both
the VK45.01 (P) and VK45.01 (H) are covered in the next few pages. Next
up we have the Tiger Ausf E very Early Model with diagrams showing how
the fist Tigers 1st 501 Schwere Panzer- abeteilung differed with changed
head lights ect. And how the Tiger evolved, the Mid Model follows this
and then the Late Model each time with diagrams showing how the tank
changed. The next chapter now compares each of the Tigers next to each
other with images of the Very Early Model at Aberdeen Proving Grounds,
the Early Model at the Bovington Tank Museum, the Mid Model at Kubinka
Russia and the Late Model at Saumur, and also 1/35th scale plans of
the Early, Mid and Late Models side by side. Next up is the Sturmtiger
38cm with a 1/35th 4-way scale plan and images of the Sturmtiger at
Kubinka Russia and the one at Koblenz Germany. Next we have the Panzerjager
Tiger (Ferdinand) and Panzerjager Tiger (Elefant) witch are treated
to a small chapter on each then side by side comparisons with 1/35th
scale plans and images of the Ferdinand at Kubinka Russia and the Elefant
at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds USA. Then it’s on to the Panzerkampfwagen
Tiger Ausf B Porsche-Turm, with images of the one at Bovington Tank
Museum and a 1/35th scale plan. This is followed by the Panzerkampfwagen
Tiger Ausf B Henchel-Turm witch gets a 1/35th scale plan and colour
images of the one at The Royal Military Collage of Science UK, the one
at Panzer museum Munster Germany, and at Kubinka Russia, Panzer Museum
Thun Switzerland, Patton Museum USA. Then Finally we have the Panzerjager
Tiger Ausf B Jagdtiger witch gets a huge 1/35th 4-way scale plan with
both Porsche and Henchel running gear and images of the ones at Bovington,
Aberdeen and Kubinka.
Conclusion
All these books are superb and I use them in conjunction with other
books such as the Osprey New Vanguard Series to clear up some of the
Japanese. I have found the book on the Panzer IV to be the poorest of
the 5 books as the scale plans don’t show any detail
Sample pages click to enlarge
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Obtained from Accurate Armour and SB Models.