Book Review of
Sturmgeschutz III
Ausf. A, B, E, FL43. F/8. G
Top Drawing Series No. 97
Author: Maciej Noszczak
Kagero Books
ISBN: 978-83-66148-89-5
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-83-66148-89-5
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most-produced fully tracked armoured fighting vehicle during World War II, and second-most produced German armored combat vehicle of any type after the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track. It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank, replacing the turret with an armored, fixed superstructure mounting a more powerful gun.
Initially intended as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire support for infantry, the StuG III was continually modified, and much like the later Jagdpanzer vehicles, was employed as a tank destroyer.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Assault gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1940–1945 (German service), Syrian StuG IIIs were in use until the Six-Day War (1967), possibly later
Wars: World War II, Six-Day War
Designer: Alkett
Manufacturer: Alkett, MIAG
Unit cost: 82,500 Reichsmark
No. built: c. 10,086 StuG III, c. 1,299 StuH 42
Mass: 23.9 tonnes (52,690 lbs)
Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in)
Width: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Armour: 16–80 mm (.62–3.15 in)
Main armament: 1 × 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 with 54 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun with 600 rounds, 1 × coaxial 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun firing from hole in gun mantle (from 1944 on) with 600 rounds
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM V12 gasoline engine driving six-speed transmission of 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
Power/weight: 12 PS (9.2 kW) / tonne
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 155 km (96 mi) (.9 mpg‑US (1.1 mpg‑imp; 260 L/100 km) at 22 mph (35 km/h), 71 US gal (59 imp gal; 270 l) fuel)
Maximum speed: 40 km/h (25 mph)
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is soft-bound and in a self-sealing clear envelope.
It is printed in Polish and English and holds 20 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows 2 Sturmgeschutz III color profiles against a all black background that has a white line drawing on it of a top view of the tank.
Both these profiles are in camouflage of earth yellow, dark green and red brown waves.
The one at the top has a white outlined No. 2 on the sides of the hull. It is repeated again on the back cover. It was an Ausf. G version, from Pz.Komp. (Fkl) 314, Battle of Kursk, Russia, July 1943.
The one at the bottom has a white outlined No. 35 on the sides of its gun barrel and a German cross on the sides of the hull. It is repeated again inside the book in the color profiles section. It is an Ausf. F/8 version from III/Pz.Rgt. HG of Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 “Hermann Goring”.
The book contains line-drawings of:
In 1/35th scale:
One 5-view of the Ausf. A, two 5-views of the Ausf. B, two 3-views of the Ausf. B, a 5-view of the Ausf. FL/48, two 4-views of the Ausf. FL/43, a 4-view of the F/8, a side view of the Ausf. FL/48, a side 3-view of the Ausf. G and six 5-views of the Ausf. G.
In 1/48th scale:
A side view of the Ausf. A, two 5-views of the Ausf. B, a 4-view of the Ausf. F/8, a 3-view of the Ausf. G and six 5-views of the Ausf. G.
In 1/72nd scale:
A 5-view of the Ausf. A, two 5-views of the Ausf. B, a 3-view of the Ausf. B, a side view of the Ausf. FL/48, a 4-view of the Ausf. FL/43, a side view of the F/8, 6 side views of the Ausf. G and a 3-view of the Ausf. G.
In the color profiles section and the back of the book there are 8 color profiles. One each of the Ausf’s. B, C, D, E, F, two of the F/8 and one of the Ausf. G.
Inserted into the book is a single large sheet, printed on both sides in 11 ¼” x 15 ¾” format and folded in the center to fit the book.
The face side has two large side views of an Ausf. G. The reverse side has two large side views of an Ausf. A. However, no scale for these drawings is provided.
There are no photographs in the book.
The book will be of great interest to modelers who plan to build a kit of the Sturmgeschutz III and also to military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Kagero books for this review sample.
All Kagero titles can be seen on Casemate’s website at:
The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most-produced fully tracked armoured fighting vehicle during World War II, and second-most produced German armored combat vehicle of any type after the Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track. It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank, replacing the turret with an armored, fixed superstructure mounting a more powerful gun.
Initially intended as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire support for infantry, the StuG III was continually modified, and much like the later Jagdpanzer vehicles, was employed as a tank destroyer.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Assault gun
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1940–1945 (German service), Syrian StuG IIIs were in use until the Six-Day War (1967), possibly later
Wars: World War II, Six-Day War
Designer: Alkett
Manufacturer: Alkett, MIAG
Unit cost: 82,500 Reichsmark
No. built: c. 10,086 StuG III, c. 1,299 StuH 42
Mass: 23.9 tonnes (52,690 lbs)
Length: 6.85 m (22 ft 6 in)
Width: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
Height: 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader)
Armour: 16–80 mm (.62–3.15 in)
Main armament: 1 × 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 with 54 rounds
Secondary armament: 1 × 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun with 600 rounds, 1 × coaxial 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun firing from hole in gun mantle (from 1944 on) with 600 rounds
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM V12 gasoline engine driving six-speed transmission of 300 PS (296 hp, 221 kW)
Power/weight: 12 PS (9.2 kW) / tonne
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 155 km (96 mi) (.9 mpg‑US (1.1 mpg‑imp; 260 L/100 km) at 22 mph (35 km/h), 71 US gal (59 imp gal; 270 l) fuel)
Maximum speed: 40 km/h (25 mph)
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is soft-bound and in a self-sealing clear envelope.
It is printed in Polish and English and holds 20 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows 2 Sturmgeschutz III color profiles against a all black background that has a white line drawing on it of a top view of the tank.
Both these profiles are in camouflage of earth yellow, dark green and red brown waves.
The one at the top has a white outlined No. 2 on the sides of the hull. It is repeated again on the back cover. It was an Ausf. G version, from Pz.Komp. (Fkl) 314, Battle of Kursk, Russia, July 1943.
The one at the bottom has a white outlined No. 35 on the sides of its gun barrel and a German cross on the sides of the hull. It is repeated again inside the book in the color profiles section. It is an Ausf. F/8 version from III/Pz.Rgt. HG of Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 “Hermann Goring”.
The book contains line-drawings of:
In 1/35th scale:
One 5-view of the Ausf. A, two 5-views of the Ausf. B, two 3-views of the Ausf. B, a 5-view of the Ausf. FL/48, two 4-views of the Ausf. FL/43, a 4-view of the F/8, a side view of the Ausf. FL/48, a side 3-view of the Ausf. G and six 5-views of the Ausf. G.
In 1/48th scale:
A side view of the Ausf. A, two 5-views of the Ausf. B, a 4-view of the Ausf. F/8, a 3-view of the Ausf. G and six 5-views of the Ausf. G.
In 1/72nd scale:
A 5-view of the Ausf. A, two 5-views of the Ausf. B, a 3-view of the Ausf. B, a side view of the Ausf. FL/48, a 4-view of the Ausf. FL/43, a side view of the F/8, 6 side views of the Ausf. G and a 3-view of the Ausf. G.
In the color profiles section and the back of the book there are 8 color profiles. One each of the Ausf’s. B, C, D, E, F, two of the F/8 and one of the Ausf. G.
Inserted into the book is a single large sheet, printed on both sides in 11 ¼” x 15 ¾” format and folded in the center to fit the book.
The face side has two large side views of an Ausf. G. The reverse side has two large side views of an Ausf. A. However, no scale for these drawings is provided.
There are no photographs in the book.
The book will be of great interest to modelers who plan to build a kit of the Sturmgeschutz III and also to military historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Kagero books for this review sample.
All Kagero titles can be seen on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.