The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles

by Christopher Foss

Book Overview

Warriors have long sought to combine protection and mobility in combat, from ancient chariots to medieval knights and armored wagon. It was the development of the internal combustion engine that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571458069
• ISBN13: 9781571458063
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (CA)
• Length: 543 Pages
• Weight: 5.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 9.5" x 11.5"

Customer Reviews

very good

very good, concise and fairly exhaustive book coverign almost all of the tanks produced in the 20th century. a must have book. only improvement would have been more on the main sub-versions of each model that was mass produced (i.e. Pz III, IV; sherman, T-34, etc.) but a great book to own for any military history affecionado

Absolutely the best single volume reference on the market!

After having purchased hundreds of reference books on AFV's over the years, this is the book I keep going back to the most. From WWI up through modern, the sheer amount of information included is staggering, especially considering it features many designs you will not find in even more focused collections. As an all-around resource on the subject, it simply can't be beat, if you can locate a copy, grab it while you can, as they are getting harder to find.

Superb work for those interested in classic armor

As was indicated in a previous review, if you need up-to-the-minute data on modern Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs), this is not the book for you. However, that is just about its only weakness. This superb volume is ideal for everyone from the casual 'military historian' to avid model builders and those who just want solid information on AFVs of all types from all nations. Written in a no-nonsense style meant for the layperson, the text is informative and authoritative without being boring or overwhelming. Major design improvements are carefully pointed out, as well as models that fell flat on their tracks (or wheels). The book is presented in encyclopedia format, with the largest division being country of origin. The AFV designs are then sub-divided into Armored Cars, Tanks, Armored Personnel Carriers and Self-propelled Guns. Each entry includes important data such as armament, weight, speed, crew, year of introduction and major variations. The vast majority of entries include at least one photograph. As of the writing of this review, I have owned my copy of The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles for slightly less than two years. I need a new one, because this one is worn out. Whatever the reason behind your interest in AFVs, this book will entrall you. I cannot recommend it highly enough. A must-have for students of World War I and II tanks.

Outstandingly Thorough and Fascinating

I'm a big fan of weapons encyclopedias. This is one of the best. If you're into AFV's, you can't live without this wonderful resource. Containing over 900 different AFV's from 1915 to current vehicles, they are smartly seperated by country of origin. I was surprised to see the numerous weapons systems that are currently in development. Very contemporary and in touch with the world of AFVs. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Military History, Fighting Vehicles, and scale modelling.

Best ID Book Ever

This book is the best and most comprehensive millitary vehicle identification book I have ever read. I'm an M1A1 tank driver for the US army and I was impressed with the amount of information in this book. I actually used this book to point out flaws on our Vehicle ID test. Now that I have it, all my fellow tankers want a copy.