Peter Samsonov Knihy

When the German army launched Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of the Soviet Union - on June 22, 1941, it was expecting to face and easily defeat outdated and obsolete tanks and for the most part it did, but it also received a nasty shock when it came up against the T-34. With its powerful gun and sloped armor, the T-34 was more than a match for the best German tanks at that time and the Germans regarded it with awe. German Field Marshal von Kleist, who commanded the latter stages of Barbarossa, called it 'the finest tank in the world'. Using original wartime documents author and historian Peter Samsonov, creator of the Tank Archives blog, explains how the Soviets came to develop what was arguably the war's most revolutionary tank design.

Focusing on the IS-2, this detailed account explores the development of the iconic Soviet heavy tank during World War II. It covers the entire journey from the inception of the Soviet heavy tank program to the war's conclusion, featuring in-depth research from Russian sources. The book includes analyses of German tank weaknesses, the evolution of the powerful 122mm gun, and innovations in armor design, along with extensive technical data and prototypes, offering a comprehensive look at this formidable vehicle's impact on the Eastern front.

Focusing on the Tiger tank's legendary survivability, this volume delves into its armor protection, unique features, and initial combat engagements during World War II. It also covers the tank's capabilities through extensive test trials. Drawing from a rich array of primary sources, the book offers a detailed narrative that appeals to both military history enthusiasts and experts in WWII tanks. It serves as a crucial resource for those looking to understand the historical and technical aspects of this iconic war machine.

This illustrated study pits Germany's PzKpfw III against the Soviet Union's T-34 in the wake of Hitler's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union.This book evaluates the PzKpfw III and T-34 medium tanks fielded by Germany and the Soviet Union during 1941. Both designs were intended to be the primary medium tanks of their respective armies, but owing to manufacturing difficulties, neither was available in quite the numbers intended. Even though both tanks were relatively new, neither was deemed entirely satisfactory, and replacements for both were already on the drawing board. Nevertheless, it was these tanks that clashed in what the Soviet Union called the Great Patriotic War.While the T-34 rapidly established a fearsome reputation only sometimes borne out by its actual performance, the PzKpfw lII was smaller, lighter, and not as well armed as its Soviet opponent but benefited from the support of a more seasoned and better structured army. Full-colour artwork, archive photographs and authoritative text drawing upon Russian- and German-language sources combine to reveal how the Germans harnessed the advantages of combat experience and superior organization to counter the T-34's tactical strengths, but also how the PzKpfw III quickly lost relevance as it became evident that it could not carry a gun powerful enough to destroy the T-34 at range.

More than 4000 examples of the famous diesel-fuelled M4A2 Sherman tank were sent to the Soviet Union during the Second World War under the Lend-Lease programme. These American-built vehicles were operated by Red Army crews against the Germans during some of the bitterest fighting on the Eastern Front – yet despite serving with distinction and being well-liked by their crews, relatively little has been written about these vehicles until now. Tank expert Peter Samsonov looks at the origins of the M4A2 in Soviet service and the machines that were received from the US as well as providing a detailed assessment of how they fared in combat on the front line.