Fairly detailed history of the Panzer IV tank from World War Two. Good description of the design, with may pictures. Also very good description of how it was used in combat.

The Panzer IV was the mainstay I thought for the German Army up until 1943. While that is true I never realized how much modification was needed to keep it ahead or at the same strength as the Russian tanks and the English and French models. All the campaigns of the German Army from 1939 to 1945 are covered. The Mark IV was involved in every major battle and Blitzkrieg. The pictures are very telling and show detail that is often overlooked. One of the facts about driving a Mark IV in battle is that the driver was the most likely target for the many anti tank devices used by the enemy. It shows on the photos of the tanks knocked out by attacking the driver slot and the general area he sat in. The many other wasy the Mark IV was defeated are also described with many photos of the destruction done in battles. All the many models are covered as well as some early ones that are rarely described. The Mark IV at one time was even fitted to run underwater and the photos of that version are incuded too. Production numbers are given and the fact that in 1944 the numbers of production are stagering in my opinion. There were not enough trained tank personnel to man the many tanks coming off the line.The Mark IV was a robust tank platform that was a devastating machine when encountered. The well trained tank crews fought against overwhelming odds and tanks that were as good or better in many cases than the Mark IV. The various guns and ammunition used are well described as well as the performance of said guns.The Mark IV was quick, agile, and for a tank invented before the war, a real survivor. This book is a great reference for anyone wanting to learn about the evolution of a real tried and tested battle tank that influenced the design of many others since.