Nuts & Bolts Books

Nuts & Bolts Vol. 23 4.7cm Pak(t) auf Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf B ohne Turm (Sd.Kfz. 101) "Ente"

by Heiner F. Duske

Reviewed By Ben Guenther, IPMS #20101

MSRP: $62.00 Soft Cover A4 format 8.25 x 11.75" 120 pages and 210 photos Published date: 2009 Review copy courtesy of Dragon Models USA: www.dragonmodelsusa.com After the Polish campaign the German Army knew that their anti-tank 3.7cm Pak was not effective and a more powerful weapon was needed. The answer came about with the annexation of the Czech State when their excellent 4.7cm Pak became available and was mounted on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf B, which became obtainable as it was being phased out of front line service. Thus this diminutive self-propelled anti-tank weapon began a series of weapons that by war's end grew into the huge JagdTiger. This book is another great reference in their "Nuts & Bolts" series. The first 20 pages (English and German) cover the development of the Panzerjager service and this tank. It also includes vehicle deployment, color and markings and a short section on models that were made by Tony Greenland and featured in this book. The next 38 pages contain 95 B&W photos of the Panzerjager I during the French campaign, the Russian invasion and the DAK deployment. This section is most useful for modelers as we can see actual vehicles in use, crew uniforms and how the crew placed stowage on their vehicles. Another useful section is the 8 pages of 1/35 scale 5 view drawings and perspective illustrations for both series I and series 2 built vehicles. This is followed by 12 pages of color profile drawings. The restored series 2 Panzerjager I in WTS Koblenz is the source for 29 pages of color photographs that covers walk around shots, running gear and interior shots and detailed pictures of the 4.7cm gun and how it is mounted in the vehicle. 5 more pages have detailed color photographs of the towed 4.7cm gun (Skoda 47mm Kanon KPU.vz 38 Model A 5/4.7cm Pak(t). If you have the older Italeri kit or the new Dragon model of the Panzerjager I then this could be the only reference you would need. Over 10 years ago Nuts & Bolts made a volume (7) that covered this subject, it had 50 pages and all the photos were in B&W. This book greatly expands that earlier effort and I would highly recommend it. I would like to thank IPMS/USA and Dragon Models, USA for the chance to review this book.