This title offers a detailed study of a successful but little-known German tank of World War II, the Panzer 38(t). Germany's annexation of Czech provinces in 1938 gave it control of the large Czech armament industry, one of the jewels of which was the very modern LT 38 tank. The type was fully integrated into the Wehrmacht as the Panzer 38(t), becoming one of the few foreign designs to continue in production for the Wehrmacht. It was an important element in the 1940 battle of France, and its most famous use was in the hands of Rommel's 7.Panzer Division. The Panzer 38(t) became one of the key weapons in the German invasion of Russia in the summer of 1941, and was widely used in the Eastern Front campaigns of 1941-42. This illustrated study gives a uniquely detailed account of the technical history and combat record of one of the most successful early World War II tanks.

Author Biography

Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for over two decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and military history, with an accent on the US Army in World War II as well as Russia and the former Soviet Union. Richard Chasemore finished a four-year course in technical illustration in 1992. Since then he has worked on a huge variety of projects in publishing and advertising, using both traditional and digital media. He has run an airbrush course in St Louis, Missouri, and also written six educational books on digital art. He has spent 10 years working on the best-selling Star Wars Incredible Cross Sections series, which has taken him to Skywalker Ranch in California to work with the Lucasfilm concept artists.