German tanks used in the TV series Combat! were actually contemporary American
tanks painted with German symbols.
The stock war footage used in the show often features Panzers. Germany developed four
versions of the Panzer.
Once Hitler came to power,
there was a flurry of tank development in Germany. The German Army first used the Panzer
I in 1933. The Panzer II was released in 1934. The original 1933
version weighed 7.2 tons, and had a 20 mm cannon and a machine gun in the turret. After
many modifications, the Panzer II went into mass production in 1937. By that time the tank
weighed 9.5 tons.
Both the Panzer III
and Panzer IV were released in 1937. The IV became the backbone of
Germany's Panzer force and the power behind the Blitzkrieg. The Panzer IV was manufactured
by Krupp. The armor protection ranged from 8 mm to 30 mm in thickness.
In battle
conditions in Poland, 1939, the inadequate armor plating for the Panzer I proved fatal.
The reliable models II and III were better protected, but outgunned. The Panzer IV ruled
the battlefield with its mix of speed, agility, firepower, and reliability. Germany
produced over 9,000 of these tanks, more than any other WWII model.
The Panzer IV continued to do
well as Hitler over-ran Europe and Africa. But the tank met serious resistance during the
invasion of Russia in 1942. This lead Germany to develop the Panther tank.
Its 75mm gun could penetrate Soviet tanks. Other features
included sloped armour to deflect shot, torsion-bar suspension, and interleaved road
wheels. The armor was 80mm thick.
Another model released in
1942 was the Tiger Tank, produced by Henschel. It had armor between 25 mm
and 100 mm in thickness. The Tiger tended to overheat in battle and suffered problems with
the suspension. It was replaced by the Tiger II, also known as King
Tiger.
Germany's Tiger Tanks : Tiger I & II: Combat Tactics
by Thomas L. Jentz
Covers the complete combat history of the Tigers I and II, and includes the operational characteristics, organization, tactics, issue to combat units operational strength reports, and after-action-accounts. Author Tom Jentz conducted over 20 years exhaustive research for surviving records of the design/assembly firms (including Henschel, Krupp, Nibelungenwerk, Porsche, and Wemann), the Heereswaffenamt, the D656 series of manuals on the Tiger, and the war diaries and operations reports from the German units. The written records were supplemented by examing thousands of photos. On-sight research into almost all the surviving Tigers provided details that could only be obtained from actual specimens. New information was found on the evolution of the heavy tank series, the key decisions on the design of the Tigers, the significant modifications made during the production runs, production statistics, the Tigers characteristics and tactical capabilities, an exact accounting of the issue of the Tigers to the combat units, and combat accounts written directly after the actions.
Over 130 b/w photographs, 50 charts and drawings, 9" x 12"
Learn more...
Tom Jentz is also the author of:
Germany's Panther Tank: Quest for Combat Supremacy and
Panzertruppen 1943-1945.
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two
Book
Description 1,000 b/w illustrations! A complete illustrated directory is finally available
that shows and describes nearly 300 types of German battle tanks, armored cars,
self-propelled guns, and semi-tracked vehicles manufactured and put into service from 1933
to 1945. Only recently have the records of the manufacturers been made public, so never
before could you know just how many of each model were available, along with accurate
dates of their production and mobilization. Historic photos identify features of each
vehicle type, including uncommon variants. Captions are packed with accurate details on
designations given by the German Army General Staff: alternative designations,
manufacturing and development history, chassis numbers, engine capacity, fuel, coolants,
gearbox performance, speed and range, armament, armor material and thickness, and service
record. Trim size: 8 3/4 x 11.
German
Tanks of World War II in Color
Developed during the 1930s in contravention to the Treaty of Versailles, German tanks,
along with the panzer units that operated them, were counted among the most feared
conventional weapons of World War II. The story of German tank evolution, firsthand
accounts of savage tank battles, tank comparisons, explanations of roles, and detailed
armor and armament specifications combine with modern and rare period color photography to
reveal the stories behind Germany's light armored support vehicles, light and medium
Panzer tanks, and the behemoth Tiger tanks. At just 96 pages, this small book packs an
incredible amount of information into an affordable overview. Plus spectacular color
photos throughout! Incredible eye candy for the re-enactor, modeler, or general Combat!
fan.
Combat! is owned by ABC Television and distributed in the
US by Paramount Pictures. It is not our intention to infringe on the
copyrights of the creators of Combat! This web page is meant for the free
enjoyment of Combat! fans everywhere. Unless otherwise noted, materials
Copyright Jo Davidsmeyer. All rights reserved. Photographs from the TV
series copyright ABC-TV.
German 
Jagdpanzer
Germany's Tiger Tanks : Tiger I & II: Combat Tactics
by Thomas L. Jentz
Covers the complete combat history of the Tigers I and II, and includes the operational characteristics, organization, tactics, issue to combat units operational strength reports, and after-action-accounts. Author Tom Jentz conducted over 20 years exhaustive research for surviving records of the design/assembly firms (including Henschel, Krupp, Nibelungenwerk, Porsche, and Wemann), the Heereswaffenamt, the D656 series of manuals on the Tiger, and the war diaries and operations reports from the German units. The written records were supplemented by examing thousands of photos. On-sight research into almost all the surviving Tigers provided details that could only be obtained from actual specimens. New information was found on the evolution of the heavy tank series, the key decisions on the design of the Tigers, the significant modifications made during the production runs, production statistics, the Tigers characteristics and tactical capabilities, an exact accounting of the issue of the Tigers to the combat units, and combat accounts written directly after the actions.
Over 130 b/w photographs, 50 charts and drawings, 9" x 12"
Learn more...
Tom Jentz is also the author of:
Germany's Panther Tank: Quest for Combat Supremacy and
Panzertruppen 1943-1945. 
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two
German
Tanks of World War II in Color
American Flag Jewelry
