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Tank Craft 12: Tank Destroyer (Paperback)

Achilles and M10, British Army Anti-Tank Units, Western Europe, 1944–1945

Colour Books Military > Modelling Military > Tanks Photographic Books WWII > Photographic Books

By Dennis Oliver
Imprint: Pen & Sword Military
Series: Tank Craft
Pages: 64
Illustrations: 200
ISBN: 9781526741905
Published: 12th March 2019

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In this heavily illustrated volume in the TankCraft series Dennis Oliver focuses on the Achilles – the British variant of the American M10 – which was one of the most important Allied tank destroyers of the Second World War. It played a key role in the armoured battles fought on the Western Front, in particular in France, the Low Countries, Germany and Italy.

Built on an adapted Sherman chassis, with sloped armour, an open-topped turret and powerful 17-pounder gun, it was designed to counter the threat posed by the formidable panzers deployed by the German army towards the end of the conflict, in particular the Panther and Tiger tanks.

The book covers the design and operational history of the Achilles in close detail, using rare archive photographs and meticulously researched colour illustrations, as well as a detailed, authoritative text.

A key section displays available model kits and aftermarket products, complemented by a gallery of beautifully constructed and painted models in various scales. Technical details as well as modifications introduced during production and in the field are also examined providing everything the modeller needs to recreate an accurate representation of these historic armoured fighting vehicles.

As featured on WW2 Talk

WW2 Talk

As featured on FineScale Modeler

FineScale Modeler

One aspect I really like for the unit formation illustrations, these provided some very useful insights to how tank or armoured regiments were formed. These are probably of more use for the war gamer than modellers, though they’re still of interest to both.

These books will prove to be useful to both war gamers and modellers, there’s plenty of useful information as well as visually reference for both types of hobbyists. The information on the various camouflage paint schemes and unit markings make the book worth purchasing alone. The historical information will provide plenty of background reading regardless of whether you’re a war gamer or modeller.

I can highly recommend this book series, especially to war game players of Flames of War, Bolt Action, Rapid Fire and any other WW2 rule system I’ve not included. I also much prefer the A4 size than the smaller book size used by another well-known military history publisher. The A4 colour plates are an excellent resource when it comes to painting your tanks. There are currently 20 books in the Tank Craft series and as of writing this review 3 in the Vehicle Craft range of books. In the past I’d have bought books from the other wellknown publisher but going forward I’ll be adding this series of tank books to my shelves.

Irregular Magazine | Winter Issue 2019 – reviewed by Jason Hubbard

Beautifully written and wonderfully illustrated, this has some very useful colour schemes and inspiration showcases for modellers.

Read the full review here

Vintage Airfix

An excellent reference with 18 colour drawings showing camouflage and markings with descriptions of anti-tank regiments from 1930, many with charts accompanied by Royal Artillery tactical signs in colour. It is profuse with modelling information with 113 colour photos of professionally made models in 1/35 and 1/48 scales, model box art, and after market accessories. Ramón Segarra, Sato Mansancri and Luciano Rodriguez are the makers of the featured models.

Japanese Aviation Society

This is an excellent publication and unreservedly recommended.

Ipms Magazine, May-June 2019

Quality documentation that will delight vehicle modelers, historians and military researchers.

Read the full Spanish review here

Miniaturas JM

Gamers will find this book a useful reference and painting guide.

The Miniatures Page

An extremely well produced title!

Watch the full video review here

Scale Modelling Now

This series really is excellent. As an amateur model maker, I have used model making guides before yet this series of books surpasses those by a wide margin. What sets these books apart is that they combine a short history of the vehicles along with information about their camouflage and markings, which really helps model makers like myself. The layout of the book is clear and concise, the guidance and advice easy to follow, and the format engaging.

Amazon Customer, Andrew Hills

This is an ideal reference source for model makers interested in British Anti-Tank units in 1944. This book is a great combination of information about the units that operated the Achilles and M10 AFVs together with an excellent showcase of superbly built models. As with other books in the Tank Craft series there is a wealth of photographs of the tank destroyers in action with informative captions that compliment Dennis Oliver’s enlightening yet easy to read text. Highly recommended to model makers and historians interested in Allied AFVS in Normandy.

Read the full review here

Amazon Customer, Tom Tank

Being a modeller, author and former tanker, and with a lifelong interest in British armour I think I am allowed to say a word or two about this book... well, it is just BRILLIANT! I liked Dennis Oliver's Tiger I & II, but somehow this is even better - which I didn't't think was possible. The amount of useful photos I had never seen before is wonderful in itself. Then there is the amazing text and superb colour illustrations. The section on all the relevant kits is also a treasure.

Amazon Customer, Lars Gyllenhaal

In summary. This is an ideal reference source for model makers interested in British Anti-Tank units in 1944. This book is a great combination of information about the units that operated the Achilles and M10 AFVs together with an excellent showcase of superbly built models. AS with other books in the Tank Craft series there is a wealth of photographs of the tank destroyers in action with informative captions that compliment Dennis Oliver’s enlightening yet easy to read text. Highly recommended to model makers and historians interested in Allied AFVS in Normandy.

MAFVA

But, like all the Dennis Oliver contributions in this series that I've seen, and indeed the series as a whole, this is an excellent resource for tanks buffs in general, and modelmaking tank buffs in particular. Highly recommended.

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A Question Of Scale, Seb Palmer

This new book provides an excellent set of images with concise text in review of the M10 and its Achilles version in British Army service. – Highly Recommended

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Firetrench

Together with Pen & Sword Books, Dennis Oliver produces a book that is very useful for the historian, the enthusiast and the model maker.

Read the full Italian review here

Old Barbed Wire Blog

This all makes for some very interesting reading and I must admit, not being a gunner made this all the more interesting for me. I have finally cleared up several mysteries concerning the rather obscure numbering systems on the unit/formation signs which the Artillery lads dreamt up to confuse the rest of the Army. As well as excellent drawings, their is a wealth of action photos, maps and information. This book will be of enormous value to anyone wishing to build a model of the Achilles or even the M10.

Highly recommended to model makers.

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Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)

This book is well written and an informative title on the M10... The contents cover a broad spectrum for the modeller to get their teeth into from the units that used the M10 to the where and when, and also the models available to the details on the M10 that you may wish to check or replicate. The period photographs provided are good quality and have very good captions with them.

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Armorama

This particular book excels in 2 things for me….. First and foremost the extensive middle part showing a large number of model kits and brands, of complete kits and if aftermarket additions and details. And here I must mention too the large number of close-up photos of some of the wonderful builds of finished kits. Very interesting for modelers like me. Also interesting to see the rather large number of 1/48 scale kits of this vehicle. The second interesting part for me are the pages showing the composition of the various anti-tank regiments. Very informative.

And then of course there is the general short history of how this weapon came in to being into the British Army, and it’s actions starting in Normandy and all the way into northern Germany. There are quite a few interesting photos of the actions too, showing what the Achilles and its M10 brothers looked like in battle.

Yet another great book for modelers…… !

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WW2 Traces, Francois Dumas

It follows the basic format of these TankCraft books and provides lots of good reference information for both armour historians and modellers alike.

Read the full review here

Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland

As featured 'On The Book Shelf'

Wargames Illustrated, March 2019

As featured in

The Bookseller Buyers Guide

About Dennis Oliver

Dennis Oliver is the author of over twenty books on Second World War armoured vehicles including Panzer III: German Army Light Tank, Operation Barbarossa 1941, Panzer III: German Army Light Tank, Tripoli to El Alamein, 1941-1942 and Stug III and Stug IV: German Army and Waffen-SS, Western Front, 1944-1945.

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