January 14, 2015

Review of Claes Sundin's "Tiger and Panther Tanks" from his German Panzer Profiles
ISBN 978-91-637-5686-3, 68 pages, hardcover, Centura Publishing, 2014

When I discovered that Claes was coming out with profiles in a single volume on my three favorite tanks ­ the Tiger I, II and the Panther ­ I put in my birthday present order immediately. There are color profiles of 64 panzers in this work, each painstakingly researched from actual photos and with the help of German armor enthusiasts around the world. As such, the camouflage and the subtle equipment differences presented on each of the profiles appear to me to be accurate, although I am by no means an expert on German armor. Nevertheless, compared to other color renditions I have in my library, these are among the best. I particularly liked the shading effects that Claes has imparted on each of the profiles. Also included with each profile is a short history of the vehicle presented, its unit and commander if known and other interesting factoids on German armor or the Allied perspective. The text is done in a medium gray, so as not to compete with the artwork ­ a subtle but important feature of the book.

What I really should do here is buy another copy so I can have a few of my favorites framed. These include Wittman's Panther, the La Gleize Tiger II in its proper colors, and the Houffalize Panther, the latter two being on display in Belgium. Also, there is a profile included of Tiger II "222", abandoned in Stavelot ­ another of my favorites. I asked Claes if he is planning to do a profile on Barkman's Panther and was advised that that one is in the works.

So, don't buy just one copy.

Robert J. Caso/USA

Book just arrive & in perfect condition. The book is a beauty, one thing I really enjoy is how you get a mist/ shadow feel in the profiles. In this way you get a more realist images and and the same time more artístic than other profiles that use brigther colors.
As a suggestion will be really nice if in the opposite pages you can put the original photos that you use for the profiles. Well I understand that this could be dificultades to do , legal rights & so on. Anyway a great work. Congratulations.

Thank you very much & best wishes

Guillermo Medina Hurtado/Spain

Thank you for another excellent profilbok, this time about Tiger and Panther, two classic German tanks.
The book's cover and layout is like the flight profile books very nicely made and really encourage any customer to purchasing and reading the book.
The first chapter dealing with Tiger and Panther tanks and their brief history is good, especially the comparative diagram between the King Tiger and Leopard II, who gave an eye-opener about the vehicle similarities in size.

The profiles are of a very high standard. I owe quite many different aircraft and armored books and all to often the profiles included in those books degrades the overall impression, either in respect of vehicle details and / or camouflage and numbers, badges etc.

What I can see you have carefully considered the original images and fact checked the sources for making your profiles, which is absolutely correct method, otherwise there is the risk that it only disseminate false "old data" has been around for a long time without being questioned. The painting and marking in Africa Corps of the Tiger I is just one example where for decades considered that the Tanks were painted in either RAL 8000, 8020 and / or gray-green RAL 7008 or gray 7027. New findings, among others. after the renovation of Bovingtons Tiger I, open up the eyes for many entusiasts regarding the Tigers from 501 and 504 Pz.Abt. The two-color patterned in RAL 8000 and 7008, just as you have done in your profiles! So Claes where did you get your information regarding Africa Tigers painting and patterns from?

All other color profiles of the Tigers and Panther tanks are very well made and well documented. The only thing I miss is your own comments about the camouflage colors you determine that a particular tank were painted in. Your experience to judge black and white photo originals and cross check them with the different sources to make realistic picture profiles is worth a lot for modelers you know.

Finally, I am very satisfied and impressed with your first Panzer-profile book. I hope there will be more such in the series!

Anders Johansson/Sweden

The books have arrived safely. Thanks a lot for the sending and my congratulations for the quality you have reached, and sustained, in your drawings.

Juan Martinez/Spain

The books you sent have arrived and look fantastic on my model bench. Thank you so much for these and for adding my name in the Foreword, which was a real surprise. This is something to show my many modelling friends of which I am sure they will be jealous.

I look forward to the next edition and would love to assist once again so please keep in touch, even its just to help with ideas or concepts for future projects.

Michael Tabone/Australia

I read the Panzer book last night-excellent as usual! Here's a review:

As a fan of Claes Sundin's aircraft profile books, I was very excited to hear he was going to do a profile book featuring German Panther tank and Tiger tank profiles. As I expected, the book is superb. The tank profiles are perfect and show a wonderful variety of camouflage patterns, as well as minor variations between the different models. Many of the profiles have larger versions of personal and unit emblems, and each one has a short snippet about where the particular tank saw action and/or met its end. Another job well done, Claes!

Just wanted to let you know the Panzer book arrived today! I've just given it a cursory glance so far, but it is definitely outstanding--which is as I expected. I'll give you a review for your website in the next day or two.

BTW, I added your three aircraft profile books to the Goodreads website so people can see them when they look up your name. I'll add the panzer book as well. All four will be added to Shelfari, too.

Cheers!

Marc Tavasci/USA

I got the new Tiger and Panther book to day and I love it, great work Claes :)
The profiles are huge´s and detailed, the written text under each profile gives a live to every Tank in the book.
Thanks a lot for these books and keep them coming ;)

Gudmundur Haraldsson/Iceland

Hi Claes, today i have received your book, wonderful as usually........many thanks!

Benedetto Carbone/Italy

congratulations for Profile Book No. 3 and the Panzer book. Outstanding quality and superb artwork. That`s the stuff I like and a great help for the modeller and the Luftwaffe-historian. I am waiting hot for further publications of this caliber!

Werner Greppmeir/Germany

Has received the book and had a quick glanse. It gives a very good first impression. The profiles are absolutely excellent in its clarity and correctness as far as I can judge. The short text below each profile with a little history about the individual provides a significant added value and the supplier's "life" in an excellent manner

Morten Kolbjornsen/Norway

I hold the book in my hands and it is very interesting for me. Thank you very much!

Andre Gerken/Germany

Thanks for the great book I got yesterday. Good job! Especially interesting to read detailed information and history associated multiple carts you have recreated in a great way.

Greetings and Merry Christmas from

Frode Fagerli/Norway

Thank you very much for your new signed book! As I told you before I do not know anything about tanks but Tigers and Panthers suite me very much! Those mastodontes are impressive ! Camo are really nice! They seen to be as various as those of the Luftwaffe! I thank you for your book once again.

Antoine Nikollag/Switzerland

It is a really good book you have made. I am especially grateful for the many illustrations of the Panther D versions. Most other books with illustrations of German panzer has often Panther A and G versions in focus.

Johan Soeltoft/Denmark

Santa Claes,

Sorry, I could not control myself. I have to take a sneak peek and can only say "Totally Awesome". I Will now wrap it and enjoy more of my Christmas gift on Christmas Eve.
With this book you now have created a lot of inspiration for future plastic modelling projects.

Merry Christmas!

Stig Brand/Sweden

I am very impressed and happy. Imagine how wonderful that is after a hard day being able to sit down and browse through a wonderful book.

Absolutely Fabulous profiles and a wonderful layout of the book. I'm very impressed in the way you got the colors and shadings of the profiles. It must be a long hard work behind it to get all the details and nuances.

First - the introduction with a brief information about the tanks - very good, and especially the size comparison between a Tiger II and a Leopard II from today. It gives readers a good idea of the actual size - because it's not everyone who could "pat a tiger" and admire its shapes and sizes.
Also I appriciate the brief text information about each Panzer and what it looked like at a particular time - great, especially for modelers (you'll probably be seeing many "copies" of your profiles).

I like the detail and I think it's a nice touch that you put that "ribbon" on top of all the page in the same color/camo as the profiled Tank, including the current year, all this gives a very solid impression. In addition, throughout the book's layout and design with its panzer gray background - genuine and thoughtful work. In other words I'm incredibly impressed by your work and are now waiting eagerly for the next in line.

As some of your readers might get a bit puzzled about - you informed them in this book about the limited number of Tiger and Panther tanks that was used by the German Armed forces during WWII, I guess It´s natural for you to start with the next book, a book that would include main types such as the Panzer IV and all kinds of Panzer-Jägers.

Janne "Kingtiger" Carlsson/Sweden

The Panzers arrived on Wednesday, the 3rd. I appreciate the book very much. You are in a class by yourself. Seldom have I spent money on something so worth its price.

Rolf Kant/Sweden

I like it a lot. Great profiles as usual. Wonderful to sit and watch and read the texts.
Hope you follow up this book with more in the same style. You also included one of my favorite Tanks. Kurt Sowa's Tiger II from Stavelot.

I'll say it again. A very nice book.

Claes Olsson/Sweden

The book has arrived in perfect condition and as usual it meets my expectations by far!
The profiles are perfect and varied, and the texts are informative in every way, myths are there to be challanged, something you manage to do with this book.

Would love to see more Panzer-profile books from you in the future!

Jonas Lindstöm/Sweden