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I love armor and I love books (two great tastes that taste great together) and I bet many on this message board do to. I thought it would be fun and informative to discuss.

Here is my little survey.


1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)

3. Favorite author

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�

5. Latest acquisitions

6. Rarest book

7. Most valuable book

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase

10. Most enjoyable read

11. Most underrated book (and why)

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading

13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)

14. Most overexposed AFV subject

15. Most under reported AFV subject

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library
Approx 250 (booklets to tomes)

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)
Soviet/ Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices: 1945 – Present by Hull, Markov and Zaloga

3. Favorite author
Zaloga for overall readability and Hunnicutt because of his thoroughness and contribution to our hobby. He is the gold standard.

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�
Threeway tie between British and American Tanks of WWII by Chamberlan and Ellis and U.S Military Tracked Vehicles by Crismon, Main Battle Tanks by Hilmes

5. Latest acquisitions
T-34 Mythical Weapon, Merkava by Gelbart, and Tankograd # 8 - Leclerc by Marx
On order – Armoured Vehicles of the Argentine Army, Mexican and Central American Armour, Tank Power No 11 Japanese Armor Vol 3

6. Most rare or unique book
Lessons Learned: Joint International Program Management for the US/FRG Main Battle Tank by General Welborn Dolvin (I found this on ebay and got into a bidding war with his Daughter-in-Law!)

7. Most valuable book
Probably Hunnicutt’s Firepower and then maybe Technology of Tanks by Ogorkiewicz

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book
$170.00 for the Leopard trilogy (I know, it is technically more than one book)

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase
I paid $30.00 (including shipping) for a mint copy of Faint Praise: American Tanks and Tank Destroyers During WWII by Baily

10. Most enjoyable read
King of the Killing Zone by Kelly (A well written, informative narrative)

11. Most underrated book (and why)
I would say the Squadron Signal “In Action� series. At first I dismissed them because of their format but, after getting a few I found them quite concisely written and well illustrated. Very good bang for the buck.

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading
All my current acquisitions plus Death by Design by Beale

13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)
Currently I am trying to find Vol. 1 and 2 of Japanese Armor by Tomczyk published by AJ press. They were relatively recently published but quickly when out of print. For the life of me I am having the hardest time finding them.

14. Most overexposed AFV subject
Germany’s WWII Cats – Tiger and Panther

15. Most under reported AFV subject
Post-WWII Japanese Armor

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library: not including magazines (which I have 100s) about 300

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause): right now, US Armored Funnies in the ETO -- because I love Allied WW2 oddballs

3. Favorite author: Zaloga, probably because he covers subjects I like. I like David Fletcher's erratic style though -- it grows on me.

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�: US Halftracks by Hunnicutt --- just for project ideas

5. Latest acquisitions: T-34 Mythical Weapon and Zaloga's Osprey US AT Artillery

6. Rarest book: Hunnicutt Firepower

7. Most valuable book: Hunnicutt Firepower (reputedly)

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book: $100 for Mythical Weapon and Hunnicutt Sherman

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase: $35 for Hunnicutt Stuart and $400 for EIGHT of the Hunnicutts including Stuart, Pershing, Firepower and Sherman

10. Most enjoyable read: TIE: Von Luck's "Panzer Commander", Loza's "Commanding the Red Army's Shermans" (despite its controversies, great anectdotes), and Cooper's "Death Traps" (despite its controversies, too)

11. Most underrated book (and why): Albin Irzyk's "He Rode Up Front For Patton" -- great book about mobile armored warfare in NW Europe -- the US Blitzkreig in '44 and '45.

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading: T34 Mythical Weapon and Organization and Markings of United States Army Armored Units

13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching): finally got Lemons' "Organization and Markings of United States Army Armored Units" for a good price from www.bookfinder.com

14. Most overexposed AFV subject: Tigers

15. Most under reported AFV subject: ???

And I'll add this one: 16. Most worthless excuse for a book: TIE, Simpson's "Tiger Ace: life of Michael Wittman" and John Norris' Osprey title on "8.8cm Flak 18/36/37/41 and Pak"

- Vivman

I love armor and I love books (two great tastes that taste great together) and I bet many on this message board do to. I thought it would be fun and informative to discuss.

Here is my little survey.

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library

Tough to say - It depends on how you define 'AFV related. Is Shelby Stantons 'WWII Order of Battle' Armor related? What about the Volume of Morisons Us Naval Operations of WWII that discuses landing the tanks in Operation Torch (What about where he talks about LVT Operations imn the Pacific?) What about My book on 'U.S. Amphibious Ships: an Illustrated Design History' It discuses (in detail) LSTs , LCMs, and LVTs?

Yea I know I'm nit picking!

So I'll take a SWAG at 250-300

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)

Brazen Chariots. It reads well, I wish he had written more. Although I didn't have any problem with this being my favorite their are others that I like a lot. Usually for different reasons 'Steel Victory' by Yeide is a good survey of U.S. Tank Battalions in Europe. 'Commanding the Red Army's Shermans' is an excellent book about a little known topic.

3. Favorite author

Another tough call. An easy answer would be Hunnicutt. But I think Yeide compliments him well and both of them are in a different class than Robert Crisp, Loza, Or Robert Dick who wrote about their own explots, And I'm not even thinking about the memoirs that came out of Vietnam (Or the ones that are going to come out like our own Doug Kibbey's )or will soon come out of Iraq.

Then there is Harold Coyle and W.E.B. Griffin for armor related fiction

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�

I'm drawing a blank. There's always a book I'm working on (usually a paperback for work so it can be discretely carried in a pocket as well as one at home) But it is probably more often a Naval book, often a reference that I'm comparing cruisers, or carriers, etc.

5. Latest acquisitions

Praying For Slack: A MArine Corps Tanl Commander in Vietnam
Cutthroats: The Adventures of a Sherman Tank Driver in teh Pacific
Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad
Nelson To Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923-1945 (That's HEAVY armor )
I just rememberd picking up a book on British 7th Arm'd Division in Europe that I can't put my hands on right now (I wonder where I put it?)

6. Rarest book

Probably my full set of Hunnicutts

7. Most valuable book

Probably my full set of Hunnicutts

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book

$262 for Hunnicutts Stuart (Don't tell my wife )

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase

When Amazon sent me 3 copies of 'Death Traps' I passed on 2 of them so all of us paid 1/3 the cost.

10. Most enjoyable read

Brazen Chariots, years ago

11. Most underrated book (and why)

Steel Victory by Yeide. An excellent survey of the U.S. Independent Tank Battalions in Europe. an excellent counterpoint to 'Death Traps' but it's more popular to knock shermans than praise them.

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading

Thunder Run is next on the list. along with a Glantz book on the eatern front as well as that 7th Rm'd Div book I can't find.


13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)

Well I have all the Hunnicutt's now so I guess it's 'Feint Praise' by Bailey. I've been seriously looking for a year or so.

14. Most overexposed AFV subject

German tanks, any German tanks

15. Most under reported AFV subject

Korean War memoirs, and Eastern front Soviet tanker memoirs.

Okay. I'll give this a go...

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library

About 120... I thought I had a lot, but compared to the some of you guys apparently not...

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)

Hard to pick 1 favorite. Maybe Tank Data, just for being historical marker. But Doyle's German Military Vehicles and Soviet/ Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices: 1945 – Present by Hull, Markov and Zaloga are very good one volume references... Any of the Hunnicutts of course...

3. Favorite author

Probably Hunnicutt. But Zaloga is also very good...

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�

I dont tend to read in the bathroom... But the Japanese Armour books I just acquired are fairly interesting. The 1975 Bovington Tank Museum "Fire and Movement" booklet might fall into that category...

5. Latest acquisitions

T-34 Mythical Weapon; Japanese Armour, Volumes 3-5; before that the first two Russian Armour (IS Tanks and Light Tanks).

6. Rarest book

That might be Steel Steeds Christie, which is a fairly interesting read - it was discarded from the UK MoD library. Otherwise, Hunnicutt's Abrams is pretty hard to find...

7. Most valuable book

Probably Abrams...

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book

$272 for Hunnicutt's Stuart - did I really pay that much?...

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase

Cant remember anything particularly good. I think T-34 Mythical Weapon for $82, including S&H, was well worth it...

10. Most enjoyable read

I did find Steel Steeds Christie to be fascinating, but I understand its a bit embellished (it was written by his son afterall). I found the new Russian Armour series to very readable.

11. Most underrated book (and why)

Probably Czechoslovak Armoured Fighting Vehicles by Charles Kliment and Vladimir Francev.

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading.

T-34 Mythical Weapon; Tank Tactics by Roman Jarymowcyz.

13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)

Hunnicutt's Firepower (2+ years); Baily's Faint Praise (6? months).

14. Most overexposed AFV subject

Probably the Tiger.

15. Most under reported AFV subject

Probably French armour, albeit understandably - but there arent a lot of good English sources!

Neil

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library

Not counting Mags, of which I have 2-3 thousand, but including Profiles, In Actions and the like, I'm SWAGing 1000-1300. Maybe more

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)

Dunno if I have a favourite. Brazen Charriots is darned good, but so is Fine Night for Tanks.

3. Favorite author

Dan Dancocks, Canadian history writer, now unfortunately passed away at a very early age. Very readable accounts of Canada's actions in several wars.

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�

Anything by Dancocks.

5. Latest acquisitions

An Army At Dawn. North Africa.
Project Orion, America's Nuclear Spaceship.

6. Rarest book

The Fighting Newfoundlander, Nicholson.

7. Most valuable book

"Probably my full set of Hunnicutts" Yeah, I think that's got it covered.

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book

$130 for Hunnicutt's Sherman

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase

About 14 cents for a copy of Vol 2 of the Royal Canadian Artillery history from a library discard sale. For $5 you got a grocery bag and anything you could put in the bag and carry, was yours. That book usually goes for between $70 and $200 dependiong on condition.

10. Most enjoyable read

Anything by Dancocks

11. Most underrated book (and why)

No opinion.

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading

An Army at Dawn


13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)

Don't really have one.

14. Most overexposed AFV subject

"German tanks, any German tanks" Oh yeah!

15. Most under reported AFV subject

Japanese AFVs, especially Japanese accounts.

Paul

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library

About 190

2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)

Hunnicutt's Sherman as its one of my most used

3. Favorite author

Hunnicutt and Thomas Jentz

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�

I seem to have Thomas Jentz's Panzer Truppen 1 and Panzer Truppen 2 in there quite often

5. Latest acquisitions

All during the past 7 days: an advanced copy of Michael Green's M4 Sherman at War, Armor Photo Gallery #16 M4A2 Sherman pt 2, Kagero T-55A, Ryton Panzerspahwagen and Blue Steel: T-55 Tank in S. Lebanon(currently in transit)

6. Rarest book

I really couldn't say

7. Most valuable book

Hunnicutt's Sherman or Stuart

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book

$57.00 for Hunnicutt's Sherman about 13 years ago

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase

Many moons ago I picked up 15 Osprey/Vanguard books at a flea market for $10.00

10. Most enjoyable read

I've really liked the Panzer Truppen books, hence their frequency in the bathroom

11. Most underrated book (and why)

Can't think of one off hand

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading

Panzerspahwagen and M4 Sherman at War

13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)

None at this time

14. Most overexposed AFV subject

WW II German Stuff but hey, that's what sells!

15. Most under reported AFV subject

Maybe WW II Japanese accounts along with some of the various brushfire wars during the 60's and 70's.

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library
Maybe 40, no big deal.

2. Favorite Book
"Patton-A History of the American Main Battle Tank" - Hunnicutt

3. Favorite author
R.P. Hunnicutt

4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�
Tie between "Car & Driver", "Cycle World" and "Laboratory Medicine"

5. Latest acquisitions
"Trupele Blindate Romana" (or something like that..it's up in my hotel room and I'm like, so not fluent in Romanian).

6. Most rare or unique book
Either my "Patton" or Orgorkiewicz. Dunno'

7. Most valuable book
Same as above

8. Most money you have ever paid for a book
$85 for "Sheridan" or "Bradley"...my wife bought them both for me, so maybe that doesn't count?

9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase
$25 for "Patton" by Hunnicutt, used, but excellent shape.

10. Most enjoyable read
"Panzer Battles" by von Mellinthin

11. Most underrated book (and why)
Can't say

12. What AFV related books are you currently reading
My Romanian tank troop screed

13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)
"Firepower" would be nice, but I'm not obsessive about it.


14. Most overexposed AFV subject
Germany – Tiger and Panther

15. Most under reported AFV subject
ARVN M41 crew experiences. I've been trying for two years to establish a network without success. Have several good contacts with officers, some of them very senior, but enlisted crewmen? Nada. They are either dead, can't be found, don't want to be found, or ain't talkin'. For sure there is next to no surviving documentary photographic material from the crewmens' perspective (probably destroyed out of self-preservation when the curtain fell).

1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library:
80+ (hard & softback) also 20+ unit historys

2. Favorite book:
Too hard to make a choice

3. Favorite author
Between Hunnicutt, Speilberger, Jentz

4. Favorite 'bathroom' reader
?

5. Latest acquistion
American Armored Cars - Hunicutt

6. Rarest book
the other 3 Hunicutt volumes

7. Most valuable book
the other 3 Hunicutt volumes

8. Most money you have every paid for a book
I have tried to keep all my individual book purchases below $100.00

9. Best deal on a purchase
I've got a copy of armor related books for $1.00 at Library book sales

10. Most enjoyable read
?

11. The most under-rated book & why
There are a lot of very informative dual-language books published at various places in Europe that have some really good information

12. What book are you reading now?
History of Panzer Regiment GrossDeutschland - Jung

13. What are your 'holy grail' books
The remainder of the Hunicutt series (I have 4 now - at one time I had all of them, but in a move/storage several boxes went astray, and guess what was lost....)

14. Most overexposed AFV subject
Tiger & Panther tanks (it is interesting though)

15. Most under reported AFV subject
I wish there was more information on the unique conversions of main-stream AFV's

Ironically the most useful source for contemporary AFV development and modifications is now the Internet not print.