Panzer Tracts No.15-2 - mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.251) Ausf.A, B & C 1939-1942

This impressive title explains that this book covers the '251' that we all know (remember when it used to be called the Hanomag?).... but basically this new publication covers the variants up to the Ausf.C.  The later war period saw the Ausf.D enter production, in huge numbers, and this D variant is covered in Panzer Tracts 15-3.

The contents of the book show that it covers versions up to the 251/10, plus the command vehicle and the so-called Stuka zu Fuss.

The clarity of the photos is remarkable, giving the modeler the sort of detail that is needed.

The 'unarmoured' ungepanzerte versions are covered in some detail, given that 305 vehicles were made with 3mm unhardened steel due to shortages in supply of proper armour plates.

The Panzer Tracts series is extremely well known, being a combination of the incredible research of Thomas Jentz, plus the superb scale drawings of Hilary Doyle.  The combination of the two was unbeatable, and frankly I have myself collected the whole series.  They were not without faults, however.  The text by Jentz could in places be rather technical to follow with German words throughout, some of the photos could benefit from improvement in quality, and very, very occasionally, Doyle made a tiny mistake with the drawings.  

The new releases are not just reprints of the old books, but are in fact a total reorganisation.  I have the original 2005 book, as well as the new 2024 review sample.  By way of an example, the new book has gone from 56 to 84 pages, with additional photos being the main reason.  The old photos have been sharpened, and the new ones are well-chosen to show useful features.  The text is easier to read, and feels somehow less complex, despite the frequent use of German language for vehicle components.  

In a few places, it is possible to see where Hilary Doyle has corrected his drawings.  For example, the side vision slits on the unarmored half-tracks are redrawn slightly smaller, and the rubber parts are no longer printed black.

To be honest, having collected the whole series in the past, I kinda didn't want the new reprints to be better than the old ones.  But they are.  A whole lot better.  The improvements are significant, and on this basis I would strongly recommend modelers to buy the newer releases rather than old stock if you are looking to get a reference book.  The Panzer Tracts series was truly revolutionary when it came out, and the booklets are invaluable for researchers and for modelers who want the ultimate accuracy.  

For anyone wanting to improve their model, these Panzer Tracts books have no equal.  The drawings are precise and taken from actual vehicles where possible.  I would have no hesitation in recommending this book and indeed the whole of the series.  The reprinted versions have improved presentation, and are even better than what we had before.

Highly Recommended for Beginner to Advanced builders.

Thanks goes out to Panzerwrecks for this review book.

Reviewed by Chris Lloyd-Staples, 2VP (International)

If you liked this review, consider joining AMPS. Your annual membership
includes six copies of AMPS's magazine, Boresight,
and helps to support our ongoing reviews.

Click here for more information about joining AMPS