Magyar Steel

This is the second book on armor by Mushroom Model Publications (MMP). The first book was titled “Code Name Swallow, British Sherman Tanks at Alamein” (reviewed here).

Both books are in 11 ½” x 8 ¼” soft-cover format. This new book is 84 pages long.

The book tells the story, for the first time in English, of Hungarian armor operations during WWII using both Hungarian-designed and built armored vehicles as well as German ones. The Hungarian forces fought bravely on the Eastern Front against overwhelming odds. Their German “allies” were not always supportive or friendly. The main part of the text covers operations of the 1st Field Armored Division on the River Don front in 1942/43 in support of the Germans. Other operations in WWII are also described, and the history of AFV design and production in Hungary during the relevant period is described and profusely illustrated.

The authoritative text, written by a noted Hungarian military historian, is backed up by personal accounts, photos that have never been published before and maps.

This is the story of Magyar Steel – a rarely documented aspect of WWII tank warfare. It is illustrated with 70 rare wartime black and white photos, plus two color ones. There are 78 photos, taken in museums of surviving examples of Hungarian vehicles. These are of the walk-around type. Vehicles pictured are:

• Fiat-Ansaldo 35M Italian tankette (in Belgrad Museum and Kubinka)
• Nimrod (Kubinka)
• Toldi I and II (Kubinka)
• Turan II (Kubinka)
• Zrinyi II (Kubinka)

There are 1/35th scale line drawings of:

• Nimrod
• Tas Rohamloveg SP gun and the heavy tank version
• Toldi’s I, IIa, III and the tank destroyer versions
• Turan I & II medium tanks
• Zrinyi I with 7.5cm gun and the assault howitzer versions

The book also includes color profile paintings, showing camouflage and markings of:

• German Krupp Protze Kfz. 70 truck
• Ex-Czech Tatra Vz. 20
• Casaba 39M armored car and the 40M command version
• Ex-Italian Fiat-Ansaldo 35M tankette
• V-4 tank
• A captured M3 Stuart tank
• Toldi’s I and II
• Nimrod
• Turan’s I and II
• Zrinyi’s I and II
• German Pz.Kpfw. 38(t)
• German Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M
• German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F1
• German Jagpanzer 38(t) Hetzer
• German Stug. III Ausf. G
• German Pz.Kpfw. VI Tiger I Ausf. E

Finally, there are three maps and five data charts.

This is essential reading for military historians, tank and AFV enthusiasts and scale modelers. It sheds fascinating light on aspects of armor operations not previously described in any detail in English.

I have three resin models of some of these Hungarian vehicles by Botond brand. This book will really be of great value when I build them.

I want to thank Roger Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of MMP for this review sample.