Originally developed to support the infantry formations of the Germany''s armoured divisions, the Pzkpfw IV medium tank was increasingly pressed into service as a tank killer as stronger and more well-armoured enemy vehicles were encountered. By the end of 1943, despite the appearance of the Tiger and Panther, it could be said that the Pzkpfw IV was the most important tank, at least numerically, in the Wehrmacht''s arsenal. Mechanically reliable and relatively cheap to produce the tank''s large wheel base and turret circumference meant that it could be up-gunned with minimal disruption to production and adapted to a number of different roles including self-propelled anti-tank gun, anti-aircraft tank, bridgelayer and armoured recovery vehicle. Although assembly of the Pzkpfw IV was officially terminated in late 1944, as the tank had fallen out of favour with Hitler, production was soon resumed and continued until the final days of the conflict. In Dennis Oliver''s latest volume in the T
