Churchill Tank Manual: An insight into owning, operating and maintaining Britain's Churchill tank during and after World War II: An insight into ... and after WWII (Owners' Workshop Manual)

You may get the impression that this is one of my favourite tanks. And you’d be right.There are many reasons to like the Churchill; well armoured, dependable (perhaps eventually), versatile, mobile yet underpowered and so on. Basis for many of the “funnies” and in AVRE form, the petard mortar at 290mm gave it one of the largest calibre weapons on an allied tank. And it looks stolid, chunky and rather pugnacious or defiant, like its namesake (even if it may not have been named after Winston Churchill). A “What’ve you got? Bring it on” look.However, if there was any other reason needed to like it, it was the only Series 1 Airfix kit that I recall to have 100 parts. Those bogies, 11 per side, had two wheels and a spring unit each, making 66 just for them, very different to the- typically perhaps- cruder but nonetheless neat arrangement on the Matchbox Churchill AVRE kit.And big, imposing even. At the same scale, a MAUS kit is larger by only a surprisingly small degree.This book, one of the very best in this series, covers the Churchill tank superbly, with lots of information new to me-or in some cases forgotten. The illustrations are of a high standard, though some are less than perfectly reproduced on the slightly matt paper. Some nice technical information is given in several areas, particularly on ammunition. At this price, the book is a steal, and of interest surely to all AFV enthusiasts, not just fans of this one vehicle.The Churchill had its weaknesses- underpowered, and in true Allied fashion, poorly armed in terms of anti-tank capability and hard to up gun, but an important mainstay of the British tank force, and for my money, until the Comet, not only the best British Tank of WW2, but the best of the Western Allies’ tanks. Had it been able to take the 17 pounder or the “77 mm”, and available in quantity, it might have been the best tank of WW2 on any side. As it is, celebrate an under-appreciated hero in this well—written and highly readable volume which covers the tank beautifully.

I have quite a few books dedicated specifically to the Churchill tank (10+) so you might think another one would not be needed. Well, for anyone also building up reference material I would heartily recommend this book, it seems to fill a niche that required filling!!Firstly it covers many of the minutiae of the tank design, things such as fire extinguishers, radio equipment, internal stowage most of which has not been covered in other books. Secondly, the photos contained in the book are not replicated in other books I have so I'm not buying the same information as previous just in another format.I would say that 30-40% of the photos are available elsewhere but the remainder are an ingenious mixture of the author's collection obviously taken of the Churchill tank(s) he owns and previously unpublished views. I particularly like the set on pages 138 to 143 of B squadron 107 RAC, some of these have been reproduced before but at least 10 I have only seen (privately) in the IWM archives, so well done!Definitely a wholehearted 5-stars from this reader!!!

An excellent book on the Churchill. Up to the usual Haynes "manual" standard for the historic vehicles and aircraft they have produced over the last few years.Excellent mixture of modern photos of the restored vehicles and period black and white photos. Also includes extracts and internal arrangement drawings from period manuals and has a chapter on the "lessons learned" fighting the Churchill derived from wartime reports.If you buy one book on the Churchill make it this one.

The book is well beyond being a Workshop Manual. The narrative provides a well informed history of the tank and perhaps more important an insight into the men who lived and fought with the Churchill Tank. The book is a must for any one with an interest in the armoured fighting vehicles of WW 2 and for students of the North African and Italian campaigns. .

The Haynes Workshop Manual series are of great interest to the mechanically minded. there have been 3 previous books about tanks, all of which have been fascinating, so I was obviously going to buy the Churchill book. I found it to be full of interest and beautifully illustrated. I have no hesitation in recommending it to others with mechanical/military history interests

What child or man wouldn't want to know how to dismantle and rebuild a tank.... why are you even reading reviews, lol, they will LOVE it if it is a gift :) If your buying it for you stop looking for excuses not to and just order it. Enjoy :)

I liked everything about this book. Pleased as punch with it. I am enjoying the whole series of Haynes Manuals of all the different ships, tanks and planes.

This book is for my ref library , at first glance it looks very good . The best Churchill tank ref .