M60A2 Volume 2 from Sabot Publications!

sabotpub@gmail.com

M60A2 Main Battle Tank in Detail, Volume 2

132 Pages Color w B&W

Suggested Retail Price: $34.99

ISBN: 978-0-9973774

We looked at the first volume on the M60A2 from these guys back in July.

So, what does this book have that Volume 1 (which is excellent) didn't?

The answer is simple:

Color!  Big, glorious color photos!

There is a very short introduction that explains how the M60A2 was never actually called "The Starship" by its crews along with some corrections to Volume 1.

The next section is titled: "The M60A2 In the Field" and is mad up entirely of color period photos from the 1970s and early 1980s. This is an excellent compliment to Volume 1, which illustrated field use quite well.

The largest section of the book is "The M60A2 Walkaround." this is a full color look, both inside and out, at a restored M60A2.

The only two photos that are black and white are on the very last page of the book, showing a mired M60A2 awaiting recovery. These must have been left over from Volume 1.

Our Advice is to get both books and enjoy your project now that there are multiple 1:35 scale incarnations of this unique Cold War tank!

Thanks go our to Brett Avants and Chris Mrosko for providing a review copy and the photos for this review.

You can order direct by shooting and email to:

sabotpub@gmail.com

It's also available through these dealers in the U.S.:

Sprue Brothers, CRM Hobbies, Panther Hobby Supply, Aberdeen Bookstore, Avalon Books and Hobbies, The Hussar, or Larry's Legions

International dealers include:

Bookworld Wholesale in the UK, Christian-Schmidt Booksellers in Germany, Alquimy in Japan, HobbyEasy in Hong Kong, F-4Dable Models in

www.tankograd.com

Tankograd In Detail : Fast Track 10 Husky VMMD US Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detector

By Ralph Zwilling,
- 40 pages; 2 pages with text and 38 with full color photograph
- 61 full color photos

The Tankograd In Detail series are a short form photo-reference in the same format as the venerable Squadron In-Action series.  This particular issue provides a very detailed review of the Husky, Vehicle Mounted Mine Detector (VMMD). 

The Husky concept dates back to the 1970’s and the development of a route clearing vehicle system for the South African Defense Force, produced by DCD Protected Mobility Group. The South Africans were in need of a specialized vehicle to clear frequently mined convoy routes over unpaved roads between Namibia and Angola.  The initial design included the revolutionary V-shaped hull and the open frame that we’ve come to know on Huskies operating in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In the 1990’s DCD provided Husky Mk I’s in support of joint operations in Bosnia which got the attention of the US Army.  The Army opened a foreign competitive testing program to evaluate the Husky as an interim vehicle mounted mine detector.  The Army initially purchased 10 Husky VMMDs in 1997, with the first entering active service the following year.

This short 40-page book is really focused on the modeler with photographs that give us the details we’re always looking to add to a particular kit.  The book covers briefly the early Mk I Husky before focusing primarily on the Mk III’s.  Further sections are then broken down on vehicle specifics, hull, front suspension, rear suspension, interior driver’s compartment and then the various attachments used in mine clearing.  All the photographs are full color and large format and will be extremely useful if you’re building the recently released AFV Club Husky Mk III.  In addition because the photographs are all taken of vehicles outside in natural light, they offer a great guide to painting and weathering these vehicles.  Hello chips and rust!

By Tom Jett

AK Interactive's WWI, The First Mechanized War Reviewed

WWI. The First Mechanized War

AK Interactive Books (AK 273)

Soft Cover, 9.5” by 9.0” format. 167 pages, 123 Black and white photographs (including 46 never before published), 110 full-color plates including: 14 aircraft, 66 tanks, 24 armored cars and prime movers, 5 motor cycles and 1 uniform.

In WWI, The First Mechanized War, the folks at AK have put together an invaluable reference book on WWI. This book is a one-stop shop reference, giving the modeler a great selection of archival photographs and full color plates on both the aircraft and the land-based weapons of WWI.

The 167 pages are broken down as follows: the first three chapters deal with each of the armor of the three major powers, Germany, France and Great Britain. Next comes a brief discussion how mechanization changed the way war was waged in terms of movement from horses to vehicles and pigeons to motorcycles.

Next comes the real meat of the book, the color plates. These are a mix of single view and 4-view plates, with excellent color and detail.  Plates provided include everything of interest to the modeler, the MK I, MK IV, Renault FT and variants, St. Chamond, Schneider and A7V.  These will be invaluable to anyone looking to paint whatever vehicle they may be working on with no shortage of color schemes or camouflage patterns to choose from.  The aircraft plates are all single view plates, depicting some unusual but still very useful and inspirational views for the modeler.  There is also a short section that includes paint color chips used by each of the major powers for their vehicles as well as a brief discussion on uniform colors.

The final 50 pages of the book are really special in that they represent a collection of newly discovered photographs including the notes of the photographer made to the original glass negatives. These are shown in large format, filling each page, and are incredibly sharp and clear depicting the daily life and horrors of the First World War.

If you need a WWI reference, make it this one.  You can order your copy directly thought AK Interactive’s webpage: http://ak-interactive.com/v2/product/wwi-the-first-mechanized-war/ or through several major hobby on-line retailers as well as Amazon.

By Tom Jett

Armor Color Gallery 13 Book Review!

www.modelbooks.republika.pl

Armor Color Gallery #13:  Camouflage & Markings of German Armor in the Battle for Cassino, January-May 1944

By Jeffrey Plowman and Daniele Guglielmi

Model Centrum Progres

ISBN: 978-83-30372-25-9

48 pages, 65 archival photos, 19 full-color plates for painting and camouflage reference

The Armor Color Gallery series from the folks at Model Centrum is a little different from their vehicle-focused, Armor PhotoHistory series.  These books focus on the camouflage and markings of WWII vehicles from a single country, in this case Germany.  This book like other Model Centrum publications is a high quality reference loaded with great, high resolution B&W photographs.  Most pages contain two but no more than three well-captioned photographs of in-action German vehicles during any of the three battles for the Gustave Line in and around the Italian town of Cassino.

In this volume the reader is treated to all manner of late-war German armor including but not limited to StuG III, G’s, Marders III’s, Pzr IV’s, and Panther A.  Other treats include Somovente M42s, fixed Panterturm gun emplacements and even a captured beute Sherman M4A1.  The fun doesn’t stop there! Although the book is focused on German armor, there are some allied vehicles captured in some of the photos and many of the photographs will make for excellent diorama inspiration!

Lastly, the book features eight pages of high quality color plates depicting some of the armored vehicles captured in the preceding photographs. The color plates are very well done and make for excellent reference when painting your panzer!

You can order your copy through the folks at Casemate Publications: http://www.casematepublishers.com/index.php/distributed-publishers/model-centrum-progres.html

-By Tom Jett

Book Review- Black & White Technique

Black & White Technique
By Jose’ Luis Lopez
Ammo by Mig Jimenez Publications,
ISBN: 978-84-944741-1-8
111 pages, full color
Lately, the folks at Ammo by Mig seem to be churning our paper products as fast as they do paint sets! Black and White Technique, is among their latest and features this unusual and interesting approach to armor model painting and finishing. If you’re a fan of the “Spanish” style of painting made famous by Mr. Jimenez and Mr. Lopez, you’ll certainly like this book and will want to add it to your library. If you’re unfamiliar with their style, the book offers a new and rather innovative approach to modeling that will certainly be of interest even if you choose not to try the technique. The works done by Mr. Lopez in the book are certainly inspirational.
What is Black and White you may ask? The author thoughtfully describes how the technique is employed but basically it entails painting the model in a highly modulated (shaded) black and white style, complete with scratches and chips, to impart a level of depth and volume over which you apply extremely thin, translucent coats of the tank’s camouflage colors. If you think this sounds like a lot of work, this reviewer would have to agree, but I’d would have to add that the results are stunning.

The book is organized into seven chapters. Chapter 1 describes a basic “technical” understanding of light and how light effects color. Chapters 2 and 3 go into more depth about the Black & White technique and more details on how light effects color on various surfaces. In chapter 4, the author begins taking the reader through the process using several, one-color armored subjects (Olive Drab, Panzer Grey etc.) as examples. The photos are very high quality and the captioning is well done and clearly explains what’s happening in the photo. Chapter 5 explains how the author applies the technique to modeling subjects with a multi-color camouflage scheme. The last two chapters include a summary of the basic steps involved I the technique and a photo gallery of completed works.

All in all, the book is a great source of inspiration for the well-seasoned modeler and intriguing to those of us who may want to take their skills to an entirely new level.  The book also features clear explanations and photos of other useful weathering techniques of interest to most armor modelers including chipping, streaking, and oil paint rendering.
You can order your copy directly thought Ammo by Mig USA: http://www.ammomigjimenez-usa.com/

-By Tom Jett

M60A2 Book Review!

sabotpub@gmail.com

M60A2 Main Battle Tank, Vol.1 In Detail

Published By Sabot Poblications

132 Pages Black and White

Suggested Retail Price: $35.00

ISBN: 978-0-9973774-2-2

This is the third title we received from Sabot lately and it is very welcome considering that modelers now have multiple choices when it comes to modeling the M60A2. Dragon, AFV Club and Academy have all released kits and there is also the old Tamiya kit to consider.

Things start off with a short section that expounds on the development of the M60A2 as well as details on the U.S. Army units that deployed it.

Unlike previous books, this one is made up entirely of period photos. There are lots of "In Action" type photos of the M60A2 in the field. The vast majority come from maneuvers in German between 1978 and 1980. They give a really good feel for what the tank looked like when it was deployed, including lots of good detail on markings and stowage. There are even a few photo series that have the same tank in multiple views.

There are also several small sections of "In Detail" photos. These include a closer look at the main gun, a photo series showing a turret being pulled off that includes interior shots, and a look inside the commander's cupola.

All of the pictures are half page or larger including a few two-page spreads.

Overall the book is an excellent reference on a subject where there are great kits out now but good reference is hard to come by.

Brett Avants was nice enough to send a bunch of sample pages so we have them below for you:

You can order direct by shooting and email to:

sabotpub@gmail.com

It's also available through these dealers in the U.S.:

Sprue Brothers, CRM Hobbies, Panther Hobby Supply, Aberdeen Bookstore, Avalon Books and Hobbies, The Hussar, or Larry's Legions

International dealers include:

Bookworld Wholesale in the UK, Christian-Schmidt Booksellers in Germany, Alquimy in Japan, HobbyEasy in Hong Kong, F-4Dable Models in Malaysia, Specmod in Australia, AKO Hobby in Taiwan, and Kits Maquette in France.

Nuts & Bolts 36 Review!

www.nuts-bolts.de

Volume 36: Büssing's schwere Pz.Spähwagen Part 2 - schw.Pz.Spähwagen (7,5 cm) (SdKfz.233), schw.Pz.Fu.Wg (SdKfz.263) (8-Rad) & Panzermesskraftwagen

by Martin Block, Holger Erdmann

208 pages
395 photos (212 historic, 84 model, 99 modern)
37 blueprints
12 camouflage schemes, tactical markings, table of organisation (KStN)

Nuts & Bolts continues to deliver a reference gold mine on the early model 8-wheelers. This second part covers the radio car and the 7.5 cm howitzer version.

The familiar format is followed in this book. There is a development and technical description section at the very front followed by deployment information along with camouflage and markings. The textual section on the models is more extensive than usual, a nice feature.

The period photos start with the Sd.Kfz 233 (7.5 cm armed version) followed by the 263 (radio car version). Some rare and very useful interior shots of the 263 are included. Period photos of the vehicles in the field are divided into small sections and cover from the prewar period through to the end of the war.

Drawings for the 233, and the first, third and 4th series of 263 are included. There are also some really nice drawings of the Panzeresskraftwagen in here!

Color plates for the 233 and 263 re a good sampling from throughout the war.

Museum photos have an emphasis on the 7.5 cm howitzer toward the front. There is a extensive selection of radio equipment depicted, making this this section useful for other subjects as well.

The modeling chapter at the back of the book is quite extensive, with two examples of the 233 and two of the 263. It's really nice to see an illustration of Tony Greenland's skill in detailing the older Tamiya offerings as well as a profile of the newer AFV Club kits!

This newest book is a great sequel to N&B 35 and a near perfect reference on the subject.

You can order your copy direct from N&B right here: http://www.nuts-bolts.de/issue/show/41

M1A2 SEP Abrams Book Review!

sabotpub@gmail.com

Published by Sabot Publications

104 pages Full Color

Suggested Retail Price: $29.99

ISBN: 978-0-9973774-0-8

This is title was Sabot Publication's first effort and they have done quite well with it.

Apparently, the first printing is already sold out. Don't worry! They already have a second printing available.

The Introduction section is short and sweet with a textual rundown, three color plates and some nice 1:35 line drawings.

The next chapter is The M1A2 SEP in Action and goes from page 8 to 35.

There is a wide selection of pictures here including plain ol' M1A2 SEP, various TUSK configurations and the SEP V2 with a remote weapons system.

Yes, of course there are some great pics of vehicles in the field from Iraq.

Pictures from Stateside and Germany are also in here so there are some nice shots of Abrams in NATO paint as well as Desert Sand.

These nice maintenance pis are at the very end of the "in action" chapter.

The M1A2 SEP Walkaround Chapter takes up the bulk of the book and several different vehicles are used to cover all of the details:

A multiple view look at an M1A2 SEP without any TUSK armor starts things off.

Multiple views of an Abrams with the TUSK I array in place follow.

Interior detail is not left out either!

The close-ups of exterior details are mostly toward the back, after the overall views and the interior shots. This allows the reader to get their bearings before zooming in on the little stuff.

Considering how many Abrams kits there are on the market and how few truly good and up-to-date photo reference works there are on the subject, this book is most welcome!
 We definitely plan to keep it close at hand at the shop since we got our grubby paws on both the Meng and the Academy kits lately!

You can order direct by shooting and email to:

sabotpub@gmail.com

It's also available through these dealers in the U.S.:

Sprue Brothers, CRM Hobbies, Panther Hobby Supply, Aberdeen Bookstore, Avalon Books and Hobbies, The Hussar, or Larry's Legions

International dealers include:

Bookworld Wholesale in the UK, Christian-Schmidt Booksellers in Germany, Alquimy in Japan, HobbyEasy in Hong Kong, F-4Dable Models in Malaysia, Specmod in Australia, AKO Hobby in Taiwan, and Kits Maquette in France.

M9 ACE (Armored Combat Earthmover) Review!

sabotpub@gmail.com

Published by Sabot Publications

132 Pages Full Color

Suggested Retail Price: $35.00

ISBN: 978-0-9973774-1-5

Sabot Publications made some big waves with their first offering, M1A2 SEP Abrams Main Battle Tank In Detail, just a few short weeks ago.

M9 ACE is a great follow-up on another modern U.S. armor subject now available in kit form from Takom.

This neat little combat bulldozer has been in service from 1986 and saw it's first action during Desert Storm in 1991. It saw a lot of use during the Iraq War and in Afghanistan.

A short introduction section includes a textual description of the vehicle and it's mission and and excerpt from the technical manual with the location and description of major exterior components.

The succeeding chapters are more visually oriented.

The M9 ACE in Action chapter is mainly made up of pictures from the vehicle in actual field use, both internationally and domestically. It has some nice examples of different paint schemes used, including a shot of an M9 in MERDC camo!

The next chapter is On Maneuvers at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.

This is a 26-page section made up made up of mostly big half-page photos of the vehicle being put through its paces.

The longest and most glorious chapter is The M9 ACE Walkaround. This chapter consists entirely of half-page and full-page photos.

Exterior shots are an excellent mix of overall shotsand close-ups of all the various details.

We really liked this since many photo walk around pictures are taken too closely, leaving the modeler searching for a detail that is just off the corner of the photo! Arrgh! 

Yes, there is an interior section! This vehicle has a rather cozy cockpit for the single crewman, but Sabot covers it from all angles.

Some very good shots of the hydraulic plumbing are included for those who want to go for broke with detailing this aspect of the Takom kit.

Last but not least is a nod to all of the weathering fiends out there with a close-up look at a very grubby vehicle just back from playing the dirt. This little low profile puppy seems to move as much through the ground as over it.

Overall, this is a great visual guide to the M9. There is enough textual information up front to get the reader oriented followed by a visual guide to the M9 you just won't find anywhere else right now.

You can order direct by shooting and email to:

sabotpub@gmail.com

It's also available through these dealers in the U.S.:

Sprue Brothers, CRM Hobbies, Panther Hobby Supply, Aberdeen Bookstore, Avalon Books and Hobbies, The Hussar, or Larry's Legions

International dealers include:

Bookworld Wholesale in the UK, Christian-Schmidt Booksellers in Germany, Alquimy in Japan, HobbyEasy in Hong Kong, F-4Dable Models in Malaysia, Specmod in Australia, AKO Hobby in Taiwan, and Kits Maquette in France.

Nuts & Bolts 35 Review!

http://www.nuts-bolts.de/

by Holger Erdmann
Soft Cover
German & English texts
200 pages
311 photos (164 historic, 27 model, 120 modern)
53 blueprints
14 camouflage schemes, tactical markings, table of organisation (KStN)

N&B 35 is a great one-stop reference for building any of the Sd.Kfz. 231 and 232 kits out there, whether it be the excellent AFV Club offerings, the older Tamiya 1:35 scale kit or the newer Tamiya 1:48 scale kit.

The textual chapter at the front follows the usual Nuts & Bolts format with the development, technical aspects, production and deployment described. The deployment section includes a short history of recon units in pretty much every mechanized unit in the Germans fielded. There are some nice technical photos here and of course there is an organization table for a standard reconnaissance company. Camouflage, markings, and license plates are covered at the tail end of this section.

A big, fat chapter of period photos follow in the following subsections: technical, pre-war, Poland, 1940 Western Campaign, North Africa, Eastern Front 1941-43 and 1943-45 for both the Eastern and Western Fronts.Next are the line drawings for both the 231 and 232. The different production series are graphically detailed here too.

Next are the line drawings for both the 231 and 232. The different production series are graphically detailed here too.

There are seven pages of color plates with two example vehicles on each page for a total of 14 color schemes to work from for painting.

The walk around photos are from a surviving 231 at Koblenz. The outside, suspension and some of the interior are covered here although the vehicle is missing its engine.

The modeling section is at the very back with the two AFV Club kits covered, one in winter whitewash and one in standard Panzer Grey.  Both are handsomely built with a few accessories thrown on for flavor.

Nuts & Bolts turns out the best reference you can find on these German WWII 8-wheeled armored cars.

You can order your copy from the publisher by clicking right here.

Dragon USA also carries Nuts & Bolts titles.

Mr. Black WWII Special Review!

Mr. Black Publications

We really dig the figure books from Mr. Black. Their Figure Modelling series is probably the best publication of its type available today.  They cover all eras, scales and mediums of this very exciting portion of our favorite little hobby!

This newest book is right up our alley, with all the subjects pertaining to WWII, just like the title says.

There are a total of 15 features in the publication. The articles vary in length from 2-9 pages. The content includes single figures, busts and vignettes. The single figure articles are the shortest, with the exception of the Soviet infantryman bust, which is pretty extensive. The longer articles include information on the scenery and the vehicle models used.

There's quite a bit of step-by-step in here, mostly concerning figure painting method.

Here's a list of the features with a short summary of each:

Deutsches Afrika Korps - North Africa 1942 - 1:35 scale

This is a fairly long article using newer Tamiya Panzer II modified with parts from the much older kit from the '70's. The old Tamiya Afrika Korps figures are converted to add new life.

Rasputitsa! - 1:35 scale

This is a small vignette using the Tamiya Simca and a Hornet figure. Detailing on the car, base work and figure painting are all in there.

LAH Kharkov 1943-  1:35 scale

This is a single Alpine figure painted with acrylics and oil paints.

SS Unterscharführer - 75mm (1/24)

This is a single figure from H&V Miniatures with detail on face painting using Vallejo and also a nice section on painting SS camouflage uniforms

WWII US BAR Gunner -1:35 scale

Yet another Alpine figure.  There is a nice step-by-step on painting with the author using Tamiya Enamels.

Japanese Officer in a Tropical Hell

This is a single figure from Irbis Miniatures with a short look at base work and Vallejo paint profile.

Oberleutnant Georg Briel - DAK - 120mm (1:16)

This is a short article on a limited edition Alabarda Club miniatures bust with a Vallejo painting profile.

On The Edge of No Man’s Land - 180mm (1/10)

This is an extensive article on a Young Miniatures Soviet infantryman bust. It has nice step-by-step on painting using oil paints.

Tripoli, 1941 - The DAK is here!- 1:35 scale

-This is a small vignette featuring an Alpine DAK German and Italian tanker type with a Vallejo painting profile

Stalingrad, 1942- 1:35 scale

This vignette is a pair Master Box figures converted to give them some polish with a Vallejo painting profile.

German DAK Infantry North Africa WWII - 180mm (1/10)

This is another Young Miniatures bust painted with Tamiya enamels. Short but sweet. It's a very handsome figure!

Tips For Beginners

This is a short article on basic figure construction.

Blitzkrieg - Vorwärts - 1:35 scale

-This is an excellent little action diorama using modified Master Box figures with a Vallejo paint summary.

Royal Armoured Corps AFV Crew- 1:35 Scale

This is another well-painted Alpine figure painted in Tamiya enamels.

Battle of Moscow, 1941-1942- 1:35 Scale

Two more Alpine Soviet tanker figures in winter togs to wrap things up with Vallejo painting instructions.

We found this to be very satisfying bedtime reading and a real inspiration when it comes to stepping up our own figure painting game.

Check out this and all of the other great titles from Mr. Black right here!

Nuts & Bolts 34 Review!

NUTS & BOLTS 34: SD.KFZ. 7 - 8 TON ZUGKRAFTWAGEN KRAUSS-MAFFEI AND VARIANTS

http://www.nuts-bolts.de/

-By Dr. Nicolaus Hettler

-soft cover

-German & English texts

-184 pages, 334 photos (169 historic, 32 model, 133 modern)

-80 blueprints

-20 camouflage schemes, tactical markings, table of organization (KStN)

There's a bunch of great Sd.Kfz. 7 Half-Track kits out these days, so this book will certainly come in handy.

There are 184 pages total with 334 photos total inside. A total of 169 period photos are included. There are five different modeling projects in given concise coverage, including three by Tony Greenland.

The first section of the book is mainly textual. It starts off with development and a technical description. Then these guys just go nuts (hence the nuts in Nut & Bolts) and give a short rundown on pretty much every variant of the Sd.Kfz. 7. They follow this with unit allocation information you just won't find anywhere else, including great charts like the one below:

The period photos follow. there are some really nice factory shots combined with those of early models being used as a prime mover for artillery such as the 15cm sFH. and the "88." Coverage of the AA toting versions follow, which we all appreciate. There is a nice selection of armored versions here too. The last part is a short look at "funnies"—unusual variants.

A huge section with line drawings follows including multiple versions of the prime mover and the Flak gun carriers.

Nuts & Bolt never skimps on the color plates.  This volume has 10 pages of them, with two plates on each page:

The walk around pictures will give you a close-up look at all of the details. These are photos taken of surviving examples. The emphasis in this section is on multiple versions of the prime mover with a splendid look at an armored Sd.Kfz. 7 carrying a 3.7cm Flak Gun at the end.

Last but not least are the models. Tony Greenland's first project is actually right inside the front cover. There is some additional commentary in the front of the book after the technical description and unit allocation/ deployment sections. At the very end of the book are four more short articles, all wonderully done and sure to whet your appetite to leave work and start on one of these kits right away.

As we've said before and will probably say again, these books are one-stop shopping for reference material on their respective subjects. No one can beat Nuts & Bolts on what they cover.

You can buy your copy direct right here.

Dragon USA also carries Nuts & Bolts titles.

ALL NEW! Ampersand Book Reviews! Nuts & Bolts 33

Nuts & Bolts 33: Leichte Feldhaubitze 18, GW II für le.F.H. 18/2 “Wespe” and “Hummel-Wespe”

http://www.nuts-bolts.de

Nuts & Bolts first took a look at the German Wespe 10.5mm self-propelled howitzer way back in 1996 with volume 2 of the series. This little book was pretty good for its day. However, N&B 33 will totally blow your doors off as it has the most extensive coverage of both the Wespe and the towed le. F.H. 18 towed howitzer that we’ve seen in any single publication.

In all, there are 353 photos inside: 198 period photos, 115 walk around photos from surviving examples and 40 pictures of two models from Tony Greenland. In addition, there are technical drawings and color plates in their own respective sections.

Each chapter is broken down into two parts. Information on the towed 10.5cm le. F.H. 18 is given first followed by details on the Wespe.

Here is a breakdown of the individual chapters and some details on each:

1. History/ Technical development & production

The le. F.H. 18 information is rather concise but includes information on variants, production, typical unit strength and crew configuration.

The Wespe data is much more extensive encompassing not only a technical description but also detailed information on individual unit allocation for the different divisions that were issued this vehicle. A nice graphical table of organization is included for a typical battery as well that includes support vehicles. A section on the Hummel-Wespe is also included.

2. Museum vehicles and modeling

This section has a short write-up on the Tamiya Wespe by Tony Greenland along with a chart of available kits and accessories for the Wespe and le. F.H. 18. There is also a listing of surviving examples and an extensive bibliography for those who want to dig deeper

3. Technical details & active service

This section contains all of the period photos. All three versions of the le. F.H. 18 are pictured. The Wespe section is extensive wit many pictures from the front lines and includes the munitions carrier.

4. Drawings

The le. F.H. drawings are of the 18m version, with different wheels types and the limber, which we all wish someone would produce in 1:35 scale!  The Wespe drawings include production variations and interior detail

5. Colour profiles

This section contains 13 color plates of the Wespe, one of the munitions carrier and one of the different ammunition components.

6. Preserved vehicles in museums & private collections

There are color pictures here or the le. F.H 18, 18m and 18/40 with wheel variations and some nice pictures of the Rundblickfernrohr 36 sight.  The Wespe photos are from several different survivors great exterior and interior shots as well as a short section on the radio and ammunition.

5. Modelling

This section actually begins on the inside cover with Tony Greenland detailing the venerable AFV Club le. F.H. 18 kit and continues at the end with a super-duper detailing job on Tamiya’s outstanding Wespe kit.

In summary, it’s all here folks: Background, period photos, drawings and color plates, surviving examples and even models.

You can buy a copy today direct from the publisher right here

Dragon USA also carries this book