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Dragon Wagon is the second in a series of titles covering the U.S. Army’s Heavy Tank Transporters. The first volume covered the M25/M26 Pacific family of vehicles and trailers during their service in WWII and Korea. Part 2 picks up the story with the successor to the Pacific; the magnificent 10-ton M123 tractor. The unarmored M123 soldiered on through the 1950s and Vietnam while paired with the modernized M15A1 and M15A2 trailers from WWII. Also covered is the rare and unusual M746 tractor with service pictures from its brief career. Photo coverage includes lavish color shots of the M123 in Vietnam, as well during development and testing. Additional detail photos are provided of the M123A1C, M123E2 and M746.
The vehicle that was to become the Type 82 Kübelwagen had its roots in the development of the Volkswagen “People’s Car.” With war clouds gathering over Europe, the efforts of the Volkswagen facility were turned to the production of military vehicles. In January 1938 work began in earnest on the vehicle that would come to be popularly known as the Kübelwagen. The term Kübelwagen means “bucket car” and was actually applied to a variety of vehicles from a number of makers, but has come to be synonymous with the Volkswagen Type 82. Even under the skilled tutelage of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, two years of work and testing were required before the Kübelwagen took its classic form. It was soon to become as ubiquitous as the U.S. Army’s Jeep and was also designed a produced as an amphibious car known as the Schwimmwagen.
As always, this Visual History title mixes rare and interesting archival imagery with photos of restored vehicles. Produced with the full and complete cooperation of the Kübel Korps, one of the world’s largest Kübelwagen-Schwimmwagen restoration groups, this title presents only the very finest restored examples. Early examples of the Kübelwagen are featured, as is a very rare 1945 model. No detail is left unrevealed, with interiors, multiple engine views and undercarriages. Additionally, the Schwimmwagen is covered in equally great detail.
From its introduction in 2007, the International Harvester Navistar MaxxPro evolved to meet the demands of U.S. military personnel in defeating the effects of improvised explosive devices on vehicles in the theaters of operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. By 2015, nearly 9,000 MaxxPro MRAP variants had been in service with 16 nations in addition to the United States.
Based on the sturdy and reliable line of International Harvester commercial trucks, the MaxxPro MRAP variants would grow to encompass the M1224; M1224A1; M1234; M1235 and the massive M1249 wrecker. Noted military vehicle experts John Adams-Graf and David Doyle tackle this subject like never before. Tracing the origins of the MaxxPro from its conception in 2006 and throughout its varied career in all combat theaters, this is a Visual History title like no other. Drawing on official documents and Defense Department imagery every facet of the vehicle’s development and deployment are covered. Each of the full-page color photographs is more stunning than the next. Arranged chronologically, the coverage depicts Iraq and Afghanistan zones, as well as training areas and finally the redeployment of the MaxxPro family in the hands of Iraqi and Afghani national troops. This coverage is also supplemented with detailed walk around images of the M1224 and M1249 wrecker. All in all, a title not to be missed by the modern vehicle enthusiast and an indispensable reference for anyone owning the Kinetic, Trumpeter, or Bronco scale model kits. I