The Camera On series is unique for modelers in that it not a specification/tech manual for the subject under discussion, it is a pictorial study with pictures taken directly from archives and the original prints and detailing visually the subject in question. In this case, the subjects are Luftwaffe Search Lights and Range Finding Equipment, Volume 1.

As an overview, the book contains dozens of period pictures of search lights and range finding equipment in various forms of use. The pictures are WWII period and are all black and white. From the foreward, Alan Ranger explains the goal is o present the pictures of the equipment as taken by the German soldiers not professional photographers. The goal is to get the feel and way of life of the soldiers that manned these batteries. This includes wonderful shots of the men manning their machines and the installations. Not only are search lights included but the Luftwaffe range finding equipment is included with explanations.

I was attracted to this volume because I'm a private pilot and have flown several of the aircraft types in this book. The story is set in Colonial South Africa, Rhodesia (now Botswana), to be exact. Like many of the British Colonial territories after WWII, the native populations began to demand independence from the Commonwealth. The methods employed to achieve this goal created conflict that was deadly at times. The Rhodesian Police couldn’t operate over the vast area it covered without air support. Lacking the money to purchase aircraft and maintain a cadre of pilots, they turned to the local population recruiting local pilots and their privately owned aircraft. From 1967 to 2000 these units called the Police Air Reserve Wings or PRAW preformed that mission.

Right up to the mid-1940s, armored trains played the role of self-propelled artillery, often in a highly mobile environment. They were equipped with infantry and light tanks, that could be deployed for reconnaissance and harassment of enemy units. They rarely operated alone, often there were supply trains and other support units making runs to keep the armored train unit ready for combat.

This review covers the 2nd Volume of the “Polish Armored Trains 1921-1939” by Adam Jonca. This volume is focused on the “1st Armored Train Group” as such, all their trains started with a number “1”.

The book has a chapter devoted to the peace-time bases and further split into chapters devoted to Train 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and a special Independent Draisine Platoon attached to the 1st Armored Group.

Founded in 2001, Casemate is a major specialist publisher and book distributor in the North American market. Casemate offers print and digital books to the public and to libraries through a variety of channels, platforms, and vendors, as well as traditional and online retailers. Casemate has grown to become the leading publisher in the fields of military history, defense studies, and military science in the USA. Casemate has a burgeoning publishing list covering subjects as diverse as Roman History and today's current conflicts. This series, Casemate Illustrated Specials is focused on offering focused text and detailed photographs and illustrations into the weapons, equipment, and machinery of war.

Historical Background

World War II is probably the most covered subject of publishers of material intended for modelers and historians, and this book fills a gap that has been left unfilled for a long time. Most publications seem to be of purely military aircraft, but this one is unusual in that it provides the development and combat history of an airplane that was originally designed as a long range airliner, but was later converted to various military roles, including reconnaissance, bombing, torpedo attacks, and military transport roles.