War in Ukraine, Volume 9: Soviet-Designed Artillery Systems, 2014–2024 by Wen Jian Chung is a highly focused and informative entry in the Europe @ War series, offering a detailed look at one of the most important elements of the ongoing conflict, Artillery Systems. Chung does an excellent job breaking down the development, deployment, and battlefield use of Soviet-designed systems still in operation today. The text strikes a solid balance between technical detail and operational context, making it accessible without losing depth. It’s particularly valuable for readers interested in how legacy systems have been adapted and employed in a modern, high-intensity conflict.

This rather imposing triple kit package of the G7117, Studebaker US6-U3, and Studebaker US6-U5 trucks, comes in an average sized box with a nice artist rendering of the three trucks on the outside, with several pictures and a detailed description of what you get inside. Inside there are three stuffed plastic bags containing the individual, and the three instruction manuals that correspond to them. The sprues at first glance look well packaged with cushioning tape wrapped around the delicate parts, no etched fret, but a well rendered Decal Sheet for multiple marking options.

From the publisher’s website:

Nearly forty years have passed since the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant - the most severe nuclear accident in history and one of the gravest man-made disasters ever recorded. Countless books, documentaries, and films have examined the catastrophe and its aftermath. Yet, despite this abundance of material, a crucial aspect of the story has remained largely overlooked in English-language accounts: the immense contribution of Soviet aviation to the response effort.

In the shadow of the “liquidators” who manually cleared radioactive debris, thousands of aviators - especially helicopter crews - risked their lives flying repeated missions into the deadly plume above Reactor No. 4. Their work was vital in containing the fallout, delivering personnel and equipment, and monitoring radiation in conditions no aircraft had ever been designed to endure. Their story has never received the recognition it deserves.