The M4 Sherman is probably the most easily recognizable American tank ever built. This book focuses in the variants and used by the American Army in World War II.

Variants cover include: Small Hatch M4, Small Hatch M4A1, Small Hatch M4A2, Small Hatch M4A3 75 mm, M4 Composite, M4 105 Howitzer, Large Hatch M4A1 (76)W, Large Hatch M4A2, Large Hatch M4A3 75 mm, Large Hatch M4A3 (76)W, M4A4 (105), M4A3E2, M4A6, M4A3E8 and a section devoted to specialized uses like Amphibious (DD Tanks), Bulldozer, Flamethrowers, etc.

The book is profusely illustrated with close to 200 B&W pictures and several color period pictures as well. There are just a few color profiles. The book covers variants that saw services in North Africa, Italy, D-Day, and the Western Front –including the Battle of the Bulge- as well as the Marine’s use of the Sherman in the Pacific.

Model Art Modeling Magazine is one of the finest periodicals on the market. Each issue covers subjects across the modeling spectrum. Regardless of your area of interest you will, sooner rather than later, find something of significance to you. The quality of the images within each issue is stunning, and that is important since the magazine is published in Japanese. There are always “work in progress” images and the tools and materials being used by the builder are always featured prominently in the images. It is not difficult, therefore, for the reader to use these “work in progress” articles as guides. While some details are certainly lost in translation, or the lack thereof, the general process followed in the “work in progress” is easy enough to follow.

I was somewhat familiar with the two opponents in this duel, having built the 1/72 Monogram F-105G a while back, and I’ve got the Gran kit of the SA-2 in the “to build some day” stash. I also have a copy of a video produced by the Air Force which features the development of the F-100 Wild Weasel mission, with interviews with the participants.

The Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) is a cat-and-mouse game. The aircraft tries to get the ground radars to come up so they can fire anti-radiation missiles. The ground systems try to get the aircraft to come in range of the missiles and anti-aircraft guns which surround the SAM site.

As I read this book, the question raised was, “exactly which player is the cat and which the mouse?” And what’s that ferret doing in there?

The book is divided into eight main sections, each covering the F-105 and then the SA-2.