History Brief

The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car was developed by General Motors Canada to meet the demand for a light armored car. The design followed the layout of the British Humber Mark III LRC. The Otter was based on the Chevrolet C15 Canadian Military Pattern truck chassis and used many standard GM components. The armament consisted of a hull-mounted Boys anti-tank rifle and a Bren light machine gun in a small open-topped turret. Although it used a more powerful engine than the Humber, it was larger and heavier; overall performance was less than the Humber but still acceptable. Between 1942 and 1945, 1761 units were produced in Oshawa, Ontario, although fewer than 1,000 were delivered overseas. The Otter served with Canadian units in the Italian Campaign and Northwest European operations. It was also employed by the British Army and the RAF. Some RAF regiment vehicles used aircraft armament such as 20mm cannon and 0.303 Browning machine guns.

The Book

Kagero Publishing of Poland has a series of photo books called Topshots. They feature lots of photos of a single subject and include a decal sheet.

This book contains photos of Su-22s in Polish Air Force service. It’s got one page of history in English, and 47 pages of photographs, many with details you’re not going to find in any other published source. The photos are all well printed in color.

The decal sheet has all the markings required for two Su-22M-4s of the 7th Air Support Squadron in 1/48 and 1/72. The back cover of the book gives the color and marking placement for 9101, which is on the decal sheet. Photos of 8206, the other aircraft, are also included.

A relative newcomer to the model world, Riich Models has given us some little jewels in armor, ships, and aircraft. Their latest effort, Livestock Set, Vol. 2, will provide some useful animal figures to liven up dioramas of all periods. Included are a grazing horse, two cows, and two birds which look like pigeons. All armies of World War II used horses to varying degrees, and civilians commonly used horses everywhere. The cows would most likely be found in rural scenes; I’m guessing many modelers will use these in a Normandy diorama. The pigeons can be used anywhere, perched in a tree or on a telephone wire. Don’t forget that pigeons were used for carrying messages, even by U.S. troops (who often carried the birds in captured German gas mask canisters).