Allan Murrell
Reviews By Author
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7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen At War 1941-1943Published:
The book is another in the great Casemate Images of War series. It is history of the 7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. This division was formed soon after the Germans invaded Yugoslavia. It was formed in late 1941 to combat the brutal guerrilla warfare that had broken out. The division was drawn from foreign volunteers for campaigns in Serbia and Montenegro. Its name was from Prince Eugene of Savoy and outstanding military leader who liberated areas of Croatia from the ottoman empire. In 1942 they added the Mountain Division title to their name. The images in the book are excellent and inspire ideas for dioramas to me, The book is full of amazing photos of the division through its history. I recommend this book to everyone with an… more |
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Napoleon’s Waterloo Army - Uniforms and EquipmentPublished:
When Napoleon returned from Exile on Elba he wanted to rule France in peace but that was not to be. In the following weeks Napoleon gathered an army of 128,000 soldiers. This book gives all the details of the troops of the French Army under Napoleon at the battles of Ligny, Quatre-Bras, and Waterloo. I was surprised at how much content this book held when it arrived for review, it is one heavy book (in weight)! The book's chapters are based on all the different divisions and corps within the army. The details within each of the chapters are incredible and shows how much research the author did to put this book together. I was amazed at the pictures of original equipment and uniforms. They make this book a great reference source. I must say that the book is very in-depth… more |
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Land Craft - Bren Gun Carrier - Britain’s Universal War MachinePublished:
This is a book in the Land Craft series which details vehicles and covers model kits and accessories to build the featured vehicle covered in the book. This book covers the Bren Gun Carrier by the Allies during World war two. I found this book a fountain of information on this important little support vehicle. The Profile pictures are a particular favorite and great source for modelling. The chapters on the different model builds and kits are of great interest and will provide a good resource when modelling this subject. I was impressed at the amount of information and history found in the pages of this extremely enjoyable book. The pictures along are worth the cost of the book. I will find this book indispensible in my library of reference books. I… more |
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Retribution - The Soviet reconquest of Western Ukraine 1943-44Published:
This is book is a follow up to Prit Buttar’s On the Knife’s edge and begins after the battle of Kursk that turned the tide of the Eastern front in favor of the Russian forces. Retributions goes in to detail of the massive Russian offensive that forced a now desperate and shaken German forces out of Western Ukraine. The author gives accounts of the many little-known battles that were constant throughout the Russian offensive. The this comes from the first-hand accounts are from the German and Russian soldiers that bring this to life. I learnt so much from this book that I was not aware of and the information and writing really draws you in. The book is 480 pages and there are only a few illustrations, and these are battle maps. It took me a week or so to read and… more |
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USS Skipjack Class SubmarinesPublished:
OKB Grigorov has provided a super USS Skipjack submarine which represent this classic class of American Submarine. The Skipjack class first entered service in 1974. Included is:
The detail quality is great; The parts are very delicate parts that need careful removal from the resin bases. There was no instruction sheet in the box I received to review, this was not a problem as it was a simple build. The assembly is quick and easy. The resin stand is an awesome addition to the kit. I would like to have seen some small decals. The final part is painting. Thanks go to OKB for providing this kit to review… more |
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German Submarine Type 201Published:
OKB Grigorov has provided very nice and unusual submarine in this German Type 201. This was the first post war German submarine. They only built three type 201’s U-1, U-2 and U-3 and they first entered service in 1961. The had issues with the Amagnitic steel material which lead to cracks in the structure, so all were scrapped. Included is:
The detail quality is great; The parts are very delicate parts that need careful removal from the resin bases. There was no instruction sheet in the box I received to review, this was not a problem as it was a simple build although there was not much reference materials online due to this being a very short lived program… more |
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de Havilland (Canada) DHC-1 ChipmunkPublished:
This is a thin book with only 48 pages, but they are very high quality pictures. The book is an addition to the Warpaint series of books, this time about the Chipmunk, which is one of the most well-known post-war piston engine basic training aircraft. It was designed to replace the Tiger moth by de Havilland Canada and first flew mid-May 1946, the same year it entered service. The Chipmunk was used mainly by the RCAF and RAF. The detailed color profiles are great for any modelers reference and the photos cover all types of the aircraft. I found this book fascinating and will be building a couple of the featured aircraft and this will be a fantastic reference for me to use. I recommend this book to everyone who likes and or builds Phantom’s Thanks go to Guideline… more |
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Gatchman II New God Phoenix plus LED kitPublished:
This is a brand-new model of the New God Phoenix from Tatsunoko Production's TV Anime [Science Ninja Gatchaman II] broadcasted from October 1978. (Also known as Battle of the Planets in North America). This version includes the optional LED lighting kit. In the box is:
The sprues are extremely well molded with no flash and very detailed. The parts are all molded in the correct colors so if the build is done well there is no… more |
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III. Germanic SS Panzer-KorpsPublished:
The book is big and looks great from the moment you hold it. The first of two volumes, the book delves into great detail of the development, service, and full history of the III (Germanic) SS Panzerkorps, from its formation to the Autumn of 1944. This unit was made up of various nationalities of Germanic volunteers. It was an elite unit that fought in many engagements from Croatia to Leningrad and, as will be told in volume two, it was one of the final defending units of Berlin. I found this book so informative and full of facts and details I was never aware of. The book is full of amazing photos of the men, machines and battles of this unit through the history of WWII. These would be great as reference for any modeler or historian. I was amazed at the… more |
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RN R Class SubmarinesPublished:
OKB Grigorov has provided super little set of 4 submarines which represent all the various produced of this class of British Submarine ordered at the end of WW1. They were the forerunner of the modern Attack submarine. They produced 12 of these small diesel electric submarines. All but 2 were scrapped by 1923. The remaining two until 1929 and 1934. Included is:
The detail quality is great; The parts are very delicate parts that need careful removal from the resin bases. The instruction sheet is very basic but enough to get them built. You just must ensure you use the correct Photo Etch sheet with the right resin submarine… more |