IPMS Number
27087
Andrew Birkbeck
Reviews By Author
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M4A3E8 ShermanPublished: August 24, 2018 BackgroundOne can put up a legitimate argument that the M4 Sherman series of tanks was the most important Allied tank of the Second World War. The initial Shermans that rolled off the production lines in large numbers had what was known as VVSS (Vertical Volute Suspension System) with two road wheels per bogie. These tanks (M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4) also operated as their main… more |
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Panzer IV On The Battlefield 2Published: June 11, 2018 Around 1970, Monogram Models released a “Panzer IV” kit in 1/32nd scale. There was no mention on the box top as to what version (Ausführung) it was, simply that it was a Panzer IV “with 75mm gun”. As military vehicle historians dug deeper into the history of German military vehicles from the Second World War period, they learned that the Panzer IV, for example, was produced in a series of “… more |
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Tiran 4 Late TypePublished: February 3, 2020 BackgroundThe most important Soviet tank design of the early post WW2 period was the T-54/T-55 series of tanks, and these tanks were exported in large numbers to Soviet client states including Syria and Egypt. The 1967 and 1973 Arab/Israeli wars were disastrous for the combined Arab armies, and Israeli forces captured hundreds of intact examples of the T-54/55 tanks. Not wishing to… more |
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Panzer IV Ausf. H Mid Production w/ZimmeritPublished: June 11, 2018 The Panzer IV series of medium tanks was the only German tank to see continuous production throughout the Second World War. As battlefield conditions changed for the Germans during the war, so too did the Panzer IV: thicker armor, more powerful main guns, the introduction of spaced “schurzen” turret and hull armor plates. The modeler has been fairly well served over the years when it comes to… more |
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British Tank Churchill Mk.VII - CrocodilePublished: June 7, 2018 BackgroundThe British Churchill tank was one of the most important tank designs introduced by the British after the start of the Second World War. Following the collapse of the French armies at the hands of the invading Germans utilizing Blitzkrieg tactics, British forces lost most of their front line military equipment in France in May 1940. The British reevaluated their previous… more |
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T-90 Standard Tank: The First Tank of the New RussiaPublished: February 7, 2018 BackgroundThe T-90 “Standard Tank” was an evolutionary development of the Soviet T-72 tank, the latter being a prime component of Soviet tank forces during the mid-1970’s to the mid 1990’s. The T-72 was also exported widely, including to the armed forces of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. During the 1991 Gulf War, the Iraqi T-72 tanks suffered very badly against such tanks as the U.S. M1… more |
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T-34/76 Factory 183Published: December 15, 2017 BackgroundI won’t go heavily into the background of the Russian T-34 tank, suffice to say that it is a VERY strong contender for “the tank that won the war”. Certainly, this was so on the Eastern Front of World War Two. It was well suited for the climatic conditions found on this battlefront, with its harsh winters and “muddy season”. Its diesel engine was easier to start in cold… more |
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M1A2 Abrams U.S. Main Battle TankPublished: December 15, 2017 BackgroundThe M1 Abrams, named for former General Creighton Abrams (commanded US troops in Vietnam following General Westmoreland, and later became US Army Chief of Staff), is the current front line Main Battle Tank of the US Army and US Marine Corps. It also serves in the Armed Forces of nations such as Australia, Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. It first entered service with US… more |
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U.S. M113A1 ACAVPublished: December 11, 2017 BackgroundAs a young man in the late 1960’s living in Canada, each weekday night I used to watch “The CBS Evening News” with Walter Cronkite. This was my window on the world, so to speak. And it seemed that almost every night the first thing that I saw through this window involved “the war in Vietnam”. Mr. Cronkite would tell me how many US troops had been killed or wounded, and… more |
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SturmgeschutzPublished: December 10, 2017 Initially deployed with German forces in 1940, Sturmgeschütz (Stug) assault guns were purpose-built fully tracked armored fighting vehicles designed to support the infantry during the initial assault on enemy positions, especially useful for knocking out strong points such as bunkers. When the Germans invaded Russia in 1941 in Operation Barbarossa, they got a nasty surprise with the appearance… more |