Andy Taylor
Reviews By Author
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Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.BPublished:
The Sd.Kfz.251 half-track armored personnel carrier was the primary-armored transport vehicle of the German Wehrmacht. It was developed by the company Hanomag in 1938, based on the artillery tractor Sd.Kfz.11, with serial production starting in the summer of the following year. The Sd.Kfz.251 armored personnel carriers were produced in four main variants—Ausf. A, B, C, and D—and there were 23 different versions for various army needs, differentiated by their armament and equipment. The 251/1 variant was the standard transport vehicle for the German motorized infantry, capable of carrying one squad of soldiers. These combat vehicles were in service with the German Army throughout World War II and were used in all theaters of combat, with a total of 15,252 units produced in various… more |
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The Modern British Army Volume 1: The Path to a Future Soldier, 2010s and BeyondPublished:
This book covers the British Army after the Cold War and Operations Telic (Iraq, 2003-2011) and Herrick (Afghanistan, 2001-2014) as it transitioned from large, armored formations designed to fight on the plains of western Europe to the counterinsurgency operations that consumed the western world’s military from 2001 to the mid-2010s. The British Army, like its American counterpart, has been struggling against the peace dividends and counter-insurgency requirements to become smaller and more lethal in heavy… more |
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Barbarossa Victims, Luftwaffe Kills in the East, Vol. 1Published:
Barbarossa Victims, Luftwaffe Kills in the East, Vol. 1 is No.34 in the MMP Books/Stratus “Camera On” series of photo albums from the German perspective, typically focusing on weapon systems and vehicles. The beauty of these books are the photos taken by German soldiers during their wartime service. Typically, the “Camera On” series is written by… more |
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Wehrmacht Armored VehiclesPublished:
ICM has done it again with a great combination kit with three early World War II armored vehicles. This boxing Wehrmacht Armored Vehicles (DS3524 – Diorama Set) has three complete kits: Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf B, Panzerspähwagen P 204(f), and Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf A. From the ICM webpage for the Wehrmacht Armored Vehicles boxed set:
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Acrylic Paint Set for WWII US Navy VehiclesPublished:
ICM continues to be prolific with both kits and paint sets. The Acrylic Paint Set for WWII US Navy Vehicles is no exception and consists of six 12ml paint bottles, that are surprisingly not dropper top style, but rather are wide mouthed. The colors include:
Painting instructions are on the side of the packaging, stating
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Operativo Independencia, Volume 2: Guerilla War, the 1976 Coup D'Etat, and the Dirty War in ArgentinaPublished:
This is the second volume in the Operativo Independencia series that outlines Argentinian history since the overthrow of General Juan Domingo Perón in 1955 through the 1976 coup d'état. Operativo Independencia, Volume 1 - Armed Insurgency in Argentina 1955-1974 was well reviewed by Dave Morrissette (Operativo Indepndencia, Volume 1 - Armed Insurgency in Argentina 1955-1974 | IPMS/USA Reviews), and covers the period of 1955 through 1974. Volume 2: Guerilla War, the 1976 Coup D'Etat, and the Dirty War in Argentina continues the story of the government forces’ successful fight against communism from 1975-1976, codenamed “Operativo Independencia”,… more |
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For Now and Forever! The 1992 Coup D’ État Attempts in Venezuela - Volume 1: Causes and the Opening Moves of the February 1992 CoupPublished:
This is the first volume of the 1992 coup d'état attempts in Venezuela, focusing on the causes and the opening moves of the February 1992 coup. Author José Daniel Fernández Dugarte’s original manuscript was too large for the @War series, so the editors decided rather than break the book in two, leaving the volumes unbalanced, the book was partitioned part way through. This first volume focuses on the background and history of the Venezuelan armed forces and the beginning of the first coup. As the editors note, “We recognize this leaves the reader with something of a cliff hanger ending to this volume and hope that you will understand this decision and pick up the story and discover the conclusion presented in Volume 2.” The author did a great job relating this complex story, and while… more |
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Pacific Profiles Volume 16 Allied Bombers: B-17 Flying Fortress series Australia, New Guinea and the Solomons 1942-1944Published:
B-17s didn’t just serve in the European Theater but began the war under the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines on 7 and 8 December, respectively due to the international date line. The Flying Fortress served on the front line as bombers from December 1941 through late 1943 before transitioning to B-24D Liberators. Flying Fortresses continued to serve throughout the war as transports and commander/VIP transports. This book does a tremendous job of telling the important role B-17s served in the Pacific Theater. The author does a fantastic job of highlighting the various models (B-17D, E and F), their evolution in fighting, markings, paint schemes, missions and histories of the bombers, squadrons, groups and conditions in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and… more |
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They Also Serve - RAF Reconnaissance and Support Projects Since 1945Published:
Occasionally, you need to get out of your comfort zone and see what else is out there. I was intrigued to read about the Royal Air Force’s reconnaissance and support projects as I didn’t know much about them. When the 336-page, hardcover book arrived, I questioned why I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and figured I could skim the pages. Wow, I was wrong and ended up reading every single word and devoured the book. Author Chris Gibson is an amazing writer, who writes from a position of knowledge born of passion and engages the writer with his great story telling ability. Initially I had an issue with the title of the book, as it lends itself to self-pity and relegation to a subordinate role. As I mentioned above, the author didn’t have this problem and explained the title… more |
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Panzer CrewmanPublished:
This book’s title is a little misleading. While Panzer Crewman, does focus on the Germans in the Panzerwaffe, it is also an excellent primer and one-stop shop for history of Germany’s World War II panzers, tactics, and how they were employed from the first offensive battles to the grinding defensive battles on three fronts. The authors wrote,
German panzers achieved almost… more |