Andy Taylor
Reviews By Author
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Brewster Body Shield - US InfantryPublished:
Modern soldiers today most likely wear body armor in combat to protect against bullets. That was not always the case as body armor designed to stop rounds really came about in the early 2000s. Prior to that flak jackets, designed to protect US airmen against shrapnel and explosives from German “flak” rounds, and evolved to protect US ground troops in Korea through the 1990s. Body armor hails back to antiquity and knights were the penultimate examples. In 1917, Dr. Guy Otis Brewster from Dover, New Jersey developed the Brewster Body Shield (or Brewster Body Armor) developed for the United States Army to survive on the meatgrinder of WWI trench warfare. Looking more like the Australian bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang in their bullet-proof suits of armor, the Brewster Body Shield… more |
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The Seven Fronts War, 2023–2025 - Israel, Gaza and Regional ConflagrationPublished:
This is a good book if you want to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict. Author Bill Norton does an incredible job of stripping away the hyperbole and myths surrounding the current events of this conflict. I thought I knew more than the average person about modern Israel history: this book has changed my thinking. This book will challenge a lot of conventional thinking, and you will quickly realize that there is no one good side, the situation is murky, muddy, and messy. Both sides have valid points and excess abuses. The title alone is worth picking up the book and is even more impressive when it is laid out that Israel is in a conflict on seven fronts over a two (and now three) year span. The seven fronts include:
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Modern NATO Fighter PilotPublished:
For some reason, model manufacturers have been omitting pilot figures from their kits. Many aftermarket producers have stepped in to fill the pilot seat void. Czech model manufacturer Aerobonus has a new tool release (2023) in its 1/32 Modern NATO Fighter Pilots, which the instructions state can be used for all 30 NATO member states). Like most pilot figures being released recently, this figure is standing but can easily be made to sit with some razor saw surgery. This pilot is one of five in the AeroBonus 1:32 Modern NATO Pilots:
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The 101st Airborne in Normandy, June 1944Published:
Both quotes were by Major General Willam C. Lee, the “Father of the US Airborne”. As a lieutenant colonel in 1940, he organized the first US paratrooper platoon and developed its… more |
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The Battle for Brittany - The Taking of Brest, 1944 - Then and NowPublished:
The Third US Army conquered the Brittany peninsula by August 1944, and isolated German forces into Lorient, Brest and St Nazaire. The strategic objective, stated above, was the capture of the ports and their harbors. The Third US Army’s role in the first phases of this battle were covered in a previous book in this series, The Battle for Brittany Then and Now, The Third US Army First Battle. On 5 September 1944, the Ninth US Army took command of the VIII Corps with the mission of taking Brest and, with it, Brittany. Brest featured largely in the Allied plans for the capture of Normandy. Once the beachhead was secured, ports were necessary for the continuation of offensive operations to dislodge the Germans from France. From the introduction,
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Tanks on the Battlefield: T-34Published:
The Soviet T-34 tank is omnipresent with WWII armor. When the German blitzkrieg erupted across Soviet territory, two tanks stunned the Germans, with the primary being the T-34. Its design was robust, armor effective and carried a main gun that could hold its own. Superior German tactics and neophyte Soviet doctrine and training still prevailed, but tank warfare was forever changed in those early encounters. The T-34 gained a fearsome reputation and captured examples were soon put in use against their former owners. The author, Francis Pulham, continues with his Introduction,
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South African Armoured Vehicles, Volume 1 - A History of Innovation and ExcellencePublished:
South African Armoured Vehicles, Volume 1 - A History of Innovation and Excellence is revised and expanded from an earlier book by the author, Dr Dewald Venter, South African Armoured Fighting Vehicles: A History of Innovation and Excellence, 1960-2020 (Africa@War No. 36). The author notes that this updated edition is split into two editions. The author continues,
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Partisans & Guerrillas of World War Two - Poland, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Italy, FrancePublished:
The Images of War series is a great series for modelers and those interested in history because the story told in amazing photographs that are usually not available anywhere else. Philip Jowett has authored several books within this series, and one of the amazing aspects of these books is that no matter the author, the books all feel a part of the series rather than disparate writing styles under the same banner. Following the familiar Pen & Sword Images of War series is the story of Partisans & Guerrillas of World War Two - Poland, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Italy, France, covering 248 pages with 300 black and white photographs. Each chapter starts with a brief history of the topic covered, followed by a lot of photographs to complement the text. This book is… more |
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The Battle of the Coral Sea ExplainedPublished:
I believe the Battle of the Coral Sea is vastly underrated and overlooked in its importance, often overshadowed by the imminently more covered Battle of Midway less than a month later. The Battle of the Coral Sea could arguably be more important than Midway, and author Dr Tom Lewis does a fantastic job of not only describing the Battle of the Coral Sea very well, but he also places it where it belongs in history. Having never read one of Dr Tom Lewis’ over two dozen books before, I wasn’t sure of his writing style. Having been familiar with the Pacific Profiles series, I am happy to report that this book fits in beautifully. Dr Tom Lewis’ background includes serving over twenty years in the Royal Australian Navy, post-graduate degrees in Cold War Politics and Strategic Studies… more |
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JLTV (1) - M1279 US MarinesPublished:
AOA Decals has a good reputation for quality decals, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review another one of their newest releases, JLTV (1) - M1279 US Marines (35-013). The decals come in two sheets, one of stencils and the other of markings for nine options. In October 2008, Oshkosh won the contract for the American military Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program to replace the US military’s High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV). The contract specified combining the mobility of a HMMWVS combined with the protection and survivability of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP). The JLTV has three base models: the 2-door Combat Support Vehicle (CSV)/Utility Vehicle (UTL), the 4-door General Purpose Vehicle (GP) and the 4-door Close… more |