Bill O'Malley

	British Battle Tanks - American-Made World War II Tanks Published: September 24, 2018 Book Author(s): David Fletcher, Steven J. Zaloga Company: Osprey Publishing This book describes the design, development, and operational history of US-made tanks in British service in World War II. The British were initially reluctant to endorse the American-made tanks as they felt they were inferior to British developed tanks. The British eventually appreciated the simplicity of American designed tanks and modified them to meet British needs. The Lend Lease program allowed Britain to obtain American tanks in adequate numbers to take pressure off of the British manufacturers. By the end of World War II the British tank regiments were equipped with more Sherman tanks than any other type. Author David Fletcher MBE was born in 1942. He has written many books and articles on military subjects and until his retirement was the historian at the Tank Museum,… more
	Ringtrichter Richtungshörer Horchgerät (German WWII Acoustic Monitor Tool) Published: September 10, 2018 Company: CMK Background information from Wikipedia: Ringtrichter Richtungshörer Horchgerät, or literally ‘hearing aid for anti-aircraft guns’ were developed in the First World War as military reconnaissance devices to locate guns on the battlefields. The successes were modest, however, because artillery fire is only short-term sound events, and there were several gun positions on the battlefields so that the localization was difficult. The directional receiver was much better suited for the localization of aircraft. By means of several devices, the true position of a relatively slow sound source moving in the subsonic range could be determined by cross-bearing. They were still used during the Second World War in order to locate enemy aircraft, even in weather such as fog or… more
	The Forgotten Dead Published: August 18, 2018 Book Author(s): Ken Small, Mark Rogerson Company: Osprey Publishing This book describes Exercise Tiger, the rehearsal for the American D-Day landings on Utah Beach in Normandy. The training exercise occurred on the Devon and Dorset coasts of England around the village of Slapton Sands on April 27, 1944. Almost 1000 American soldiers and sailors died during the exercise, which was later covered up by officials embarrassed by the fiasco. This book describes the effort of author Ken Small to uncover the truth about the deaths of the soldiers and sailors and to ensure their sacrifice would never be forgotten. First published in 1988, the book has been updated and re-published in 2018. Chapter 1 The Forgotten Dead Describes the impact on the residents of Slapton Village both before and after the training exercise.… more
	Masterpiece Models Mark 49 Hellcat Published: February 3, 2020 Company: Masterpiece Models Masterpiece Models manufactures and sells resin assembly kits at their Vancouver, Washington fabrication and casting shop. Their kits include Dinosaurs, WWII, Vietnam, Scifi, and aircraft bases. Each kit is cast to order. Background on the Hellcat From Masterpiece Models website: The Mark 49 Hellcat Armored Walker was developed after the 3rd World War in 2046 as a forward attack and reconnaissance Vehicle. The need for walkers after the War was due to the amount of rubble strewn thru the landscape, tracked vehicles tended to bog down in the rubble making maintenance and mobility an issue. The first Walkers developed in 2099 were quite ungainly and had limited range and power. Later on in 2112 after advanced fusion drives were developed and fitted to the walkers… more
	Ford GT: Then and Now Published: July 14, 2018 Book Author(s): Adrian Streather Company: Veloce Publishing Veloce Publishing’s mission is to “provide books of the highest quality in terms of content, accuracy, presentation, subject range and reader satisfaction to discerning automotive enthusiasts around the world.” Ford GT: Then and Now fulfills this mission with a book full of large, clear, high quality photos printed on nice, semi-gloss paper. Ford GT: Then and Now is a photographic history of the Ford GT, starting with the Lola forerunners to the original Ford GT MK I race car in 1964, and continues with the Ford MK II, through the MK IV and J car. The book was first published in June 2006 and this edition is a reprint from June 2017. Unfortunately, the book does not cover the third generation Ford GT currently raced by the Ford racing team in the IMSA… more
	Atlas of the European Campaign 1944-45 Published: June 4, 2018 Book Author(s): Steven J. Zaloga Company: Osprey Publishing Introduction This impressive volume is a beautifully bound book over an inch and a half thick, with 127 beautiful map illustrations and descriptive narratives. The maps are based on Osprey’s Campaign Series of books and describe the Allied European Campaign in 1944 and 1945. The maps focus almost entirely on land campaigns rather than air or naval campaigns. Osprey has also produced a separate volume, the Atlas of Eastern Front, 1941 to 1945, that covers the war between Germany and the Soviet Union. Author Prolific author Steven J. Zaloga has written 138 books for Osprey. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for over two decades, covering missile… more
	Soviet Heavy Tank T-100 Published: May 30, 2018 Company: OKB Grigorov OKB Grigorov, is a Bulgarian scale model designer and manufacturer established in 2003. Their stated goal is to provide quality models and accessories with the maximum amount of details. OKB manufactures resin AFV, ships, and accessories. From Wikipedia: The T-100 was a Soviet twin-turreted heavy tank prototype, designed in 1938–39 as a possible replacement for the T-35. The T-100 was originally conceived with three turrets and was eventually built with two. The prototype T-100 tank was briefly tested without success alongside other designs in the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1939. It was never put into production due to the archaic design concept, poor mobility, and the availability of a far superior alternative, the KV series. OKB’s T-100 kit comes packed in a sturdy… more
	T-55 Mod. 1963 Interior Kit, Part 2 Published: January 24, 2022 Company: MiniArt Introduction This is part 2 of the review of MiniArt’s T-55 Mod. 1963 Interior Kit, including assembly of the turret, tracks, fenders, and the remainder of the kit. Part 1 of this review included the engine, suspension, hull assembly, hull side panels, and rear deck panels. This kit is one of MiniArt’s T-55 variants and follows their earlier series of T-44/54 Russian tank kits. Following their previous versions, this kit is first released with full interior detailing. MiniArt has also announced an IDF Tiran version of the T-55, and a T-55A Late Mod. 1965… more
	Panzer DNA Published: February 3, 2020 Book Author(s): Daniele Guglielmi, Mario Pieri Company: AMMO by Mig Jimenez This book, published by AMMO by Mig Jimenez SL, is a guide to the subject of colors and markings of German military vehicles and units. The books stated attempt is to bring order to the complex and partly unknown topics, and to provide clarity to all of the information available on the Internet. The book is divided into chapters that deal with the main themes separately Chapter 1: The Ballenkreuz Describes the beginnings, evolution, implementation, and use of the straight-armed cross used on almost all German vehicles. Colored illustrations of variations in the cross and black & white photographs are used to illustrate examples. Chapter 2: Composition of Military Units Explains the tactical symbols and hierarchy of military units. A color chart… more
	T-55 Mod. 1963 Interior Kit, Part 1 Published: February 3, 2020 Company: MiniArt Introduction This is part 1 of the review of MiniArt’s T-55 Mod. 1963 Interior Kit. Part 2 will complete the assembly of the turret, tracks, fenders, and the remainder of the kit. This kit is the first of MiniArt’s T-55 variants and follows their earlier series of T-44/54 Russian tank kits. Following their previous versions, this kit is first released with full interior detailing. MiniArt has also announced a soon to be released IDF Tiran version of the T-55, and a T-55A Late Mod. 1965. With over 1200 parts, this is an extremely well-detailed kit that is best suited for patient, experienced modelers. MiniArt provides full interior details of the hull, turret, and engine. The drivers' compartment provides some detail, but not as complex as the other areas.… more