Marc K. Blackburn
Reviews By Author
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Operation DANUBE: Soviet and Warsaw Pact Intervention in Czechoslovakia, 1968 (Europe at War No. 7)Published:
Several years ago, I had the pleasure of spending a week in Prague. Relatively untouched by the Second World War, I had a delightful time. While I had a general knowledge of what happened in 1968, I was not thinking about the sacrifices that the inhabitants of the city made. This volume fills that gap. Hellion Publishing has created a host of series that examine conflicts around the world, including Europe. This particular volume provides an overview of the Soviet and Warsaw Pact intervention in Czechoslovakia in 1968. As with other Hellion offerings, it follows a standard design and format. The text provides context and details of the intervention. Given what happened in 1968, I have never seen many of these photographs, so anyone with an interest in Soviet vehicles and equipment, it… more |
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Leibstandarte, 1943-1945, (Tome/Volume 2)Published:
This is a big book! At 591 pages and weighing in at five pounds, in this corner we have volume two of Leibstandarte, the SS Division that was formed from Hitler’s SS body guards. I have not seen the first volume, but the set is a re-release of a previously published book. One of the challenges of this book, is that it comes from a French publishing house, so the text, captions, etc. are all in French. I have a rudimentary reading knowledge of French, so I can get the gist of the text, but probably not full comprehension. The book is stuffed with photographs of the Division from 1943 through 1945. Many of have been published, others have not. There are also operational maps, side bars on the changing organization of the division, and many photographs of the personalities… more |
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75 Years of the Israeli Air Force, Volume 1: The First Quarter Century (Middle East @ War 28)Published:
The Israeli Air Force has developed a reputation that is legendary and for good reason. Against overwhelming odds they created an air force that would dominate their adversaries. In a two volume series, of which this is volume one, it covers the origins of the Israeli Air Force in 1948 to the end of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Published by the Helion Company, number 28 in a series that covers the armed forces and conflicts of the Middle East, the book follows an established format. The text is chronological and packed with black and white photographs. The center of the book features color profiles of aircraft across the time line covered in the book as well as a small selection of color photographs. The photographs are well clear and well produced, something that I appreciate in… more |
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The Chaco War, 1932-1935: Fighting in Green Hell (Latin America @ War, no. 20)Published:
From the perspective of the United States, the interwar period, the interval between the First and Second World Wars, our story was insular – the hedonism of the 1920s, the Great Depression, and the road to war. From the US perspective, it was a time of peace. Far to the south of us, there was a bloody struggle between Bolivia and Paraguay over a region known as Chaco. In the newest edition of Helion & Company’s ongoing series on warfare in Latin America (number 20 in their series) it tackles the Chaco War. Like many publishing companies, Helion uses a formula of a concise narrative, photographs contemporary to the time period, color profiles of vehicles, planes and ships, and a small selection of uniforms. I believe that there is a separate volume in this same series that covers… more |
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Velikiye Luki 1942-43: The Doomed Fortress (Campaign 351)Published:
When the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, known as Operation Barbarossa, began on 22 June 1941, it would quickly become the campaign that would destroy the Nazi Empire. Long before the battle of Berlin began in 1945, there were a thousand moments of violence and drama that would define this struggle. While many know the broad strokes of the eastern front, these individual battles within larger campaigns remain in the shadows. This book focuses on one of those struggles. Velikiye Luki is the 351st offering in Osprey’s long running campaign series. They follow a tried and true formula. It begins with a brief introduction that speaks to the origins of the campaign, a brief chronology, the commanders of both sides, the forces at their disposal, the plans of both sides,… more |
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Dutch Waffen-SS Legion & Brigade 1941-44Published:
Osprey’s long running men at arms series has produced another volume, this time based on the Dutch Waffen SS. Osprey has a tried and true formula for this series – providing introductory information, battles and campaigns they took part in, and aftermath. These volumes are illustrated with contemporary black and white photographs and color plates of uniforms, flags, and rank insignia. As with most Osprey publications, the production quality is outstanding as are the color plates. The page count is low, which makes sense since the Dutch SS lasted as long as the occupation of Holland and the Second World War. With the rise of Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany, smaller fascist movements popped up in Western Europe, including Holland. Heinrich Himmler, the commander of the… more |
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Logistics in World War II, 1939-1945Published:
There is an old axiom that amateurs pursue tactics, but professionals manage logistics. It is a topic that largely goes unexplored in the voluminous literature of the Second World War. Outside of the modeling world, I am an academically trained military historian who works in the public history field. I have had a keen interest in the topic. Given my background, I was keen to review this work. From a production point of view, Pen and Sword knows what they are doing – high quality binding, heavy paper, and well produced photographs, contemporary to the war and modern, color photographs of restored vehicles form the Second World War. My criticisms are with the content. Logistics is a broad topic that can be split into many different things. The author certainly recognizes this.… more |
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Napoleon’s Imperial Guard Uniforms and Equipment, Vol II, The CavalryPublished:
This the second volume in a series devoted to the uniforms and equipment of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. The first volume concentrated on the Infantry and I have not seen it. This volume focuses on the cavalry. The Imperial Guard, as the name suggests, was Napoleon’s personal guard that expanded into the elite regiments of the French Army. The material culture of the military through the ages has always attracted buffs, historians, and modelers. The author, rather than relying on secondary sources has dipped into archives and museum collections to understand the nitty gritty details, in particular colors and construction. As the author points out, despite the evidence that does exist, in many cases, we will never know many of the details that made up the uniforms of Napoleon’s elite… more |
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World War II German Super-Heavy Siege GunsPublished:
When HobbyBoss released a 1/72 kit of the German super siege gun known as ‘Dora’ I knew I wanted one. Unfortunately, I still do not have one in my stash (if anyone get me one cheap I am all ears!) so this book will have to do! As with most Osprey titles, they combine well reproduced historical photographs with artist’s renderings. This book is no different. The broad focus of the book are the super siege guns but it is split between those manufactured by Germany and those from foreign manufacturers that were absorbed by the Wehrmacht. The final part of the book concentrates on their operational history. Anyone familiar with the heavier artillery used by the Germans knows that in the aftermath of the Versailles Treaty and the defeat of Germany, with one exception, they were… more |
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Blackburn Shark (Orange Series)Published:
MMP Books has a series called the Orange Series. This prolific publishing company has a number of series and this one is relatively new and the Blackburn Shark is one of three imprints in this series. In a sense it is a profile publication that highlights one model of aircraft. As with many publications of this genre, it is well illustrated with pictures contemporary to the aircraft’s service (very well produced), drawings, and color profiles. My surname is Blackburn, but to my knowledge, I am not related to the founders of the Blackburn aircraft company. Prior to receiving this book, I had never heard of this particular aircraft. A contemporary of the famous Swordfish, it saw only limited service in World War Two before being relegated to secondary roles. In the aftermath of… more |