Here is another great addition to Pen & Sword’s Images of War series. In the past, the series had focused on specific battles and campaigns. The shift to specific vehicles is a welcome shift and this book does not let down one’s expectations.

The book starts out by pointing out the evolution from the M113, the original evolution from the M113, the original armored personnel carrier to the Bradley, named after the famous and well-loved general from WWII, Omar Bradley. The manufacturer of the M113, FMC, developed two vehicles- the XM765 and the XM763 which would eventually morph into the M2/M3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. The new vehicle began its service in 1981 and variants continue to serve to this day. A total of 2,300 M2s and M3s were eventually produced. Text is in English and there are over 300 color photos in the book, many of which are previously unpublished, as well as tables with, as well as tables with general data and engine data.

Between the Covers

Following the introduction, the book is divided into five chapters that are specific to each variant. The M2 and XM2 chapter provides thorough walk around views, accompanied by well detailed captions that give the historian and modeler an excellent overview of what is in the photo. Mr. Doyle’s photos are crisp and vivid and this is one of the major draws for fans of his books.

Chapter 2 is dedicated to the M2A2 and its service history during Operation Desert Storm. The photos and captions continue and this section features some of the best interior shots of the Bradley I have seen. Some details that stand out here include the flaking paint on the flexible rubber fenders and up close detail of the “new” to the variant thermal recognition panels used to help prevent friendly fire incidents.

Chapter 3 is all about the M2A3- the section I was most interested in considering my in-progress Meng kit based on the variant, with its prominent commander’s independent thermal viewer (CITV) and Bradley Urban Survivability Kit (BUSK). The chapter is shorter but includes the different interior details that I will be paying special attention to with my interior details still to work on. The coverage of all aspects of the CITV is very thorough- in its open and stowed positions.

Chapter 4 is centered on the M3A3. Interior coverage is a welcome addition here as there are some pretty drastic changes- from the sacrifice of reduction of actual passenger space to the addition of more TOW missile storage. The reader gets their first views of the Cummins VTA-903T diesel engine in this chapter as well.

Chapter 5 is relegated to an unusual descendent of the Bradley family—the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). Designers lengthened the Bradley chassis to form the basis of the MLRS and its payload of two rocket pods, each containing six 227mm M26 rockets. The chapter focuses on details of the loader launcher module, including all of the hoist detail. The chassis and cab is up next and is covered extremely well. Things wrap up in the chapter with some vivid images of the MLRS launching rockets.

Chapter 6 completes the book with images centered on “The Bradley Deployed”. Things begin with detailed photos of the Bradley demonstrating its amphibious capabilities. Training photos from American bases lead to images in Germany during Exercise Reforger ’84 and ’85. Exercises in Jordan and service in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield and the 1st Gulf War feature excellent pictures of actions and crew during that period. Desert Storm, Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Operation Iraqi Freedom are also covered. Interspersed in this section, as well as later anti-terrorism actions, are excellent action photos of crew in battle and servicing vehicles which lend themselves to excellent diorama ideas.

Conclusion

This is another excellent volume in a long line of excellent volumes from author David Doyle. The modern armor enthusiast would find all they need here for excellent reference material on one of our most versatile armored personnel carriers. With the vast amount of kits on the subject available from Tamiya, Meng, and others in various scales, this book serves as an excellent go to resource for the builder. I look forward to getting back to work on my Meng kit and seeing the results after having this valuable guide to refer to. I give a hearty bravo to Mr. Doyle and also want to thank David Doyle and IPMS for this review copy.