The Topdrawings series specializes in line-drawings of a given subject in each booklet. The 92^nd installment in this series is devoted to the Medium Tank M3 Lee/M3 Grant as known in UK service.

This booklet has 4-View for the M3A1 early, mid and late production, M3A2 with welded hull, M3A2 with GM 6046 engine (modified rear part), M3A3 with welded hull, M3A3 late production series, M3A4 with Chrysler engine, M3A4 final production series, M3A5 with GM engine, and the M3 Grant (UK) modifications.

In addition to the B&W line drawings, you also get 11 color profiles, in some cases with multiple views (left side, right side, etc) of the same vehicle.

The booklet also includes a brief description on the overall history of the AFV and each line drawing has an explanation as to what was modified from the previous block series.

If you are looking for detailed drawings of the M3 Lee or M3 Grant, this book has it all.

You have to give the former Soviet Union credit – they didn’t waste time coming up with something new IF something available would do the trick. They did it with the U.S. B-29 bomber (Tupelov Tu-4) and they didn’t with this series of post-war sedans – making a carbon copy of Germany’s Opel Kadett from 1946 on.

ICM has previously made a closed-top four-door sedan version of this lovely little vehicle, and now offer the somewhat rarer convertible version. The kit offers a couple of options – open or closed convertible top and free spare tire or encased spare tire. It comes with a detailed engine and drive train and a truly exceptional level of detail in the interior. It also comes with all the parts to make the standard sedan if you desperately want to go in that direction. Being the kind of modeler I am, I chose to do mine with the open top so I could show off all the lovely inside workings.

Jon Diamond is an accomplished author with a number of published books to his credit. His previous works include “Stilwell and the Chindits”, War In the South Pacific, Invasion of Sicily, Invasion of the Italian Mainland, Anzio and Victory at Cassino, and now MacArthur’s Papua New Guinea Offensive 1942-1943. These and other books by Mr. Diamond are published by and available through Pen and Sword.

The Japanese strategy was to threaten northern Australia by capturing Port Moresby. In this publication Mr. Diamond lays out the strategy that MacArthur put forward to thwart this Japanese plan. The text that Mr. Diamond provides is comprehensive in its coverage of the theatre of operations, the impact of the geography in which the campaign took place, and a study of the commanders and combatants involved in the fighting.

Thank you to Phil and Bill for all that you do managing and providing review opportunities!

Recommended kit: Wingnut Wings

Reviewer’s Comments

I do not own any WW kits, and due to the high demand for the now defunct company, the prices have soared. A good friend was kind enough to loan me his Gotha G.1 kit for the purposes of comparing the SAC landing gear to the kit parts.

This landing gear set from SAC is a direct replacement for the kit parts. The white metal casting is superb as is usual for SAC, but a few parts did have a little bit of flash, which was very easy to remove. The kit consists of 12 parts. Three parts need to be removed from their pour rod (see photo).

OKB Grigorov has provided a very unusual kit in the form of a British post war Paper Tank. The Nuffield Assault Tank A.T.3. Which was one of 9 various of a design proposed by Nuffield. As a Paper tank it was only a design and never left the drawing board.

Included is:

• 142 resin parts
• one photoetch sheet
• one instruction sheet

The detail quality is great; The parts are very delicate and need careful removal from the resin bases. The instructions need a lot of experience to work with to get a great model.

Some of the parts were a little twisted but can be corrected if you’re careful.

The assembly is good but needs a little patience and time to get the running gear built correctly. Also, the resin tracks are very fragile, so this needs a lot of accuracy to get them fitting and looking right.

There were a few gaps that needed filling.