Pen and Sword has started a new series of publications related to Armored Fighting Vehicles (TankCraft Series) and this book is the fifth installment in the series. It covers one of the best WWII-era tanks: The Soviet T-34.

The book is broken down in the following chapters.

• Introduction
• Development and Design
• The T-34 in detail
• Camouflage and Markings
• Model Showcase
• Modelling Products
• Into Service and into Action
• Enter the T-34/85
• The T-34 in Action after the Second World War

The first 3 chapters tell the story of the T-34, going back to the origins of the design in the Christie Tank and its design evolution, culminating on the 3rd chapter where the tank is described from the mechanical, defensive, offensive and even living conditions point of view.

If you have the Roden or Eduard 1/48 Gloster Gladiator, Aires has come through with this very nice item to add a little crisper detail to it. The wheels are nicely molded and, with the masks that are provided, easy to paint. I highly recommend these to anyone with this kit.

I would like to thank Aires for providing this fine detail set and to the IPMS for allowing me to review them.

Dr. Nigel Thomas graduated from Tiffin Boy’s School, Kingston-Upon-Thames in 1964 and proceeded to attend Manchester University, earning a BA in Modern Languages. He attended Durham University and Newcastle University where he obtained his MA in German History and Literature. He was awarded a PhD on the Eastern enlargement of NATO. Nigel is an accomplished linguist and military historian and formerly a Principal Lecturer in French and German Languages and Politics at Northumbria University, He is now a freelance military author, translator and military uniform consultant. His interests are 20th century military and civil uniformed organizations, with a special interest in Germany, Central, and Eastern Europe. He has written more than 20 books on military history and uniforms, many of them with Osprey. He lives in Tyne and Wear, UK.

Tony Buttler was born in 1956 and joined High Duty Alloys in Redditch in 1974 as a metallurgist. For nearly 20 years he was closely involved in the testing of aluminum and titanium airframe and engine components for many of the world's most important airplanes. It was during this timeframe that his interest in military aircraft grew into a passion. Since 1995, Tony has been a freelance aviation historian, and is well known for his Secret Projects series of hardbound books with Crecy Publishing. He has also written many titles for the Warpaint series of monographs as well as many articles for most of the popular historical aviation magazines.

History

In the Summer of 1944, things were not going well for the Japanese. The Americans were approaching Japan, and from the Japanese viewpoint, an invasion of the homeland was not too far away. Conventional weaponry seemed to be ineffective. Due to the fact that Japan was far behind the U.S. in industrial development, existing air and naval forces were being used up far beyond Japan’s ability to replace equipment and personnel. The leaders still thought they could win, but it was obvious to many military and naval people that something radical was needed.