Short History:

When WWII broke out in 1939, Germany relied heavily on the 3.7cm PaK 36 antitank gun. However, this puny weapon was no match for armored vehicles like the French Char B1 or British Matilda II. One solution was to mount the more powerful Skoda 4.7cm PaK(t) gun on the chassis of the Panzer I Ausf. B. This had a double advantage – a more capable antitank weapon was created, and it permitted an extended use of obsolete Panzer I tank chassis. Called the Panzerjäger I, this new vehicle was Germany’s first of many tank destroyer designs. Between March 1940 and February 1941, 202 such Panzerjäger I vehicles were converted in time for service in the Battle of France, in North Africa, and in the invasion of Russia. By the end of 1943, the Panzerjäger I had been phased out. The Skoda 4.7cm PaK(t) gun was mounted in an open-topped Panzer I fighting compartment with its original gun shield still affixed.

This book is the second of a series on German armor in World War II. These are written specifically for the AFV modeler. The subject of the book is the Tiger I. It is written entirely in Japanese with English subtitles on some of the pictures and illustrations.

The book begins with an illustration of the driving mechanism and part of the transmission. It is taken from the German manual on the Tiger I. These pictures are without English subtitles. Next the book shows us 18 color plates of the Tiger I from the early version to the late version. These illustrate camouflage patterns and markings. These are very good color renderings in fact. The title of each drawing is in English.

After the color plates, there is a short section, once again entirely in Japanese, which appears to discuss the formation of Tiger units. After the Tiger unit part is a small comic book like section covering some of the great Tiger commanders.

Another outstanding addition to the Aires line of resin cockpit sets. This set for the Hasegawa 1:72^nd scale J-35 Draken is beautifully cast in a medium grey resin and features extremely minute details to include sidewall structure. Anyone who loves The Saab Draken will want to add this set to their model. .

The only problem I had and one to pay attention to is fitting of the glare shield under the front windscreen. I inadvertently removed too much plastic and this left gaps near where the windscreen fits to the fuselage. I recommend test fitting often and only remove a very small amount of the plastic at a time. It is way too easy to remove too much material.

The Story

I bought this book because it was recommended to me by David W. Menard, the noted aviation historian and photographer, after I asked him some questions about American liaison aircraft used in Europe during World War II. Dave suggested that I contact Terry Love, the author, and the result was that I now have a copy of the book. I’m glad I bought it, because it certainly fills a gap in my library, and fills me in on some of the “L” types that were used during the war, and the reason why they were developed at that time. Although the book was originally published in 2001, I was not aware of it until now.

Pro Art Models has been around since 2002. I first found out about them when I was looking for aftermarket items to hop-up the Italeri HEMTT (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck). They were one of the only names in the game. They had details for the interior, exterior, the fuel pump system and tires. They now carry a highly detailed rear mounted crane. They also carry a few radio sets that are absolutely gorgeous. There are currently three US distributors of Pro Art Models: Master Modelers Marketplace in Beaverton, OR, R&J Enterprises in Quilcene, WA and Military Hobbies in Orange, CA. You can also order direct from their site. They take MasterCard, Visa and my favorite PAYPAL.