Military Model Scene

Title: United States Army Armored Divisions of the Second World War

Author: Michael Green

Publisher: Pen and Sword

ISBN: 978-1-52671-752-2

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Another of the regular releases in their Images of War series and another from author Michael Green.  The subject for this one are the US Armoured Divisions of WW2, their rapid development and the equipment they used.  The photos used throughout the book are a mix of wartime archive shots and equally the use of modern, colour photos which show many remaining examples in museums or in private collections.

The book is split across 4 chapters.  These are The Beginning; Armoured Divisions Appear; Into the Fray; and finally, Battlefield Maturity.  Each has the background well explained in a few pages of text, which is then followed by an appropriate selection of pictures. It all begins with the American use of tanks in WW1, and their planned use of the Mark VIII, the Liberty Tank, along with use of the small Renault FT light tanks.  It goes on to look at the assorted new designs as well as the unit organisation that was found to work best. It goes on to the use of the Light tank, the M3/5 Stuart series, and the Medium tank series of the M3 Lee and quite naturally, the M4 Sherman.  Once these proved useful, and the number of armoured divisions was expanded, then the sheer dominance of the US automobile manufacturing industry led to production in numbers the enemy could not match. The successful chassis designs and reliable mechanics led to SP gun mounts and more.  In the later stages we get to newer designs, such as the M24 Chaffee and the Pershing heavy tank.

A good mix of photo reference, both in terms of the wartime archive illustrations but also the modern colour images, inside and out, of surviving examples of many of the AFV types discussed within the texts.  A handy reference for modellers in particular.

 

Thanks to Pen and Sword for this review copy.

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Robin