Military Model Scene

Title:  Sdkfz 10

Author: Alan Ranger

Publisher:  Stratus Books/MMP

ISBN:  978-83-65281-74-6

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Number 5 of the 'Camera On' series of books from MMP tackles the light halftrack, the Sdkfz 10.  The smallest of the main German half-track series of vehicles, others already having been covered in this series.  This latest book looks at the basic Sdkfz 10 in particular, rather than the other variants.  Having said that, a number of the pictures do feature the Sdkfz 10/4, which usually carried a 20mm Flak gun and had a flat platform and drop sides.  What we see here is the basic vehicle with the flat platform and drop sides was also used as a load carrier, with the gun removed.

This 80 page soft cover book has 4 pages with useful background detail on the development of the type and how the Demag company were the lead manufacturer, but they also licenced production to a number of others, which led to some slight differences that help identify the individual manufacturer which are noted in many of the photos throughout the book.  Most pictures show the vehicle in the earlier war period, though there are some from the second half of the war.  They served on all fronts so there is a good variety within the pictures.

For the military historian and the modeller in particular, the photos illustrate lots of detail but with many of them, there is some very good information among the other equipment seen in the background or alongside the main subjects.  One of the particular things that will interest many modellers I think is the variety of equipment we see being towed by these light half tracks.  The small 3.7cm Pak 36 and 5cm Pak 38 will be familiar to most, but heavier SIG 33 and FH18 howitzers, generators, ammunition limbers, and even larger GS trailers are also illustrated.  With well informed and helpful captions these are photos not seen before, this is another ideal photo reference and with some good models of them on the market these days, in a variety of scales, this should be popular reference.  Definitely one for your bookshelf.

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Thanks to MMP Books, who kindly provided my review copy.

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Robin