Military Model Scene

Title: British Infantry Brigade Berlin

Author: Andreas Kirchhoff

Publisher: Tankograd

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Armoured vehicles in the Berlin Urban Area Camouflage, not only interesting I am sure to many ex-service personnel from the Cold War era but a very useful modellers reference in one neat softcover book.  The opening pages, with text in both German and English, explains the background to the distinctive urban camouflage scheme adopted by the British Berlin Brigade.  Formed after the war as part of the Allied split of Berlin it was in the early 1980's that it was finally recognised that the standard green and black disruptive camouflage on armoured vehicles was really not appropriate for the urban environment of a large city.  The pattern was made up from various colours that reflect the colours of tarmac, concrete etc, and in squares and rectangles that represent angular buildings and window and door apertures.  Hence the design of the hard edged Berlin Brigade camouflage scheme.  It was applied in a quite strict pattern so individual vehicles wouldn't be readily identifiable to an enemy, thus helping disguise the numbers deployed.

The book goes on to examine each of the different vehicle types the Brigade used in Berlin, each accompanied with a selection of photos to illustrate each one, and most of which are in colour.  They include Chieftain Mk 10/C MBT which includes one fitted with a dozer blade; Chieftain ARRV Mk 7; the FV 434 ARV; FV 432 APC; FV 432/30, fitted with the turret mounted 30mm Rarden cannon; FV 432 Command Post; FV 721 Fox Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle and the FV 701 Ferret Scout Car.  Add sections describing events such as live firing exercises outside Berlin on the Bergen-Hohne ranges, Urban Combat training in the Ruhleben Fighting City and the annual Allied Forces Day Parade.  At the back of the book, the ideal modellers references, with all side views of the pattern as applied to each of the different AFVs.  An ideal little reference and good value at £13.99.

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Thanks to UK stockists Bookworld for my example.

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Robin