Osprey's Latest Military Titles

By John Prigent

New Vanguard 93, Modern Israeli Tanks and Infantry Carriers 1985-2004, by Marsh Gelbart, illustrated by Tony Bryan, ISBN 1-84176-579-1, 48 pages.

Despite Israeli security restrictions this is a very good guide to their modern AFVs. The first subject is the M113 and its uparmoured modernisations. Then the Achzarit infantry assault carrier, Puma Combat Engineer Vehicle, Nagachon and Nagmashot, are all described, each with details of its protection, firepower and mobility, service record, and known variants. Moving on to MBTs, the Magach upgraded M48s and M60s are covered as well as the Merkava, in the same details as the carriers. If you want to check the differences between the Merkava upgrades from 2 to 2 Dor Dalet, 3 to 3 Baz and 3 Baz Dor Dalet, and read about the new Merkava 4, this is the book for you. The book has a new layout, with the plates included in the appropriate text sections and accompanied by many colour photographs as well as the expected monochrome ones. The New Vanguard trademark cutaway is of the Achzarit. All very useful to modellers of Israeil armour, and very highly recommended.

Osprey Modelling 5, Modelling the Matilda Infantry Tank, by Mark Bannerman, ISBN 1-84176-758-1, 82 pages.

This second book on modelling tanks covers the Matilda I and Matilda II in both small scale and 1/35, with Mark Bannerman and other modellers contributing. The models covered include the Cromwell Models Combat-Ready 1/76 scale Matilda I, the Fujimi 1/76 Matilda II in its Malta camouflage, and the Matilda II in Western Desert colours, from the 1/72 Esci kit and with notes on the few improvements that need to be made. Then in 1/35, and all using the Tamiya Matilda II kit, there are the Matilda Frog, with the MR Models conversion and a 6-page section of walkround photographs of preserved Frogs, Matilda in the Western Desert with fighting compartment interior, and a conversion to the German “Oswald” version mounting a 5cm gun in place of the turret. Finally there’s a list of all the Matilda variants, 8 pages of photographs of preserved Matilda IIs, a list of kits and accessories in all scales down to 1/285, and a page of colour chips with notes about their use. Highly recommended to all fans of WW2 British armour.

Campaign 104, D-Day 1944 (2) Utah Beach & the US Airborne Landings, by Steven J Zaloga, illustrated by Howard Gerrard, ISBN 1-84176-365-9, 96 pages.

Here’s the fourth and final instalment of the D-Day series. As before, it gives notes on the German and US commanders and their forces and describes the US plans for this part of the invasion and the German preparations to meet any attack. But over two-thirds of the book is concerned with a detailed description of the airborne and seaborne landings and the German counter-attacks against them, followed of course by the US drive inland. Good, clear maps and birds-eye views of the several battlefields are backed up by excellent colour plates and a good selection of contemporary photographs showing the men and machines as well as recon shots from the air. Recommended to all students of WW2 and to modellers who want information for their figure bases or diorama backgrounds.

Men-at-Arms 403 French Revolutionary Infantry 1789-1802, by Terry Crowdy, illustrated by Patrice Courcelle, ISBN 1-84176-660-7, 48 pages.

There isn’t very much published in English about the French infantry of the Revolutionary period, so this book is very welcome. It deals with the organisational changes from the Ancien Regime’s army to the new army and Garde Nationale, with some fascinating information on recruitment and the conditions on active service. The second half of the book covers uniforms – both theoretical and actual dress – arms and equipment in good detail. This period had some quite amazing deviations from the official clothing, and they’s shown in the excellent plates as well as in period illustrations. Very highly recommended to all figure modellers wanting “something different” from the Napoleonic period.