HALFTRACKS - By James Steuard & Rick Fines

This 8 1/2" x 11" , 58-page (plus covers) magazine-like booklet is Volume 1 of a series called "American Combat vehicles", and is published by Baron Publishing Co., who also bring yoi AFV-G2 and FIRE & MOVEMENT magazine. One of the authors, Steuard, is editor of AFV-G2. This series could answer a definite need for comprehensive accurate information on American AFVS of WWII comparable with the wealth of material now available on German vehicles. And the staff at Baron Publishing Co./AFV-G2 are the best-qualified people I know of to produce such a series. This volume contains the equivalent of about 36 pages of excellent black and white photos, plus two pages of (1:48) scale 4-view drawings of the M3A1 Personnel Carrier and the M3 75mm Gun MotorCarriage.

Some idea of the scope and depth of the text is revealed by a look at the major headings: Early Halftrack Developments, the M2 and M3 Halftrack Series, the M5 and M9 Halftrack Series, Changing Halftrack Requirements, Halftrack Mortar Carriers, the 75mm Gun Motor Carriage M3 and Subsidiary Projects, as well as an Introduction and Conclusion. (A future volume will cover the other varieties of American halftracks.) In addition to the text, the photos are accompanied by long and informative captions identifying the types of vehicles shown, locations and approximate dates of the photos, and often pointing out items of special interest. All in all the subject is covered very thoroughly by both text and photos. This series promises to be a very valuable one for all who are interested in WWII armor. This volume sells for $3.95 and should be available at better mil.tary hobby and book shops, or directly from the publishers, Baron Publishing Co., P.O. Box 820, La Puente, CA 91747.

ARTILLERY TACTICS 1939-1945 - by Shelford Bidwell

Almark Publishing Co. Ltd of London publishes this 8 1/2"x8", 72-page hardback as part of their "Mechanics of War" series. It is an excellent introduction to the subject of WWII artillery containing chapters on how artillery works (including anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns), the various types of cannon used by the different powers, fire control, and command systems. Numerous black and white photos and pages of excellent full-color paintings supplement the text. This is a very informative work that would be of great interest to anyone interested in WWII. It sells for $5.95 and is available at Squadron Shops and other good hobby shops or by mail from: The Squadron Shop, Dept. C, 3461 East Ten Mile Rd., Warren MI 48091.

GERMAN ARMOUR 1939-1940: POLAND & FRANCE - by Eric Grove

This 8 1/2" x 8", 72 page, hardback is another in Almark's "Mechanics of War" series, It describes the early German tanks, their development, the formation of the panzer divisions and recounts the story of their employment in the blitzkriegs in Poland and France. It is a good introduction to the subject, and is thoroughly illustrated with black & white photos and 12 pages of color paintings and maps. It also sells for $5.95 and is available from the same places.

STURMGESCHUTZ III IN ACTION - by Bruce Culver

Here we have volume 14 in Squadron/Signal Publications' "Armor In Action" series (#13, Centurian in Action, was reviewed here in issue #75; Pzkpfw IV in #71, Panther in #68, and the earlier 10 in #64). The physical format is the same as its predecessors: 50 pages, plus covers, 8" high by 11" wide, full color paintings of the subject on the front and back covers and the center spread.

The main purpose of this volume, like the rest of the series, is to provide action photos for the modeler, historian or armor buff, which it does very well. Also there is enough text to fully describe the development and evolution of the StGIII and each of its models. There are also several 1:76 scale drawings of various versions. This volume maintains the excellent standards of the series, however, since the StGIII has already been covered in Vol.1, Panzer III in Action, and Vol. 7, Panzerjager In Action, it might not be as usefull as most previous volumes. Nevertheless, it is well worth the $3.95 price tag and is also available from the Squadron Shop (see above).

OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE FROM SQUADRON

ARMOUR CAMOUFLAGE AND MARKINGS: North Africa 1940-1943 - by George R Bradford

This was first published, by the author, about 5 years ago. It is now being published by Squadron/ Signal Publications, The author, a Canadian, is editor/publisher of a small magazine for armor buffs, AFV News. This 104" x74", 96-page, hardbound volume contains over a hundred superb color profiles and views of tanks and related vehicles by the author and ninety black & white photographs. It covers Italian, British, German and American camouflage and markings for the entire North African Campaign, 1940 through 1943. This is by far the most comprehensive coverage of the subject I know of, and the illustrations are excellent. Highly recommended. It sells for $9.95.

YORKTOWN - by Alan Kemp

This is one of Almark's "Great Battles" series, It is 7/"x9" paperbacked, 48 pages long, and contains an account of the climactic campaign of the American Revolution. It contains a few black & white drawings and maps and sixteen pages of full color - one is a map and the others are illustrations of uniforms of both sides, including the French and "Hessians". It also contains a complete order of battle for both sides, complete with strength figures. This alone makes it well worth the $3.95 price.

SPION KOP - by H. G. Castle

This is another of Almark's "Great Battles" series. Its physical format is identical to Yorktown (above), including the 16 pages of color illustrations. These include portraits of leaders, uniforms of troops and depictions of weapons and equipment. The subject is the climactic battle of the South African (Second Boer) War, 22-23 January 1900, a struggle that is almost unknown to most Americans. This volume would serve as a fair introduction. It also sells for $3.95.

A SOLDIER OF THE SEVENTY-FIRST - edited by Christopher Hibbert is a 5/"x8", hardbound, 121-page volume published (or re-published) by Squadron/Signal Publications.

It is the journal of an anonymous British soldier of the Napoleonic era, and cover's the South American adventure of 1806, the Peninsular War, the Walcheren Expedition and the Battle of Waterloo. The author served in the ranks but was of superior education and literacy compared to his comrades. He belonged to the 71st or Glasgow Regiment, the Highland Light Infantry - one of the best. Napoleonic buffs should find it quite interesting, and well worth the $4.95 price.

CRUSADER - by John Milsom, John Sandars and Gerald Scarborough.

Patrick Stephens Ltd, of England, publishes this 7'/"x10", 80-page, hardback book in association with Airfix Products Ltd. It is the first volume in a new series on classic armored fighting vehicles which also happen to be the subjects of new 1:32 scale model kits by Airfix. The subject of this volume was a British "cruiser" tank used extensively in the North African Campaign of WWII. The book is divided into three sections, each by a different author. First, Milson gives an account of the development and design of the Crusader, including data tables and specifications. Sanders follows with a graphic recounting of its employment in the desert campaigns and describes the camouflage and markings used on the Crusader. Finally Scarborough shows how to convert the Airfix 1:32 Crusader III kit into a Mk I or II, build up a completely detailed vehicle interior, and even convert the basic model into one of the anti-aircraft versions.

The text is nicely complemented by dozens of photographs, of both the real Crusader and Scarborough's models, plus scale plans and construction drawings. If you want to know all about the Crusader and especially if you're a model builder, you'll find it worth the $8.95 price. It is distributed in the United States by Bill Dean Books and available by mail order from Sky Books International, Inc., 48 East 50th St., New York, NY 10022.

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM SKY BOOKS

REPUBLIC F-84F THUNDERSTREAK AND RF-84F THUNDERFLASH IN EUROPEAN AIRFORCES - by Paul A. Jackson

This is an 8 1/2"x11", 24-page paperback published in England by Alan 4. Hall Publications. It is the first volume of the "Warpaint"series. It tell: you much more than I can invision anyone would ever care to know about a couple of related types of obsolete U.S. jets serving with various N.A.T.O. Air Forces. Since these types never fired a shot in anger and have now been withdrawn from service even by Turkey, the only reason I can think of for any interest in them is their role as a developmental link between the "Thunderjets" of the Korean War and the "Thuds" of Vietnam. As such, despite its numerous excellent b&w photos and scale drawings, the $3.95 price seems a bit much for such a slim little volume.

WAR BUILT DESTROYERS: 0 TO Z CLASSES - by Alan Raven and John Roberts

This is published in the USA by Sky Books Press Ltd., but printed in England. It is the sixth volume of the "Ensign" series, and is 8"x10", paperback with 48 pages. Here you have everything you ever wanted to know about the British WWII destroyers of the 0 to Z classes but didn't care enough to ask. In addition to a text describing development, armament, deployment, specifications and even the actions of all members of these classes there are 79 b&w photos, 6 line drawings, a 10"x30" fold out color side view of HMS Oribi, plus 11 smaller color sideviews of others, all in WWII camouflage. The subject is really quite well covered and well presented. However, the esoteric subject (I've never knownnaval wargamers to give a damn about destroyers) and the paperback, "magazine" format make the $7.95 price tag seem pretty steep.

JAN ZIZKA AND THE HUSSITE WARS by Michael W. McGuire

This 8 1/2" x 11", 32-page (counting covers), magazine-format, paperback is "Conflict Historical Study #1" by Simulations Design Corp., former publishers of Conflict magazine. (Arab-Israeli Armor was Special Study #1".) It covers a subject that is little known in this country. As the author's Postscript says, "There is simply nothing available on the subject in any but the most comprehensive municipal libraries; the information utilized in this writing was painstakingly extracted in university libraries from academic texts..." The Hussite wars of 1419-1434 were a result of a combination of the Hussite religious reformation (a hundred years befor Luther and Calvin) and Bohemian (Czech) nationalism and the attempt of Catholic, Royalist and neighboring German, Hungarian and Polish forces to surpress or exploit these movements.

Jan Zizka was the pre-eminant and most talented of the Hussite (named for John Huss, martyred founder of the religious movement) military leaders, though he was not their spiritual, or political leader. Without his military genius the reactionary forces would probably have crushed the Hussites on any one of several occasions, He was primarily responsible for organizing and training the Hussites' undisciplined, ill-armed peasants and burgers and making of them an "effective army that displayed a sense of organization and discipline unheard of in the medieval armies of the time." Zizka was a talented strategist, but he is best known as a brilliant tactician.

One of his major innovations was the use of heavy, sometimes even armored, wagons as mobile forts to provide a defensive shelter for his primarily infantry force and for hauling his cannon (previously almost exclusively seige weapons) to the site of a field battle. This "self-propelled artillery" was sometimes even employed in the attack, much as are modern tanks or assault guns. McGuire presents a detailed study of the background and course of the Hussite Wars through Zizka's death in 1424 and a brief summary of the events of the twelve years that followed before the Hussites and the Roman Church finally were reconciled in 1436. It is clearly and concisely written and well illustrated with black and white maps and drawings with the usual SDC quality of graphics.

If you're interested in learning more about a neglected struggle that had profound influences on the development of Christianity, European (and especially Czech) nationalism, and the evolution of military tactics, you'll find this work well worth the modest $2.50 price. It is available from better hobby and book stores or by mail from us, Panzerfaust Publications, PO Box 896, Fallbrook, CA 92028.