We received the following press release--RL

Last week, I found a book on Armored Cars in Russia from 1906 to 1917. Perusing this incredible semi-hard cover, 104 page pictorial study of early armored cars in Russia, I see that the use of these cars did not end in 1916. As a matter of fact, the section on Austin cars shows one nearly identical to the armored car that sits outside the Museum of the Revolution (for the sharp individual out there who correctly identified it from my previous e-mail... Nice Catch!).

I have no idea whether these will be available in quantity or not, but it was just published in Moscow 2000 by the same folks who publish the modeling series (of whom I bought into their parent organization). So, I guess I can probably say that I can get these in quantity. However, I have to get all the captions and charts translated first before I can price it and get it on the market. I've attached the cover scan of the new book on Armored Cars. I think that in itself is a good taste tempter - 104 pages with 227 pictures and line drawings of each vehicle! Russian soldiers are in nearly every picture so you get a really good idea as to their uniforms in WWI (very good variety and detail).

I finished the RCW Flag sheet and much to my dismay, they didn't all fit! So the insert into Gauntlet 19 has almost all White Army flags. I was able to squeeze in one flag from the Red Army's 6th Cavalry Division. Remember Marshal Zhukov from WWII? This was his unit when he fought on the side of the Reds in the RCW. This flag hangs in his museum. It's too bad that Zhukov's museum is contained within the Russian Ministry of Defense building (not open to the public). My Russian counterparts work down the hall, so I was fortunate enough to have access and was able to sketch the flag thoroughly (and then transfer it to CorelDraw).

I intend to do many more of these flags, by the way. The arena of RCW flags is pretty slim. I look forward to seeing what Flags for the Lads has to offer. I will put these flags on MAGWEB for exclusive download by subscribers (Russ Lockwood is a great man!). Check out MAGWEB if you aren't sure. I think you'll find more material than you can read (or that your kids will let you remain online for...).

That's all for now. I have to finish a translation on Russian Artillery of 1805 - this is the hardest translation I've ever done. I don't know the terminology in English, let alone Russian, so I have to look up nearly every word twice. Ouch! But I only have about a half hour left and then the nightmare will be over. Please, no more books on Napoleonic artillery in Russian...

For more information, contact:

Craig Martelle
American Embassy, Moscow
PSC 77
DTRO-M
APO AE 09721
E-mail Craig Martelle

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