Military Model Scene

Title: Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Author: David Grummitt
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-39900-940-9

We have reached number 9 in the LandCraft series of books from Pen & Sword, and another by author David Grummitt. A 64-page soft-cover book in the now familiar style of this series. As the sub-title says, this is the US Army's Combat-proven Fighting Vehicle, 1981-2021.
The background to the development of the Bradley family of M2 Infantry & M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicles, and as an answer to the new generation of Soviet BMP IFVs which the Cold War threatened to be their main opponent. They were to serve alongside the then new M1 Abrams MBT, and like the Abrams, the Bradley has gone through plenty of modifications since they were first introduced. Conflicts have not been the huge confrontation that was always imagined to be the likely outcome of the Cold War, and the changing situations coupled with new technology have resulted in a series of modifications, many of which are reflected in the models seen in the book. There are 9-pages of colour profiles, along with 7 different Showcase builds, featuring 5 in 1/35 and 2 in 1/72. The model section then details the various kits on the market, for both 1/35 and 1/72 scales and covering both early and late versions. The final part of the book looks at the Bradley in service, during the Cold War in Europe, Desert Storm, peacekeeping in Bosnia & Kosovo, the Iraq War and their status today. Plenty of other references are quoted and overall a packed little reference.
I am a fan of this LandCraft series, a well balanced mix of information on the story of the real vehicle, accompanied by many photos of them in service, coupled with a set of fine colour artwork illustrating different variants along with their camouflage & markings, along with a Modellers' Showcase with some first-class examples of built models plus detail of the available models and accessories that can be found in different scales. Very nicely done and ideal for modellers.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for our review copy.

Robin