Military Model Scene

Title: SAS Combat Vehicles 1942-91
Author: Gavin Mortimer
Publisher: Osprey Books
ISBN: 978-1-4728-4680-8

New Vanguard number 295 tackles the topic of one of the most famous range of British Army vehicles that have been in use by our Special Forces between WW2 and the Gulf War. A 48-page soft-cover book in the usual Osprey style, with not only informative text, but with plenty of archive images and some superb colour artwork.
At the beginning there were a variety of Ford and Chevrolet trucks used by SAS units for conducting raids in North Africa. They then received the highly mobile Jeep, and fairly bristling with armament, which they used very successfully for raiding. After the end of the war in North Africa, there were still roles for the SAS units, used behind enemy lines and supporting the resistance units in NW Europe. Sections cover their work in France, and later on into Germany. After WW2 they used another famous vehicle, the Land Rover. Early examples were also used by the Rhodesian SAS and later on, the British SAS went on to use the so-called 'Pink Panther', a later Land Rover variant with various modifications and painted in a shade of pink for desert operations in the Middle East, and the reason behind it being known as the 'Pinkie'. The story takes us through this whole series of events, and is all rounded off by inclusion of the equally modified Land Rover HCPU, when once again they returned to the desert, this time in Iraq.
With a number of examples now in museums, as well as others in private hands which are regulars at Military Vehicle Rallies here in the UK. Popular with modellers thanks to the heavily armed, modified vehicles, the SAS has a reputation that interests many people, so add the background to their various escapades and I'd expect this one to be popular.
Thanks to Osprey Books for our review copy.

Robin