Military Model Scene

Title: Scorpion and Scimitar
Author: David Grummitt
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52677-414-9

This new book marks number 33 in the TankCraft series of books from Pen & Sword, a series with historical background as well as modelling details, created very much with the modeller as the main audience. A 64-page soft-cover book in the usual TankCraft style, and another in the series written by Dave Grummitt, well known as editor of Military Modelcraft International magazine.
The sub-title tells us a bit more, in that is covers British Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles from 1970 to 2022. Hard to believe perhaps, but the CVR(T) series still remains in service with the British Army over 50 years since it entered service. As the book explains, there have been a number of enhancements to it over the years, as though it makes mention of the other CVR(T) variants, it focuses attention on the turreted Scorpion and Scimitar variants. The Scorpion was armed with a 76mm gun, while the Scimitar carries the smaller 30mm Rarden cannon. The Scorpion saw combat in the Falklands war but was later withdrawn from British Army service when it was found that fumes in the turret when firing the main gun were an unacceptable level for the safety of their crews. The Scimitar remained in service however, and went on to give good service during the Gulf War before it was eventually given an upgrade package to replace the original petrol engines with a more economical/reliable diesel power unit instead. Some of the hulls from the withdrawn Scorpions were instead fitted with 30mm Rarden armed turret taken from the wheeled Fox armoured cars, and these became known as the Sabre. The CVR(T) was also an export success, with sales to a number of foreign buyers which are also examined in a separate section of the book. Then comes an 8-page section on Camouflage & Markings, with a series of fine colour profiles that modellers will enjoy. These lead into a Model Showcase, with 4 high quality 1/35 model builds. Then another 9-pages giving details of the various model kits that are available on the market in both 1/35 and 1/72 scales along with a variety of resin conversion sets, aftermarket transfers etc. Then for the final element of the book it goes back to the real thing. There is the development of the Scimitar 2, which combines an upgraded hull of the CVR(T) Spartan with the Scimitar turret plus the CVR(T) in foreign service, as well as its' Cold War service in BAOR, the Falklands War, in Operation Granby (the Gulf War), and peacekeeping operations in the Balkans and later Iraq and Afghanistan. Scimitar is due to be replaced by the much delayed Ajax vehicle family, but for now to Scimitar remains in service with the British Army.
Another excellent addition to the series which is bound to be popular with modellers, especially as we await the imminent release of a new detailed kit of the Scimitar 2 onto the market from Gecko Models, a kit mentioned in the book but not featured as the kit was not available in time. I thought this was a great balance between the history of the real thing, well illustrated with archive images of the vehicles themselves plus a very useful section of model builds and sources for the different kits and conversion materials. Recommended.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy.

Robin