Military Model Scene

Title: Soviet Motor Gunboats of World War II
Author: Przemyslaw Budzbon
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-5721-7

New Vanguard number 324 from Osprey Publishing, and sub-titled 'The Red Army's river tanks from Stalingrad to Berlin'. A 48-page soft-cover book, with artwork by Waldemar Goralski and Piotr Forkasiewicz.
This is the first book published in English as I understand it on the subject of these Russian armoured river boats during WW2. The introduction that starts it off goes back to the earliest developments of these weapons back in WW1. The bulk of it then goes on to provide the details of the various types of these boats, when they were designed, where they were deployed, the different armament fittings that were used, along with how and where they saw action. From Europe to the Far East, the many rivers offered a useful alternative to move mobile artillery support around when there was only a minimal road system in so many areas of the vast territory that made up the Soviet Union. The result was a series of units, such as the Danube, Dneiper and Amur flotillas among others. Some were also able to operate in coastal waters, in order to support land forces. Armament on the boats included tank turrets such as those usually seen on the T-28 and the T-34, and some even mounted Katyusha rocket launchers. At the end of the book there is even a section that moves the story on into the Cold War period, when we see newer types fitted with turrets from PT-76 and T-55 tanks. All of this is accompanied by plenty of archive images and some very neat artwork, which adds interesting colour and detail that the modellers among us will really appreciate.
As well as the variety of armament fitted to these boats, plus the ability to carry up to 20 infantry who could be landed to provide additional support, these vessels provided widespread artillery support against the German invaders. The whole idea of a very limited road network is perhaps difficult to appreciated these days, but for so many years the rivers around the world provided a vital route for the movement of both goods and people, so now surprise I think that military uses would also be found for them. Though not mentioned in the book, it rather reminds me of the use of riverine craft by the USA in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam war. A good value book in this case, covering a lesser known and interesting subject.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin