Military Model Scene

Title: Sturmgeschutz-Abt. 226 On the Battlefield
Author: Tom Cockle
Publisher: PeKo Publishing
ISBN: 978-615-5583-97-1

Volume 24 in this long running series of photo books from PeKo Publishing. A landscape format hard-cover book covering the story of Sturmgeschutz-Abt 226 from its' formation in 1941. All text and captions are provided in both English and Hungarian languages.
In the author's introduction he gives the basic history of the unit, from being created in February 1941 and training at the Juterbog Truppenbungplatz before being sent to take part in Operation Barbarossa. The organisation is explained and the unit saw plenty of action across the Eastern Front. The first half of the book is filled with some great photos of the early Stug III Ausf. B which equipped the unit first of all, along with support equipment such as the Sdkfz 252 ammunition supply half-track and trailer, as well as a mix of trucks and the SdAnh 116 tank transporter trailer. With one photo per page the detail to be seen in these photos is first class. My personal learning point was the fitting of small brush guards to protect the siren, Notek light on each mudguard, plus some with a slot in the folding front section of the trackguards so it could fold back flat over these brush guards. Lots more great detail to see, and along with the later half of the book when they were equipped with the long barrelled 75mm Ausf. F for the later period of the war. In this later section there is a lot of mud and snow, with diorama ideas aplenty!
This has lots of photos not previously published and the quality and detail to be found in here will interest armour enthusiasts/historians and modellers alike. Another super addition to this 'On the Battlefield' series.
Thanks to publishers PeKo for the review copy.

Robin