Military Model Scene

Title: U.S. Army Ford M8 and M20 Armoured Cars
Author: Didier Andres
Publisher: Casemate
ISBN: 978-1-63624-310-8

Another in the series of Casemate Illustrated Specials, a 160-page hard-back book, though also available in digital format. It was originally published in French by Histoire & Collections, while this new English edition has been produced by Casemate Publishing.
The book starts with the story of the genesis of light armoured cars for the US Army, who were a little late into their development of them. Plenty of photos for those early vehicles, many looking very simple box shapes, of largely flat armoured plates. There were both 4- and 6-wheel machines. It wasn't until the late 1920s that they really started to pay more attention to the development of this class of vehicle. It goes on from the early T22 6-wheeler and T22E1 4-wheeler options and on through the development of the M8 and then the turretless M20, detailing early, mid and late production versions. While the 37mm armed M8 was intended for combat, the M20 was not, but for command and logistics support. It is also interesting to read about the conflicting interests of Ford and their customer, the US Army, over the simple subject of their numbering systems to identify each individual vehicle. The final section of the book looks at the use of both types in service, in Europe, from 1944 through to the end of the war.
With tables of great detail on production numbers and much more, and hundreds of archive images which cover them both in great detail. Interior stowage, engines, armament and mountings, even the layout of stowage both inside and out was laid down in manuals. I can't recall seeing such detailed coverage of these well known US armoured cars. There are a number of preserved examples in private ownership, I know of at least 2 M8s local to me. For historians there is a lot in here, and the additional detail in the hundreds of archive photos will be a huge reference for modellers, who should love this one.
Thanks to Casemate for our review copy.

Robin