Military Model Scene

Title: USMC Tank Markings in the Pacific
Author: Romaine Cansiere
Publisher: Casemate
ISBN: 978-1-63624-586-7

This new title is a Casemate Illustrated Special, a 160-page hard-cover book. Originally published in French by Histoire & Collections in 2024, and marking over 10 years of research.
This is quite a complex subject, as not only did the different Marine units use different methods between them, but units also changed their marking systems from one campaign to the next. There are 10 chapters, plus an introduction and a conclusion, along with more detail in an additional 4 appendices. It covers the 1st to 6th Tank Battalions, plus the Defense Battalions tank platoons, the Tank Company 4th Marines and more. The many individual campaigns include such as Guadalcanal, New Britain, Peleliu, Okinawa, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, the Marianas and more. The tanks we are talking about are a mix of the M4 Sherman mediums and the smaller M3 Stuarts. Plenty of variants to be seen amidst the large collection of archive photos as well as a fine selection of pages with colour profile artwork. The marking systems include coloured bands/stripes, individual letters/numbers, geometric shapes (circle, triangle, square, diamond) and combinations of any of these, plus individual vehicle names, usually chosen by one or more of the crew members. Eventually one system was chosen and used by the Marine Corps as a whole, until they gave up operating tanks in 2021.
The large number of archive images are a goldmine of detail, with some M3 flamethrower conversions, Shermans with a variety of wading gear, including some made from 50gal drums and more. It is also a great resource showing many of the Marine tanks in a mix of colourful camouflage schemes, not just plain Olive Drab. Many of the tanks also have extra armour from tracklinks welded to the hull and/or turret, and wooden planks also used on hull sides as well as over the running gear. Even though the Japanese did not employ tank and anti-tank weapons the size of those fielded by Germany in NW Europe, crews still felt the need to uparmour their Shermans. Ideal for not just armour historians but most especially for modellers who I think will find so much in here to enjoy. Instantly one of my favourites in this series of Specials.
Thanks to Script Books, the UK distributor for Casemate, for the review copy.

Robin