Military Model Scene

Title: Battle of the Bulge
Author: Ben Skipper
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-39900-770-2

The latest release in the soft-cover BattleCraft book series from Pen & Sword and another from author Ben Skipper. A 64-page book in the now established style for this series.
It is a book of two halves, with the first 38 pages setting out the history of the events from the German Ardennes offensive in December 1944 (Operation Wacht am Rhein), which despite the successful comeback by US forces, was continued on into late January with Operation Nordwind. The opposing senior commanders are looked at, and naturally there is an order of battle detailing the units involved for both sides. The well known elements of the siege of Bastogne, the failure of the commando operation of Otto Skorzeny, the King Tigers of Kampfgruppe Peiper, the massacre at Malmedy and much more. The story is accompanied with some helpful maps and lots of archive images, all helping to tell the breadth of the historical story. Then the second half of the book, from page 38 to the end, holds what it described as the Quartermaster's Section. This gives coverage to 4 modelling subjects that relate to the battle. There are 2 AFVs and 2 aircraft. These are the Allied M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer, the King Tiger, Me 262 and the P47 Thunderbolt. Each one has some details of the real thing, some available models plus a showcase build.
Well priced, this gives a good background to the history of the battle and some good examples of appropriate models to inspire others to try some models with this theme in mind. Another neat title in this series from author Ben Skipper and publishers Pen & Sword, who kindly provided my review copy.

Robin