Military Model Scene

Title: Land Rover. LandCraft 7
Author: Ben Skipper
Publisher: Pen & Sword
ISBN: 978-1-52678-973-0

A new addition to the LandCraft series covers one of the most famous and well recognised series of military vehicles since WW2. The Land Rover has seen service worldwide, with the armed forces of so many countries and remains in service around the world.
Very much aimed at modellers as well as military vehicle enthusiasts and follows the now standard format for the series. The Introduction leads us nicely into the Design & Development story. Working from the starting point of the wartime Jeep, the Land Rover was a British made vehicle. The first ones were being made by 1948, a simple chassis and body which was tough and cheap to produce compared to the rival Austin Champ, which was more complex and more expensive. This takes us through that early design story and the later development through the Series 1, 2 and 3 versions, the Lightweight and the larger 1-ton Forward Control variants. Then there is a break for 8-pages of assorted colour profiles showing different types in various colour schemes. This in turn is followed by a Modeller's Showcase, where we see 4 quite different 1/35 models all expertly built and presented. An 8-page section detailing a wide assortment of the different models and accessories that are available on the market, including full kits, conversions, detailing sets and decal sets. These include 1/24, 1/35 and 1/72 scale models that do also include the Australian Perente versions/ A shame that some ranges have been missed from this section, particularly the 1/48 Airfix offering (Snatch and WMIK), the Airfix (ex-JB Models) 1/76 Land Rover and 1-Ton Rover, the ex-BW Models range now with Matador Models, the 1/87 6x6 Perentie from Trident Models as well as the wide variety available in the excellent ranges of ready made Oxford Diecasts. There are a lot of useful leads in the listing but just missing a few. After that it returns to the Design & Development story where we get to the Land Rover 90 and 110, the coil-sprung Land Rovers, then the Defender and the Wolf series. Then we get to the Land Rover in Detail, Variants (of which there are many) and finally In Service & In Action. Throughout the book it is well illustrated with photos of them in use around the world.
All together a good reference to a vehicle which has been so well known, especially in British military services for over 70 years. Modellers and Land Rover enthusiasts should like this one, and so good to see it added to the LandCraft series with what I think is author Ben Skipper's first book.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for our review copy.

Robin