Military Model Scene

Title: US Battle Tanks 1946-2025
Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-6568-7

The second part in the story of US Battle Tanks from author Steven Zaloga and Osprey. A 272-page hard-cover book.
Volume 1 covered the story of US tanks from their first use in 1917, through to the end of WW2 in 1945. This new one moves the story on, from the end of WW2 to today, another 80 years of history. Over that time responsibility for development of the tank for the US military has changed a few times, which is detailed in the introduction. In the early post-WW2 period there remained a mix of light, medium and heavy tanks, before the US and the rest of the world focussed on what the medium tank evolved into, the Main Battle Tank (MBT). Once WW2 was over, there was the common reduction in tank numbers, though this became an issue once the war started in Korea, though light, medium and heavy tanks were all deployed. It moves on to the early stages of the Cold War, and ramping up AFV development as the threat to Europe posed by the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact grew. The Patton series of tanks are covered, along with the various experimental types from the later Cold War period, along with associated work on ammunition. It includes the diversion into the world of the missile armed tank, with the Shillelagh gun/missile used on the Sheridan light tank. It also examines the US tanks in combat again, particularly in the Vietnam War. More experimentation followed with the MBT70 and the simplified but equally unsuccessful XM803, before we get to the XM1 programme, which became the M1 Abrams MBT. The development of the Abrams, the change to the larger 120mm main gun, the unusual gas turbine engine and new armour protection are all featured. Combat in the Gulf War and in Afghanistan led to more changes, including the fitting of TUSK (Tank Urban Survivability Kit) packages and active defence systems. Of course that isn't the end of the story, though it is perhaps odd to realise that the Abrams has now been in service for some 45 years, so more than half of the time covered by this book. More experimentation has continued, and includes the most recent adoption of the lighter M10 Booker.
Filled with archive photos, tables of characteristic, production numbers and much more, along with a marvellous collection of artwork which Osprey is so well know for. Whilst it is greatly expanded upon, some of the contents of this are included in a number of the smaller soft cover Osprey books which the author has also written, but there is so much more in here, plus you have the benefit of having everything brought together all in the one book. Add this to volume 1 and you have a first class reference for the whole subject of US Army and Marine tanks since they were first used, through to the present day. AFV enthusiasts and modellers will love this I have no doubt.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin