I have always had a soft spot for US tank destroyers. Regardless of how effective they may have been, they are
excellent modelling subjects, with their open turrets providing plenty of opportunity for super-detailing. However,
until the last several years, kits of these subjects (unless one was willing to go the resin route) were few and far between,
and those that did exist (Tamiya's 1/35 M10 and M36) were more cruel taunts than serious models. However,
Academy and AFV Club have each produced kits of the three major US tank destroyers - the M10, M18, and M36 - in injection-moulded
plastic since 1997. Those kits have made this book feasible.
Steve Zaloga needs no introduction to US armour afficionados. His many publications on the subject and excellent
articles and models in Military Modelling have been an invaulable resource for us. Until recently, though, he
has not (to my knowledge) written any books on the subject of modelling. Well, he finally has, and it has been worth
the wait. This book is in the standard format for this series: 80 pages of full colour photos (plus some archival black
and white images and some drawings) plus a colour chip insert at the rear. While the focus of the book is on the modelling
projects, there is also an introduction giving a brief history of US tank destroyers in World War II, a listing of kits and
aftermarket materials in all scales available, a short bibliography, and a discussion of some surviving examples in museums.
Four major model projects are featured: a more or less out of the box Academy 1/35 M36 in whitewash finish; a detailed
Extratech 1/72 M10 in a diorama setting; a heavily detailed AFV Club 1/35 M18; and a major conversion of the AFV
Club M18 into the M39 Armored Utility Vehicle (AUV). All of these are new articles (none have appeared previously online
or in Military Modelling, for instance), although there are photographs of some of his other builds included to show
other models and subjects beyond those with full chapters.
What I like about this book (aside from the subject matter) is that it is not simply about the featured models themselves.
Each of the chapters includes some photographs of the real subject for comparison (turret interior photographs for the three
tank destroyers and four pages of photographs and some 1/35 scale plans for the M39), as well as full listings of the
aftermarket accessories and paints used on the models. Furthermore, each chapter focuses on a different skill or technique
that has application beyond the specific model. For the M36, Steve explains the "salt mask" technique for creating a
weathered whitewash finish (he also describes and illustrates the problems with the Academy and AFV Club M10 turrets - sigh).
The M10 chapter talks about how to sculpt your own sandbags and stowage from two-part epoxy putty, while the M18 chapter discusses
modifying figures to make a crew that can fit in the cramped confines of a tank destroyer turret. This chapter also
has more on sculpting epoxy putty for stowage and a useful section on opening up the engine deck on the M18 kit. The
M39 chapter gives a good walk-through of a major conversion project for which no commercial conversion set exists - there
is an awful lot of white plastic evident in the in-progress photos of this model!
I must admit that I really like Steve's writing style in general, and his approach to modelling articles in particular.
The "before and after" photos that he takes of the model from the same angle and distance before and after are especially
valuable.
This is an excellent book, and one that has much to offer any armour modeller, regardless of whether one has specific
interest in these vehicles. Highly recommended for anybody interested in American World War II armour or who is looking
for new techniques and inspiration.
January 14, 2006
