Book Review of
Challenger 1 British Main Battle Tank of the Gulf War
Author: Rob Griffin
Pen & Sword Books Ltd.
Military Tank Craft Series
ISBN: 978-1-52-675653-4
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $26.95
Copyright December 27th, 2019
Military Tank Craft Series
ISBN: 978-1-52-675653-4
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $26.95
Copyright December 27th, 2019
HISTORY:
During the 1980s and early 1990s the Challenger 1 main battle tank played a central role in Britain’s armored forces and it achieved remarkable success in combat, destroying around 300 Iraqi tanks in the Gulf War. With its advanced Chobham armor and hydrodynamic suspension system, it was one of the most sophisticated and effective armored vehicles of the time and, in a modified form, is still in service with the Jordanian Army.
It is also a popular subject with tank modelers and enthusiasts, which is why this volume in the Tank Craft series is of such value.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books Ltd. is based in the UK.
This book is soft bound of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art has a color photo at the top of a 1/35th scale Tamiya brand Challenger 1 Mk.3 built by Paul Crocker and told in his build review in the book.
Below that on the left is a color photo of a Challenger 1 sitting in a field. In the center is another color photo of a Challenger 1 shown from the rear with its rear bin lid raised and on the right another color photo of the front of a Challenger 1.
Below these 3 photos is a color side profile of a Challenger 1 Mk. 1 that is in the color profile section of the book as a 4 view.
It is in the non-standard color of drab NATO green overall.
The back cover has 2 more color photos of the model made up at the top of the front cover, a color photo of its engine deck and a color photo of line up of Challengers showing their rears.
The book contains 251 color and black and white illustrations.
There are six 4-view color profiles. A build review of Tamiya 1/35th scale Challenger 1 Mk.3 by Paul Crocker with 15 color walk-around type photos.
The same Tamiya kit is in another build review by Brian Richardson, with 17 color walk-around type photos.
A third same Tamiya kit in a build review by Steve Abbey, with 15 color walk-around type photos,
There are 17 color walk-around photos of the Airfix 1/72nd kit of the Challenger 1 MBT, 2 color box arts of Academy 1/48th scale Challenger kits with 8 color photos of the kit parts, a color photo of the box art for Ace brand’s 1/72nd scale Challenger 1 Mk.3, with 6 color photos of the parts and 4 photos of the kit made up, 9 color photos of Modelcraft 1/35th scale Challenger 1 Mk.3’s kit contents and 2 photos of the kit made up, 5 color photos of Revell’s 1/76th scale Challenger made up and the box art, 10 color photos of Tamiya’s 1/35th scale Challenger 1 Mk.3 made up, 2 photos of Trumpeter’s 1/72nd scale Challenger made up and 6 photos of the kit parts.
The last page of the book has 15 black and white cover art of other Pen & Sword AFV books and 18 more are just listed.
This is one neat book. It will be of great interest to modelers who intend build a Challenger mode.
Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers, who sent me this book sample. Casemate is the North American distributor for Pen & Sword books and all Pen & Sword titles can be seen on Casemate’s site at:
During the 1980s and early 1990s the Challenger 1 main battle tank played a central role in Britain’s armored forces and it achieved remarkable success in combat, destroying around 300 Iraqi tanks in the Gulf War. With its advanced Chobham armor and hydrodynamic suspension system, it was one of the most sophisticated and effective armored vehicles of the time and, in a modified form, is still in service with the Jordanian Army.
It is also a popular subject with tank modelers and enthusiasts, which is why this volume in the Tank Craft series is of such value.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books Ltd. is based in the UK.
This book is soft bound of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art has a color photo at the top of a 1/35th scale Tamiya brand Challenger 1 Mk.3 built by Paul Crocker and told in his build review in the book.
Below that on the left is a color photo of a Challenger 1 sitting in a field. In the center is another color photo of a Challenger 1 shown from the rear with its rear bin lid raised and on the right another color photo of the front of a Challenger 1.
Below these 3 photos is a color side profile of a Challenger 1 Mk. 1 that is in the color profile section of the book as a 4 view.
It is in the non-standard color of drab NATO green overall.
The back cover has 2 more color photos of the model made up at the top of the front cover, a color photo of its engine deck and a color photo of line up of Challengers showing their rears.
The book contains 251 color and black and white illustrations.
There are six 4-view color profiles. A build review of Tamiya 1/35th scale Challenger 1 Mk.3 by Paul Crocker with 15 color walk-around type photos.
The same Tamiya kit is in another build review by Brian Richardson, with 17 color walk-around type photos.
A third same Tamiya kit in a build review by Steve Abbey, with 15 color walk-around type photos,
There are 17 color walk-around photos of the Airfix 1/72nd kit of the Challenger 1 MBT, 2 color box arts of Academy 1/48th scale Challenger kits with 8 color photos of the kit parts, a color photo of the box art for Ace brand’s 1/72nd scale Challenger 1 Mk.3, with 6 color photos of the parts and 4 photos of the kit made up, 9 color photos of Modelcraft 1/35th scale Challenger 1 Mk.3’s kit contents and 2 photos of the kit made up, 5 color photos of Revell’s 1/76th scale Challenger made up and the box art, 10 color photos of Tamiya’s 1/35th scale Challenger 1 Mk.3 made up, 2 photos of Trumpeter’s 1/72nd scale Challenger made up and 6 photos of the kit parts.
The last page of the book has 15 black and white cover art of other Pen & Sword AFV books and 18 more are just listed.
This is one neat book. It will be of great interest to modelers who intend build a Challenger mode.
Highly recommended.
I want to thank Casemate Publishers, who sent me this book sample. Casemate is the North American distributor for Pen & Sword books and all Pen & Sword titles can be seen on Casemate’s site at: