Book Review of
NATO and Warsaw Pact
Armoured Fighting Vehicles of the Cold War
Author: Michael Green
Pen & Sword Books Ltd.
ISBN: 978-1-39901-971-2
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $46.95
Pen & Sword Books Ltd. is based in the UK.
ISBN: 978-1-39901-971-2
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $46.95
Pen & Sword Books Ltd. is based in the UK.
HISTORY:
While tanks were the most recognized armoured vehicles during the Cold War, NATO and Warsaw Pact (WP) armies fielded a wide array of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). These included armoured cars, armoured personnel (APCs), anti-aircraft vehicles and self-propelled artillery. Over the Cold War years nations both progressively developed service of AFVs and introduced new ranges.
APCs, vital to all frontline units, evolved from machine gun-armed battlefield taxis, such as the U.S. M113 and Soviet BTR-60 series, into sophisticated infantry fighting vehicles. The Soviet BMP-1, U.S. Bradley M2/M3, West German Marder and British Warrior and VVR series were classic examples of the latter, with numerous variants.
The Soviet BRDM-2 series was the most numerous armoured car. The British Army fielded the Saladin, Ferret and Fox, and the German Army introduced the eight-wheeled Luchs and tracked SPZ11-2 Kurz.
Early anti-aircraft vehicles, such as the American M42, with two 40mm Bofors-guns, were superseded by the formidable Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka and the West German Flakpanzer Gepard with radar-guided guns.
This authoritative and superbly illustrated book covers the full range of AFVs I service with NATO and WP armies over the four decades of the Cold War. It will be an invaluable addition to the libraries of the expert and layman alike.
THE BOOK:
The book is hard-bound, with a paper jacket that has fold over tabs to anchor it to the book. The book has 250 pages in 6 ½” x 8 ½” format. Nine pages are blank. It contains 147 color photos and 161 black and white ones. There are 110 pages of just text.
The cover art, on the paper jacket, shows a color photo of a Dutch Army acquired APC labelled as the YP-48.
At the top left-hand corner of the black of the jacket, there is a color photo of an LAV-M. On the right-hand corner is a color photo of is a Soviet BMD-3 in a camouflage of tan, green and brown.
On the left-side of the center row of pictures, there is a color photo of a Saladin M2 armoured car in overall olive-drab.
On the right-side there is a color photo of an American M42 Duster that was supplied to the West German Army. It is overall olive-drab.
At the bottom there is a black and white photo of an M113, with it’s rear gate lowered and U.S. infantrymen running out.
Inside the book there is an above-view line drawing of a M113. An inside-view line drawing of a M2AO Bradley LTP-7. Top-view line drawings of a Soviet BTR-152D, BTR-60PB, OT64/SKOT and BMP-1. An inside-view of a U.S. M2 Bradley and a BRDM-2.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Green is the author of numerous acclaimed books in the Images of War Series. Including Armored Warfare in the Vietnam War, The Patton Tank: Cold War Warrior, M1 Abrams Tank, Allied Tanks of the Second World War, Allied AFVs of the Second World War, Axis Tanks of the Second World War, American Military Helicopters, U.S. Airborne Divisions, USMC in the Vietnam War, U.S. Armored Divisions of the Second World War, U.S. Marine Corps in the Korean War, American Artillery, NATO and Warsaw Pact Tanks of the Cold War and Soviet Air Power of the Cold War.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. They are the N. American distributor of all Pen & Sword Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web site at:
While tanks were the most recognized armoured vehicles during the Cold War, NATO and Warsaw Pact (WP) armies fielded a wide array of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). These included armoured cars, armoured personnel (APCs), anti-aircraft vehicles and self-propelled artillery. Over the Cold War years nations both progressively developed service of AFVs and introduced new ranges.
APCs, vital to all frontline units, evolved from machine gun-armed battlefield taxis, such as the U.S. M113 and Soviet BTR-60 series, into sophisticated infantry fighting vehicles. The Soviet BMP-1, U.S. Bradley M2/M3, West German Marder and British Warrior and VVR series were classic examples of the latter, with numerous variants.
The Soviet BRDM-2 series was the most numerous armoured car. The British Army fielded the Saladin, Ferret and Fox, and the German Army introduced the eight-wheeled Luchs and tracked SPZ11-2 Kurz.
Early anti-aircraft vehicles, such as the American M42, with two 40mm Bofors-guns, were superseded by the formidable Soviet ZSU-23-4 Shilka and the West German Flakpanzer Gepard with radar-guided guns.
This authoritative and superbly illustrated book covers the full range of AFVs I service with NATO and WP armies over the four decades of the Cold War. It will be an invaluable addition to the libraries of the expert and layman alike.
THE BOOK:
The book is hard-bound, with a paper jacket that has fold over tabs to anchor it to the book. The book has 250 pages in 6 ½” x 8 ½” format. Nine pages are blank. It contains 147 color photos and 161 black and white ones. There are 110 pages of just text.
The cover art, on the paper jacket, shows a color photo of a Dutch Army acquired APC labelled as the YP-48.
At the top left-hand corner of the black of the jacket, there is a color photo of an LAV-M. On the right-hand corner is a color photo of is a Soviet BMD-3 in a camouflage of tan, green and brown.
On the left-side of the center row of pictures, there is a color photo of a Saladin M2 armoured car in overall olive-drab.
On the right-side there is a color photo of an American M42 Duster that was supplied to the West German Army. It is overall olive-drab.
At the bottom there is a black and white photo of an M113, with it’s rear gate lowered and U.S. infantrymen running out.
Inside the book there is an above-view line drawing of a M113. An inside-view line drawing of a M2AO Bradley LTP-7. Top-view line drawings of a Soviet BTR-152D, BTR-60PB, OT64/SKOT and BMP-1. An inside-view of a U.S. M2 Bradley and a BRDM-2.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Green is the author of numerous acclaimed books in the Images of War Series. Including Armored Warfare in the Vietnam War, The Patton Tank: Cold War Warrior, M1 Abrams Tank, Allied Tanks of the Second World War, Allied AFVs of the Second World War, Axis Tanks of the Second World War, American Military Helicopters, U.S. Airborne Divisions, USMC in the Vietnam War, U.S. Armored Divisions of the Second World War, U.S. Marine Corps in the Korean War, American Artillery, NATO and Warsaw Pact Tanks of the Cold War and Soviet Air Power of the Cold War.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. They are the N. American distributor of all Pen & Sword Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web site at:
This book will be of great interest to modelers and military historians alike.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.