Review of Char Leclerc
Photosnipper no. 19
Authors: M.P. Robinson & Thierry Guilleman
Kagero Publications
ISBN: 978-83-64596-35-3
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-83-64596-35-3
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $24.95
HISTORY:
For over twenty years, the French Army has deployed the powerful main battle tank known variously as the AMX Leclerc, Leclerc main battle tank, but also the men of the Arme Blindee Cavalerie as the “XL” an acronym formed from AMX and Leclerc. The Leclerc represents the most technologically advanced battle tank introduced into service in the 20th Century and was perhaps the most expensive battle tank yet adopted by any NATO country.
Despite its technical brilliances, and its innovative design, the Leclerc never met with tremendous success on the world’s arms market. Its arrival after the end of the Cold War provide ill-timed
and its place in the 21st Century French Army has been regularly attacked in its home country media ever since.
The convergence of geopolitical changes and structural changes in the French defence industry were equally cruel to the Leclerc’s builder. GIAT Industries (which was transformed into the private company Nexter Systems by 2006). Despite it negative press, and the consistent reduction of the French military establishment in recent years, the Leclerc remains one of the world’s most deadly battle tanks twenty five years later.
Often referred to as a third-generation main battle tank in the jargon of its native military establishment, the Leclerc is perhaps better described in the context of the rest of the world’s AFV developments as the first fourth-generation MBT. The Leclerc was designed as a weapon of the information age.
Kagero is a book publisher based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is soft-cover of 96 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It contains 217 color photos, a lot of them being the walk-around type showing various parts of the Leclerc’s anatomy.
There are 37 unit logos and 23 metal unit badges that are illustrated.
There is a 5-view line drawing in 1/72nd scale of a Leclerc Tranche 11 and illustrations of the 120 mm ammo.
In the back of the book are 8 color profiles of Leclercs and 2 more profiles on the back cover.
The last page of the book has a color catalog showing many of Kagero’s other book offerings.
I want to thank the folks at Kagero and at Casemate publishing for this review sample.
Casemate mailed this book in a heavily padded envelope to me.
Casemate is the North American distributor of Kagero books and a listing of all of them can be seen on their web site.
This book will be of great interest to armor modelers and AFV enthusiasts and historians as well. Highly recommended.
For over twenty years, the French Army has deployed the powerful main battle tank known variously as the AMX Leclerc, Leclerc main battle tank, but also the men of the Arme Blindee Cavalerie as the “XL” an acronym formed from AMX and Leclerc. The Leclerc represents the most technologically advanced battle tank introduced into service in the 20th Century and was perhaps the most expensive battle tank yet adopted by any NATO country.
Despite its technical brilliances, and its innovative design, the Leclerc never met with tremendous success on the world’s arms market. Its arrival after the end of the Cold War provide ill-timed
and its place in the 21st Century French Army has been regularly attacked in its home country media ever since.
The convergence of geopolitical changes and structural changes in the French defence industry were equally cruel to the Leclerc’s builder. GIAT Industries (which was transformed into the private company Nexter Systems by 2006). Despite it negative press, and the consistent reduction of the French military establishment in recent years, the Leclerc remains one of the world’s most deadly battle tanks twenty five years later.
Often referred to as a third-generation main battle tank in the jargon of its native military establishment, the Leclerc is perhaps better described in the context of the rest of the world’s AFV developments as the first fourth-generation MBT. The Leclerc was designed as a weapon of the information age.
Kagero is a book publisher based in Lublin, Poland.
This book is soft-cover of 96 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It contains 217 color photos, a lot of them being the walk-around type showing various parts of the Leclerc’s anatomy.
There are 37 unit logos and 23 metal unit badges that are illustrated.
There is a 5-view line drawing in 1/72nd scale of a Leclerc Tranche 11 and illustrations of the 120 mm ammo.
In the back of the book are 8 color profiles of Leclercs and 2 more profiles on the back cover.
The last page of the book has a color catalog showing many of Kagero’s other book offerings.
I want to thank the folks at Kagero and at Casemate publishing for this review sample.
Casemate mailed this book in a heavily padded envelope to me.
Casemate is the North American distributor of Kagero books and a listing of all of them can be seen on their web site.
This book will be of great interest to armor modelers and AFV enthusiasts and historians as well. Highly recommended.