Book Review of
Scorpion & Scimitar
British Armored Reconnaissance Vehicles
1970-2022
Author: David Grummitt
Pen & Sword Books, Tank Craft Series
ISBN: 9781526774149
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $28.95
ISBN: 9781526774149
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $28.95
HISTORY:
The British Scorpion and Scimitar Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked),(CVR(T)) are among the most successful armored reconnaissance vehicles ever built and fifty years after the initial design was introduced, updated versions are still in service across the globe.
Designed to meet the challenges of British military commitments in both Europe and its former colonies, these compact, manoeuvrable and fast moving armored fighting vehicles have proved themselves versatile and capable in a range of different environments.
They have played significant peacekeeping roles in conflict zones around the world and went into action during wars in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. They have served with the British Army and RAF, as well as with armies in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
They remain today as an important part of NATO’s defence of Europe against possible aggression.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in the UK.
This book is in soft-cover of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾”page format.
The cover art shows a color photo of the AFV Club brand 1/35th scale model kit built by Chris Jerrett (more about this later) at the top.
Below it are 3 small photos.
The one on the left shows a Scimitar on exercise with 1 (BR) Corps in the early 1970’s.
The one in the center is a modified Scorpion used at BATUS to resemble a Soviet T-80.
The one on the right is a Scimitar 2 of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers I Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2011.
The profile at the bottom of the cover is a Scorpion , with Queen’s Mounted Rifles, Linton Military Camp, New Zealand, 1980’s.
The back cover of the book shows 3 photos and a color side profile illustration.
At the top is a black and white photo of a Belgian Scimitar of FTX of the 4e Chasseur a Cheval during field training exercise “Roaring Lion” in 1984.
The second photo, down, is a color photo of a Scimitar 9th/12th Royal Lancers in southern Iraq in late 2003.
The third photo down is also in color. It is a Scimitar 235 operated by the Royal Tank Regiment during a Combined Arms Manoeuvre Demonstration in 2015.
The color side profile illustration is a Scorpion CVR(t), with B Squadron, The Blues and Royals, “Operation Corporate”, The Falkland Islands, May 1982.
The book contains 28 color photos, including the covers, (11 are the walk-around type) and 12 black and white photos.
Also included are 14 color profile illustrations and 4 descriptions of the AFV Club brand 1/35th scale model being built.
The color profile section of the book contains 7 side views of Scorpion’s (including the back cover) and 7 of the Scimitar (including the front cover). There are 3 color photos of the actual Scimitars' being illustrated.
The modeling section of the book shows 4 AFV Club brand 1/35th scale kits. Three of them are Scorpion’s and one is a Scimitar.
The first Scorpion was built by David Grummitt. Five color photos show the model finished and being built. Three photos show the tools that were used.
The second Scorpion was built by Chris Jarrett. Ten photos show the kit being built. A photo of the actual tank copied is supplied.
The third Scorpion was built by Paul Crochar. Eight photos show it being built. A photo of the actual tank copied is supplied.
The fourth kit is a Scimitar built by David Grummitt. It too shows eight photos of the kit being built and a photo of the actual tank being copied.
Next are 8 pages of accessory and detail kit photos that are available.
This is a neat book about these 2 tanks and kits of them. It will be of great interest to modelers and armor historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The British Scorpion and Scimitar Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked),(CVR(T)) are among the most successful armored reconnaissance vehicles ever built and fifty years after the initial design was introduced, updated versions are still in service across the globe.
Designed to meet the challenges of British military commitments in both Europe and its former colonies, these compact, manoeuvrable and fast moving armored fighting vehicles have proved themselves versatile and capable in a range of different environments.
They have played significant peacekeeping roles in conflict zones around the world and went into action during wars in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. They have served with the British Army and RAF, as well as with armies in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
They remain today as an important part of NATO’s defence of Europe against possible aggression.
THE BOOK:
Pen & Sword Books is located in the UK.
This book is in soft-cover of 64 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾”page format.
The cover art shows a color photo of the AFV Club brand 1/35th scale model kit built by Chris Jerrett (more about this later) at the top.
Below it are 3 small photos.
The one on the left shows a Scimitar on exercise with 1 (BR) Corps in the early 1970’s.
The one in the center is a modified Scorpion used at BATUS to resemble a Soviet T-80.
The one on the right is a Scimitar 2 of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers I Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2011.
The profile at the bottom of the cover is a Scorpion , with Queen’s Mounted Rifles, Linton Military Camp, New Zealand, 1980’s.
The back cover of the book shows 3 photos and a color side profile illustration.
At the top is a black and white photo of a Belgian Scimitar of FTX of the 4e Chasseur a Cheval during field training exercise “Roaring Lion” in 1984.
The second photo, down, is a color photo of a Scimitar 9th/12th Royal Lancers in southern Iraq in late 2003.
The third photo down is also in color. It is a Scimitar 235 operated by the Royal Tank Regiment during a Combined Arms Manoeuvre Demonstration in 2015.
The color side profile illustration is a Scorpion CVR(t), with B Squadron, The Blues and Royals, “Operation Corporate”, The Falkland Islands, May 1982.
The book contains 28 color photos, including the covers, (11 are the walk-around type) and 12 black and white photos.
Also included are 14 color profile illustrations and 4 descriptions of the AFV Club brand 1/35th scale model being built.
The color profile section of the book contains 7 side views of Scorpion’s (including the back cover) and 7 of the Scimitar (including the front cover). There are 3 color photos of the actual Scimitars' being illustrated.
The modeling section of the book shows 4 AFV Club brand 1/35th scale kits. Three of them are Scorpion’s and one is a Scimitar.
The first Scorpion was built by David Grummitt. Five color photos show the model finished and being built. Three photos show the tools that were used.
The second Scorpion was built by Chris Jarrett. Ten photos show the kit being built. A photo of the actual tank copied is supplied.
The third Scorpion was built by Paul Crochar. Eight photos show it being built. A photo of the actual tank copied is supplied.
The fourth kit is a Scimitar built by David Grummitt. It too shows eight photos of the kit being built and a photo of the actual tank being copied.
Next are 8 pages of accessory and detail kit photos that are available.
This is a neat book about these 2 tanks and kits of them. It will be of great interest to modelers and armor historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of Pen & Sword Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.