BOOK
REVIEW:
Squadron/Signal
Publication’s “U.S. Light Tanks in Action” (Armor # 18).
Written
in 1979 by Steven Zaloga with illustrations by Don Greer. This 48
page soft cover landscape format book is published by
Squadron/Signal. It retails anywhere from $2.99 to 10.99 and is
available at most large scale hobby stores and online.
The
book is pretty comprehensive considering its size. There are over
100 B/W photographs and 10 color plates. The book covers all light
tanks from the M-2A2 to the M24 Chafee. It includes line drawings
from several angles of different models of tanks and technical
specifications.
Figure
: M3A1 mentioned in the article.
Figure
: M-5A1 plate shown in Italy, 1944.
The
book covers early light tanks like the M-2A2and shows many pictures
of trials and pre-war training excersises. There are multiple pages
covering the M3 and M3A1 Stuarts serving in all national services and
includes some information on varients and powerplants. A small
section gives some information on the M-22 “Locust” airborne tank
and the M-7 medium tank.
Figure
: M-5A1 with .50 Cal AA MG.
The
bulk of the book covers the M-5 and M-5A1 series with multiple
training and combat photographs. A great selection of pictures
showing field modificatiosn which included Culin cutters, up-armored
sandbag modifications, and several showing damaged and destroyed
vehicles in combat.
Figure
: Color plates from back cover.
The
last section covers the M-24 Chaffee light tank which came into
service in late 1944. There’s approximately 8-10 pages showing
combat photographs.
The
color plates are excellent showing various models in different
theaters of the war. One of my favorite plates is one showing an
M-3A1 in Tunisia, 1942. The markings are the early yellow marking,
has the side-saddle auxillary tanks and the vehicle is heavily
weathered in dust.
Overall,
for the price, you’re getting an excellent deal with great wartime
combat photographs. The section on the M-5 and M-5A1 is great
covering some interesting field modifications, including a lend lease
M-3A3 with a Flak 36 quad 20mm AA gun in place of the standard
turret.
