Introduction

The following is taken from the Pens and Sword website:

With its characteristic wide track, low silhouette and its distinctively deep exhaust note the Humvee sets itself apart from the range of light utility trucks it replaced. Fully air-portable, the Humvee features an aluminium body seated on a steel ladder chassis, powered by a 190hp V8 engine.

Introduced into service in 1985, the Humvee remained pretty much unnoticed until its baptism of fire during the invasion of Panama in Operation Just Cause. It wasn’t until almost a year later, in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Strom that the Humvee really came into the public eye.

As a result of its newly found fame its manufacturer, American Motors General, started to produce a civilized version for public consumption, with sales and profile boosted by Hollywood patronage. At the same time the Humvee continued to serve in some of the most dangerous US operations undertaken to date. From the streets of Mogadishu to the Balkans, the Humvee developed into a vehicle far removed from its original design intentions.

With some 17 variants now in service, from the basic troop carrier to the awesome Avenger Anti-Aircraft system, this Humvee LandCraft title provides the modeller with a rich vein of inspirations and subject.

This title looks at the process behind the design and development of the Humvee and how American Motors General were able to fulfil a complex design brief to deliver a single vehicle that was able to replace a host of in-service vehicles. This title will chart how the Humvee grew from a light utility truck into a versatile platform whose modesty hides its potential.

With its specially designed track, impressive ground clearance, waterproofed electronics and ability to carry a one tonne load, the first Humvees were light years ahead of the vehicles they replaced. With its unique suspension and transmission systems to its unique engine arrangement this 4x4 is capable of feats normally only afforded to tracked vehicles.

Review

This offering from Pen and Sword as part of their Land Craft series, covers the Humvee. American multi-purpose support truck, and is the 6th release in the series. The author of this release is Ben Skipper, who has authored three other books in this series. This book as with the series as a whole, is a soft backed book with a glossy card cover, protecting the contents. The series as a whole all contain 64 pages and are roughly A4 in size. The books are presented in a portrait format. The contents of the book are presented as follows:

Introduction

Design and Development

Humvee in detail

In service and in action

Humvee variants

Camouflage and Markings

Model Showcase

Modelling Products

The text in this offering from Pen and Sword, is well written in a clear font but the text did make my eyes struggle as in areas it was difficult to read. All of the written content is on the real vehicles, and I thank Ben Skipper for placing the sections covering the models at the rear of the book, rather than in-between the written information on the vehicle. In releases where this has  been done, it breaks the chain when reading the book, and also seems like the modelling section has been added as a afterthought. With the modelling section at the end, the book has a more rounded feel about it. The written content interspersed with colour photographs and a limited number of schematics. For the modeller, I feel there is enough content here to satisfy their needs. 

After the written content the modeller is presented with four way artists’ impressions, showing the left side, top, front and rear. The vehicles depicted are being used for different purposes, including one that is almost completely stripped down and provides some great reference for the modeller. 

The modelling section of the title, presents the following models for your viewing pleasure:

GMV Humvee - Special Forces, Afghanistan, 200s 1/3 th  by Jim Wechsler

Humvee M114 - Afghanistan and Iraq, 2000s 1/35th scale by Brian Richardson

Humvee M10/25 - US UNPROFOR Mission, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Macedonian/Serbian border, Winter 1993 1/35th scale Ben Skipper

There are only three models covered in this title, which would normally mean that they are covered in depth, in this case however, we are only presented with images of the finished model. Which while offering some benefits to the modeller, this is limited without showing what steps were taken to alter the model. Looking at the modelling products available in the title the author obviously cannot provide a complete list, but he has done a fair job. I was pleased to see the Bronco Humvee’s covered in this section, as I believe these are still the best on the market.

Conclusion

This offering from Pen and Sword authored by Ben Skipper, does a reasonable job of presenting the modeller with a good level of information on the physical vehicle, some nice artists impressions, a look at what can be achieved with a model and finally a list of some of the products available for dressing up your build. I would like to thank Ben Skipper for giving this book a specific area for the modelling aspects, rather it than being dumped in the middle - almost like an afterthought.