Introduction

If like me you have a fascination with modern armour you will have been drawn at some point to the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) and the range of models now available in plastic and resin. And what you would have found is the limited amount of information available as reference material. Well, that was until recently when more and more has become available, this is the fourth book released in the Desert Eagle Publications library on the IDF, an A4 sized paper back with around 84 pages of pictures and words, so lets take a closer look.

The Book

Just by picking up the book and flicking through the pages you cannot help but be impressed, starved of good reference material on the IDF for so long the quality and clarity of the pictures is a joy to behold. The book not only covers the Magach 6b Gal and Gal Batash but also the Tagash (AVLB), the Tachlatz (M88) and a small section on Modelling the Gal Batash.

The book is laid out in what is best described as logical, starting with a small acknowledgement to those involved and contact details for the publisher followed by a small introduction explaining what you can expect to see in the book as well as a quick guide to the coverage in the previous book. This is followed by a small chart laying out the time line for the various vehicles covered in the book before getting straight onto the 6B Gal covering some good pictures and descriptions. This is followed by a history of the 6B Gal Batash and some more in action pictures, all again with some excellent worded descriptions helping to better explain what you are seeing. A small section on the crew of the Batash is followed by a good walk around of the Batash, plenty of good detailed pictures showing all around this fantastic machine. This is ideal for the super detailers out there as well as the more normal modeller looking for help in placement of the parts for their kit. These picture are not only supplemented with descriptions, but a set of line drawings to help explain the parts you can see in the pictures, a good idea that will no doubt be a great help to most.

An explanation of those weird tactical signs seen on almost all IDF vehicles, as well as some close up reference pictures of the smaller areas they are located upon, is followed by a section on the AVLB (Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge) again with in action pictures and a detailed history of the AVLB in IDF service. Descriptions are, of course, included with the pictures as well as diagrams explaining how the AVLB is used to cross obstacles, a couple of pages with a small walk around rounds of this section. Moving on to the M88 recovery vehicle in IDF use, this is a small section but still follows the same vein as the previous ones and has a wealth of information in it that would satisfy most modellers.

The final section of the book is devoted to modelling the 6b Gal Batash showing and explaining the various stages of the build and the painting and weathering of the converted model, using available parts. This section is a valuable addition from a modelling perspective as the model is well built and to a high standard with good photography showing the best of it.

conclusion

This is the first book I have had the pleasure to read in the series and makes me now want to pick up the other ones, as well as start that legend conversion I have waiting in the wings. The full colour highly detailed pictures are worth a thousand words and will be of benefit to anyone interested in modelling IDF subjects not just the M60a1 series in IDF use. it is hard not to recommend this book as it stands head and shoulders above most of the others I own, highly recommended.