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Book Review
11
Photosniper: Chieftain
Chieftain. Main Battle Tank. Development And Active Service From Prototype to Mk.11
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by: Mecenas [ MECENAS ]

Introduction

After covering the World War 2 German motorcycle BMW R75, Kagero Publishing’s Photosniper series takes aim at the famous British cold-war tank – Chieftain, the tank which was a real revolution in its time. Armed with the most powerful gun, most effective armour protection and introducing other novelties, Chieftain was the most advanced tank of the late 1960s and 1970s. Here's a look at its details through the (photo) sniper scope.

review

Publication is released in a typical format of the Photosniper series. Its size is 205x275mm with soft cover. Content is printed on the matt chalk paper. All texts, captions and descriptions are written in English. Thickness of particular titles depends of course on the subject and author but this time we get 72 pages about the title tank.
Content of this series is divided into text, with technical and historical background, and the graphic sections, depicting particular features and characteristics.

Chapters of the book:
  • Genesis: from Medium Gun Tank No.2 to Britain's First True Main Battle Tank
  • Chieftain: Early Service and Vehicle Description
  • Tribulations and Redemption: the 1970s and 1980s


The text is followed by 36 pages of colour photographs taken on scrap yards, gunnery ranges, in action or covering the interior of the tank. In total the whole book contains 17 black and white and 137 colour photographs.

The last section contains colour profiles presenting 20 machines in lots of different and very interesting camouflage patterns, which are not only European. Each profile has a detailed description of the unit, time and place where the tank was serving in the presented configuration of colours, camouflage and markings. Additionally inside the book, we can also find two pages with order of battles of the 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in 1970 and 1989 and two pages with 1/55th scale plans of the Chieftain Mk.3/3 and Mk.11/C. The 1/55th scale is a bit odd for scale modellers however the drawings are still quite readable and after appropriate scaling in a graphic program or just on a photocopier they can be used as a reference replicas in the more popular scales.

I especially appreciate a lot of photographs from the gunnery ranges, manoeuvres and ordinary everyday life from the tank units. Many of these may be a great inspiration for those interesting dioramas or for creating an interesting configuration of opened hatches, signal flags or crew additional equipment.

Lot of close-up photographs, as well as those taken during tank maintenance, answers most of the possible questions. It presents a lot of interior compartments or equipment used by particular crew members. Close-up shots reveals details of the armour, antenna masts, wheels, main gun, exhausts, commander cupola, hatches, stowage bins and many more details. These pictures were taken really taken with the snipers precision. There are also some unique photos, as for example that show one of only two ever build Mk.4's Chieftains.

Conclusion

From the modeller point of view the book content answers many common questions we often ask ourselves about such as; how particular things looked or how it was attached. For sure it is a valuable reference bringing us much closer to the history and development of this famous tank, which was so important for the British Armed Forces in particular and whole generation of the modern tanks in general.
SUMMARY
Highs: Great close-up photos. Lot of details, including tank interior, presented on the photos. Very interesting colour profiles.
Lows: None of note.
Verdict: Very useful, great reference and guide through the Chieftain versions.
Percentage Rating
95%
  Scale: 1:1
  Mfg. ID: ISBN: 978-83-62878-52-9
  Suggested Retail: 12.5GBP, 17.5EUR, 19.9USD
  PUBLISHED: Apr 27, 2013
  NATIONALITY: United Kingdom
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 89.66%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 88.31%

Our Thanks to Kagero Publishing!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

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About Mecenas

Copyright ©2021 text by Mecenas [ MECENAS ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

Nice review Michal it is just a pity that they put such an unreliable engine in it or it could have been another winner like the Centurion.
APR 27, 2013 - 07:44 AM
I picked up this book because I have Rob's other 2 books and he knows his stuff. It"s a book for modelers by a modeler. He's also a tanker as we Yanks say so he knows his stuff when it comes to armor and Chieftans in particular. Now if only someone made a kit worthy of his books. Tom
APR 27, 2013 - 07:51 AM
Very nice book! I wish they had made an episode of 'Tank Overhaul' with the Chieftain like they did for the Centurion. I mean afterall, it was the bigger brother and the forefather of the Challenger tank. ~ Jeff
APR 27, 2013 - 08:16 AM
I heard a rumor at the Atlanta AMPS show last weekend that Meng may be tinkering with one, dunno how true that is though... OK Meng, what have you to say? I did bend the AFV Club representatives ear ref. a Chieftain model but I don't think they have one in the pipeline at this point in time. What I don't understand is why Tamiya doesn't update their old one (new sprues) or just do a new one... Keith.
APR 27, 2013 - 08:56 AM
I heard a rumor at the Atlanta AMPS show last weekend that Meng may be tinkering with one, dunno how true that is though... OK Meng, what have you to say? I did bend the AFV Club representatives ear ref. a Chieftain model but I don't think they have one in the pipeline at this point in time. What I don't understand is why Tamiya doesn't update their old one (new sprues) or just do a new one... Keith. [/quote] Ahmen brother, your lips to the model gods ears. Tom
APR 27, 2013 - 11:10 AM
   
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