by RNS | Oct 3, 2022 | Beating Tsundoku
Geoff Coughlin, McDonell Douglas F-4 Phantom (Pen & Sword, 2022)
‘You either love it, or you hate it’; so writes Geoff Coughlin about one of the most recognisable warplanes that ever saw combat. You can guess which side of the equation he is on in this lavishly illustrated guide to the F-4 Phantom.
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Coughlin works his way through the design and development of the Phantom, including weapons and propulsion. The Navy and Marines snapped them up as the Vietnam War escalated, with the Navy in particular adopting bright, distinctive colour schemes as if to flaunt the power of the plane. The Royal Navy and RAF soon adopted the Phantom with some alterations. Other air forces that bought or received Phantoms included: Australia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iran, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey – Coughlin has photos of Phantoms from all of them. A section of graphic illustrations, showing camouflage and markings add to the excellent visual content. But the highlight of this book is the extended section on modelling Phantom kits. Coughlin is a modeller and highlights the plethora of Phantom kits on the market. He embarks on a trip through those different models, their positives, and their foibles. He is joined in this enterprise by other first-rate modellers and their spectacular finished kits.
Overall, this is a very attractive and informative survey of the Phantom F-4, and a useful addition to the Pen & Sword’s Flight Craft series. As a wee boy, I lived next to an RAF airfield, and I vividly remember the Phantoms roaring overhead on their way to intercept Soviet ‘Bears’. So, like Coughlin, I love Phantoms too! After reading his book, I might have to go out and buy a kit to build – I’m not sure I can cope with all the decals though!
by RNS | Sep 29, 2022 | Beating Tsundoku
Robert K Liu, Naval Ship Models of World War II in 1/1250 and 1/1200 Scales (Pen & Sword)
In his introduction to this fascinating book, Robert Liu writes: ‘In the end, there is simply nothing like the satisfaction of having completed a difficult enhancement or a scratch-built model.’ His book demonstrates why that is and how you can follow in his wake when making your own models.
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Liu begins with the production methods used for creating models, from die-cast to 3D printing, then the tools and techniques to enhance them – this includes a photograph of his ‘busy’ workbench that will have many modellers nodding their heads in recognition and approval. For the rest of the book, Liu embarks on a voyage through many different types of model ships and how to model them into accurate replicas: anti-aircraft ships. landing craft, submarines, destroyers, cruisers, carriers, battleships, Liberty ships, transports and convoy rescue craft among many others, and he adds Allied and Axis aircraft. Liu concludes with an informative glossary and a perhaps surprisingly lengthy bibliography.
Liu’s book is about as niche as it gets when it comes to subject matter, but it is still an engrossing read for modellers even if you have only a modicum of interest in wee model ships. Liu’s passion for his hobby shines through, and he sprinkles his text with autobiographical notes of a full and sometimes astonishing life. The book is also lavishly illustrated with photographs of model ships in all stages of production. Overall, this is an excellent homage to Liu’s craft and the ships he replicates.
by RNS | Sep 1, 2022 | Beating Tsundoku
Gabriele Esposito, The Macedonian Army of Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323BC (Pen & Sword, 2022)
This ambitious book undertakes to describe the development of the Macedonian army and its organization and equipment, through the reigns of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great.
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Esposito begins with a survey of Macedonia and its warlike neighbours who retarded its progress. Then along came Philip II in 359, just 23 years old but keen to establish Macedonia as a power. To do that, he needed to reform his military, which he managed through studying Greek reforms and introducing his own elements. Philip succeeded but was assassinated before he could appreciate the fruits of his efforts. That brought his son Alexander to centre stage. Esposito narrates the familiar story of Alexander’s ascendancy before describing his army that carried him into Persia and beyond and established his greatness. Esposito also describes the armies Alexander faced on his journey. He concludes with a study of Macedonian weapons and equipment.
As an introduction to the military history of the great era of Macedonia, this book works well enough. The text is functional, based on a thin bibliography constructed of Osprey books, Ancient Warfare magazine articles, and a selection of primary sources, though none are referenced within the text. What makes Esposito’s growing list of books on uniforms and equipment different is his use of photographs of reenactors rather than artwork to illustrate his text. I don’t think this quite works because it looks like they are wearing costumes – too clean, too ‘modern’ – rather than men in battle, but the reproduction weapons look more authentic. Wargamers and beginner students will find this book a useful starting point.
by RNS | Aug 29, 2022 | Beating Tsundoku
Jon Diamond, Burma Victory 1944-1945 (Pen & Sword, 2022)
The Burma front provided some of the most vicious combat in the whole of World War II, and it was often fought in the most inexplicable terrain imaginable. Burma Victory surveys the Allied fightback in 1944 after being pushed to the border of India just two years previously. It is a story told in words and photographs in the latest Pen & Sword Images of War series.
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Diamond establishes the background to 1944’s Allied offensive with an overview of the Far East theatre and the different plans on either side. Along the way, we meet many of the major players in the fightback, including Stillwell, Slim, and Wingate. It is the latter’s command of Operation Thursday and Stillwell’s assault on Myitkyina that Diamond describes next. These involved the famous Chindits and Merrill’s Marauders, but also the local Kachin forces whose help for the Allies proved crucial. Diamond pauses his narrative to take a closer look at the commanders on both sides and their armies. We get back on track with the incredible Allied defence of Imphal and Kohima from March 1944, where the Japanese came within the width of a tennis court from breaching the Allied lines but fell back in disarray. From then on, the Japanese retreat gained momentum with the Allies in hot pursuit. Diamond returns to American operations south of Myitkyina and the building of the famous Ledo (Stillwell) Road, linking Burma to China, before signing off with poignant photographs of graves and Allied officers awaiting their Japanese counterparts to surrender their forces in Burma.
For an Images of War book to succeed, it must illuminate and inform visually and through its text. Burma Victory does that more than satisfactorily. Diamond’s text doesn’t set the heather on fire, but it is functional and tells the story well. The selection of photographs also does its job, highlighting the problems the Allies faced from the weather and terrain as much as the Japanese. We should also note the maps Diamond sprinkles throughout the text, which prove useful to follow what was quite often a complex campaign. The most significant aspect of this book, however, is Diamond’s willingness to emphasize the roles of the many different nations and cultures that fought the Japanese in Burma. Thus, we see photographs and read about Ghurkhas, Sikhs, Africans, and, of course, the Burmese in addition to the British and American soldiers. That alone makes this book stand out as a more than useful introduction to the latter half of the Burma campaign.
by RNS | Aug 27, 2022 | Beating Tsundoku
Ilkka Syvänne, Gordian III and Philip the Arab (Pen & Sword, 2021)
The Roman Empire in 235 C.E. The Emperor Alexander Severus lies dead beside his hated mother in his campaign tent. His rival Maximinus Thrax is about to assume the Purple, but he will also lead the Empire into a crisis that will last most of the rest of the century. In this book, Ilkka Syvänne narrates the military history of the crisis through biographies of the four emperors who made it happen.
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Syvänne’s academic credentials are on show from the beginning, with an analysis of his sources. They are few and lean towards the earlier period, and the book’s structure follows a similar path. Syvänne acknowledges that he accepts sources where others might not, though he declares his speculations in the text, and he is inclined to use the theory of ‘military probability’ based on his military education. As the reader, if you can allow Syvänne that latitude, you will enjoy what follows. Syvänne’s second platform for understanding the narrative is a description of the 3rd Century Roman army complete with drawings of soldiers by the multi-talented author.
We step into the reigns of the emperors next, starting with Alexander Severus and his dominating mother, Julia Mamaea, from 222 to 235 – Syvänne uses the unfortunate term ‘mama’s boy’ to describe Alexander, a blip in an otherwise well-written book. This was a period of rebellions, Persian invasions, and Roman counter-invasions, out of which Alexander’s military reputation did not emerge unscathed. When Alexander, or Julia, abandoned a planned invasion of Germany, Maximinus curried favour with the army, who deserted en masse, while Alexander was assassinated. Maximinus ruled through fear and savagery. He also conducted campaigns into Germany lasting three years in which the Romans won the pitched battles but were dogged at every step by Germanic hit-and-run tactics. However, when Maximinus attempted to raise extraordinary taxes in Africa in 238, he set off a widespread series of revolts in what became known as The Year of the Six Emperors. Gordian I kicked off the revolt but he was soon dead along with his obese son. The Senate nominated two more emperors, Pupienus and Balbinus, to carry on the rebellion, which they did while raising up a boy, Gordian III, to become a figurehead emperor. Syvänne picks his way through the resultant confusion and conflict, including Maximinus’ assassination by his soldiers, and ending with the murders of Pupienus and Balbinus.
That brings us to the reign of Gordian III, and we run into source problems for him, particularly how to treat the Historia Augusta. Syvänne tells us that Gordian faced more military problems from 238-241 and narrates the Persian War from 241-244. The man behind the throne during this period was Timesitheus, but he died to be replaced by Philip the Arab, who became co-emperor, then probably murdered Gordian to become the outright emperor. Syvänne notes that our sources are down to mere fragments for Philip but does his best to fill in the considerable gaps. Philip made peace with the Persians in 244 but was soon at war in the Balkans and faced revolts, most notably in Egypt. Decius usurped Philip in 249 and had him killed. Syvänne argues that Philip has been under-rated as emperor and as a commander. And here, Syvänne’s narrative ends.
If you haven’t read much ancient history and are just looking for a good story, you might find Syvänne a bit heavy going. He likes to get into the weeds and shows his readers the inner workings of constructing a narrative through interpreting evidence. But this is the joy of Ancient History, collating the evidence to see what is hidden and then debating the results. Syvänne’s skill is in making that accessible to readers outside the academic sphere. He writes well and with obvious superior knowledge of his subject. This book is no different in that regards. In this book, Syvänne shines a light on a murky period in Roman history and provides a better understanding of the complex events that made up the crisis of the 3rd Century.
