One of the newest armor books out in the last year is the "KV Techical History and Variants" by Neil Stokes, published by AirConnection of Canada. This book was available at last years AMPS convention in Auburn with Neil being there to autograph copies at the AirConnection table. The book is 560 pages long, has 350 black and white photos, over 300 drawings, and 12 pages of color profiles. In a word, it is massive, and covers the KV series of tanks from start to finish By way of comparison it is comparable to the various books on American armor written by Richard Hunnicutt in its scope and detail. All this does not come cheap and AirConnection is selling it for $129.00 plus postage. I picked up my copy thru Jim Tunney but Chris Mercial at CRM Hobbies did have some copies for sale a few months ago. The book is a limited printing so if you are interested in Russian armor I suggest you get a copy before they are all gone.
Without a doubt this for the time being is the ultimate reference book on the KV series of heavy tanks fielded by the Russians during World War Two. Neil breaks the book down into fifteen major headings plus a section of 1/35 scale drawings and Index. Each section is broken down into a subsections dealing with the specific topic of that section is an orderly fashion. Sections feature artwork and photos to illustrate what is pointed out in the text. These are keyed by numbers to the text making it very easy to understand the progression and differences. In addition photos in other sections of the book are referenced in the same manner, along with their page number, when they have a pertinent point to that section. This labeling allows the reader to easily locate the illustrations and is a boon to seeing details from as many angles as possible.
Of course the highlight of the book is the hundreds of photos that illustrate the extremely concise and well written text. Many are seen here for the first time, and are actual wartime photographs. These are supplemented by current museum vehicles pictures. Though these sometimes show the ravages of the ages due to sitting outside they nevertheless provide useful details that have rarely been seen before on the KV series. For any modeler with an interest in the KV series this book gives you literally all the detail you could possibly want or desire. The interior photos are somewhat limited but sufficient, and are supplemented by drawings.
The selection of wartime photos, the majority taken by German troops, is outstanding. The vast number of these feature vehicles that were captured or destroyed in the field. They provide a wealth of detail for anyone interested in armored warfare on the Eastern front, especially during the early days of Barbarossa. For the modeler who is into dioramas, this book will provide a treasurer trove number of ideas.
Every once in a while a book comes along that is a superb piece of reference material. This book is one of those. If you have an interest in Russian armor I highly recommend that you spend the money and get one as soon as possible before it is out of print. I don't think you will be disappointed.
