Soviet Artillery Tractors of World War II

by James Kinnear

Osprey Publishing

Reviewed by Zack Sex

Osprey Publishing Soviet Artillery Tractors of World War II
by James Kinnear

Many modellers will be familiar with Osprey Publishing's specialist books covering vehicles, battles and soldiers from every era in their compact, accessible format. However, this new hardcover volume on Soviet Artillery Tractors of World War II by James Kinnear is an entirely different beast.

Packed with illustrations, period black-and-white photographs and superb present-day colour images of restored and preserved vehicles from Russia, Finland and Ukraine, the book spans 224 pages across 12 chapters. It traces the story from early Soviet industrialisation and pioneering tractor designs through mass production, wartime factory evacuations, production variants and manufacturing changes. The concluding chapters examine improvised conversions, post-war service, preserved vehicles and detailed walkarounds.

This makes James Kinnear's outstanding work an essential reference for anyone with a stash of Trumpeter Great Patriotic War artillery tractors, or for modellers considering venturing into this fascinating subject.

It also makes an ideal companion to Tyagachi: Soviet Full-Tracked Artillery Tractors by Jochen Vollert (Tankograd Publishing), whose larger-format 360-page volume includes excellent scale drawings together with an extensive collection of Soviet and captured German Beuteschlepper photographs.

Highly recommended.

Zack Sex

Available online from Osprey Publishing and specialty book shops worldwide  www.ospreypublishing.com