Land Craft 13 Kings of Battle US Self-Propelled Howitzers, 1981-2022

Grummitt, David

ISBN 10: 1399040510 / ISBN 13: 9781399040518

Published by Pen & Sword Military, 2023

Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # wbs4604872545

Synopsis:

Artillery has long been regarded as the “king of battle,” and during the Second World War the United States made extensive use of self-propelled howitzers, including several designs mounted on the M4 Sherman chassis. In the post-war period, the U.S. Army pursued the development of both light and medium self-propelled artillery systems, drawing on the chassis of the M24 Chaffee, M41 Walker Bulldog, and the Sherman. Early designs, however, suffered from significant technical shortcomings, limiting the contribution of self-propelled artillery during the Korean War. By the mid-1960s, a new generation of vehicles—the M107 175 mm, M109 155 mm, and M110 203 mm self-propelled howitzers—had entered service. These systems demonstrated considerable effectiveness during the Vietnam War. Although the M107 had a relatively brief tenure in U.S. service, being withdrawn in the late 1970s, it played a notable role within the Israel Defense Forces. The M109, by contrast, became one of the most widely used self-propelled howitzers in the Western world, serving with the U.S. Army, numerous NATO members, and other international forces, and seeing combat in the Middle East, the Balkans, the liberation of Kuwait, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Now in service for approximately six decades, the M109—currently fielded in its M109A7 configuration—remains the principal self-propelled howitzer of the U.S. Army. The larger M110 203 mm system likewise saw extensive worldwide service before its retirement in the early 1990s. Despite the rise of rocket artillery systems such as the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), the self-propelled howitzer is expected to remain a core component of U.S. military firepower for the foreseeable future. The M107, M109, and M110 have also become enduring subjects of interest among scale modellers, with numerous kits produced by major manufacturers. In addition to providing a detailed account of the technical development and operational history of these weapons, this book surveys the wide array of model kits and aftermarket accessories available across the most popular scales. A modelling gallery showcasing various configurations, along with a set of large-format colour profiles, offers both information and inspiration for modellers and military history enthusiasts alike.

About the Author: David Grummitt is editor of Military Modelcraft International magazine. He is also a professional historian and writer and is author of Landcraft 4: Stryker and Landcraft 9: Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Land Craft 13 Kings of Battle US ...
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
Publication Date: 2023
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: Very Good